Testing and Examining the New Roller/Flaker Mill

I had a little trouble finding a place to try out my new Family Grain Mill Roller/Flaker.

Fits just right in the milling spot in
the pantry...but how to fill it?

Flat/straight base means round
kitchen table edge won't work...

  

All our kitchen countertops are too deep for the clamp

For now, the sewing room
counter will work

I think I will have Hubby build it something special so it can be always ready to use.  I don't really want the kids moving it around and having to attach it every time they need to roll oats, because when completely assembled, it's kind of top-heavy, which makes dropping it a possibility.  The directions aren't super thorough, but they do say not to drop it.  :-)  Besides, if it means setting it up, it won't get used as much.

My current grain roller 'motor' at work  :-)

Oat groats went into it first, of course, and it did a fine job rolling them.  For a serving or two of oatmeal, hand-cranking isn't bad at all.  But when thinking of rolling 12 to 15 cups for the batches of granola I make, it seemed I might wish for a motor to do the job for me.  I will have to think about saving for the motor base.  The mixer attachment seemed like a good idea, initially, but that means getting out a whole other appliance, which is more hassle and another thing that will discourage the roller's use.  Right now, anyway, Hubby is glad to roll the large batches of oats for me, as he loves the granola and will do the work to make sure there is always some on hand for breakfast.                                                                                                                                          
I was always disappointed that in my other roller/flaker, grains other than oats just were crushed by the rollers and turned to gravelly dust, not flakes.  But this one rolled soft wheat, rye, and barley for me.  The flakes aren't quite as consistent and there is a little more dust than with oats, but I am thrilled.                                                                                                                            

Hubby came in just as I finished my testing and wanted to do a bit of his own.  He was the most experienced with the Shule mill and noticed positive differences in the Family Grain version.  First, he approved of the thick, quality plywood they'd used for the base.  Just turning the handle, he commented on how much smoother it turned, and rolling a few oats, he said how much easier it worked.  After having the other one apart to try to fix it, he had to take this one apart to see why it worked so much nicer. 

One roller.  The grain goes down in where you see the
steel plate angled out.  

As a builder and woodworker, and instructor who has taught classes in metalwork, wood technology, construction, and even small engines, he is someone who appreciates a well-made tool.  He oohed and ahhed over what he discovered inside the Family Grain Mill roller/flaker.  He admired the German engineering with the simplicity of the design, the high quality bearing, the close tolerances of the moving parts, and how every part fit into every other part so precisely as it went together.  He approved of the materials used (steel and Teflon) for durability and smooth operation.                                                                                                                                
So, so far, 2 thumbs up for this tool from our house.