Lee Household Flour Mill Question

I'm assuming you bought your mill used. (If you bought it new, contact the manufacturer directly). I'm also assuming you have an adjustable model (S600, 600 or S60) though it would be helpful to know the model number of your unit. I'm also assuming you have the funnel and collection bag manufactured by Lee (not a jury-rigged substitute).

If you bought it used, you don't know the condition of the motor on purchase. That said, I think you're over-stressing the motor. Here are some suggestions....

> Don't let the flour collection bag get more than about 2/3 full before emptying it.

> Make small adjustments to the adjustment knob. For hard wheat, set it about 1/4" from "F" (I find the wheat mills just as finely at this adjustment as it does if it is completely at "F"). For  rye or grain of similar hardness (spelt, emmer, triticale, etc) set the adjustment about 1/3" from "F".

> If you're filling the hopper completely full (the manufacturer says it holds about 4 lbs of wheat) unplug the unit and let the motor cool after about half the grain is milled.  Empty the bag of flour and replace it on the unit. Then mill the rest of your grain.

> do clean your mill after use, especially the flour build-up behind the milling ring.

Of my suggestions, I think that adjusting the lever for your grain hardness is the most useful. The wheat I mill with the lever about 1/4" from fine is as fine as any commercial white bread flour with no granular feel when I rub some through my fingers. Ditto for the 1/3" setting for rye.

This has also been pointed out on the TFL thread http://www.thefreshloaf.com/node/13634/lee-household-flour-mill