Sovereignty Module: Grind the Grain
Grind the Grain
Complete Flour Milling, Grain Processing, and Mill Construction Guide
Complete Flour Milling, Grain Processing, and Mill Construction Guide
Converting grain to flour is the bridge between agriculture and nutrition. This campaign covers hand milling, water-powered mills, windmills, and grain processing for bread, porridge, and animal feed.
Chapter 1: Milling Methods Compared
| Method | Output (lbs/hour) | Power Source | Cost | Flour Quality | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Saddle quern (rubbing stone) | 2-4 lbs/hour | Human (arms) | Free (found stones) | Coarse | Emergency, very small scale |
| Rotary quern (hand mill) | 5-10 lbs/hour | Human (one hand) | Low (carved stones) | Medium-fine | Household daily use |
| Bicycle-powered mill | 15-30 lbs/hour | Human (legs) | Moderate | Fine | Small community |
| Water-powered mill | 50-200 lbs/hour | Water current | High (construction) | Very fine | Village/community |
| Windmill | 30-100 lbs/hour | Wind | High (construction) | Very fine | Flat terrain, no water |
| Animal-powered mill | 20-50 lbs/hour | Horse/ox/donkey | Moderate | Fine | Any location |
| Impact mill (hammer) | 50-100 lbs/hour | Any power source | Moderate | Variable | Animal feed, coarse flour |
Chapter 2: Millstone Construction
| Component | Material | Specification | Function |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bedstone (bottom) | Granite, quartzite, or burrstone | 30-48 inches diameter, 6-8 inches thick | Stationary base |
| Runner stone (top) | Same as bedstone (matched pair) | Same diameter, slightly thinner (4-6 inches) | Rotates to grind grain |
| Eye (center hole) | Cut through runner stone | 4-6 inches diameter | Grain feeds through this hole |
| Furrows (grooves) | Cut into grinding faces | 8-12 furrows, 1/4 inch deep | Channel flour outward, ventilate, cut grain |
| Lands (flat areas) | Between furrows | Smooth, slightly concave | Actual grinding surfaces |
| Rynd (iron cross) | Forged iron | Fits into eye, connects to spindle | Drives runner stone from spindle |
| Spindle | Iron or hardwood | Vertical shaft through bedstone | Transfers power to runner stone |
| Tentering (gap adjustment) | Lever mechanism | Raises/lowers runner stone | Controls flour fineness |
Dressing (sharpening) millstones: Furrows must be re-cut (dressed) every 100-200 hours of use. Use a mill bill (specialized chisel). Furrows should be sharp-edged on leading side, sloped on trailing side. This creates a scissor-cutting action.
Chapter 3: Water Mill Design
| Component | Material | Specification | Function |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dam/weir | Stone, earth, timber | Raises water level to create head | Creates water pressure/height |
| Millrace (channel) | Dug channel, lined if needed | Carries water from dam to wheel | Delivers water at controlled rate |
| Water wheel (overshot) | Wood (oak frame, pine buckets) | 8-16 feet diameter | Converts water energy to rotation |
| Water wheel (undershot) | Wood | 6-12 feet diameter | Lower head requirement, less efficient |
| Pit wheel (main gear) | Wood with iron teeth | Attached to water wheel shaft | First gear in power train |
| Wallower (lantern gear) | Wood | Meshes with pit wheel | Changes rotation axis (horizontal to vertical) |
| Great spur wheel | Wood | On vertical shaft | Drives stone spindle(s) |
| Stone spindle | Iron | Vertical, through bedstone | Rotates runner stone |
| Hopper | Wood (funnel-shaped) | Above stones | Holds grain, feeds into eye |
| Shoe (feed trough) | Wood (vibrating) | Between hopper and eye | Controls feed rate (vibrated by stone) |
| Tailrace | Dug channel | Returns water to stream | Carries water away after wheel |
Efficiency: Overshot wheel (water falls on top): 60-80% efficient. Requires 6+ feet of head (fall). Undershot wheel (water pushes bottom): 20-40% efficient. Works with minimal head. Breastshot wheel (water hits middle): 40-60% efficient. Compromise design.
Chapter 4: Grain Processing Steps
| Step | Action | Purpose | Equipment |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Threshing (separate grain from stalk) | Remove kernels from heads | Flail, threshing floor, or machine |
| 2 | Winnowing (separate grain from chaff) | Remove light husks and debris | Toss in wind, or fanning mill |
| 3 | Cleaning (remove stones, weed seeds) | Pure grain only | Screens, sieves (different mesh sizes) |
| 4 | Tempering (add moisture, rest 12-24 hours) | Toughens bran for clean separation | Spray water (1-2%), rest in bin |
| 5 | Milling (grind between stones) | Break kernel into flour | Millstones or roller mill |
| 6 | Sifting/bolting (separate flour grades) | Separate bran, middlings, fine flour | Bolting cloth (silk or nylon mesh) |
Chapter 5: Flour Grades and Uses
| Grade | Extraction Rate | Protein | Color | Best For | Nutrition |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Whole wheat (100% extraction) | 100% | 12-14% | Brown | Bread, hearty baking | Highest (all bran + germ) |
| High extraction (85-90%) | 85-90% | 11-13% | Tan | Bread, all-purpose | Very good |
| Straight flour (72-78%) | 72-78% | 10-12% | Off-white | Bread, general baking | Good |
| Patent flour (60-70%) | 60-70% | 9-11% | White | Fine baking, pastry | Lower (bran/germ removed) |
| Bran (separated) | 15-20% of kernel | 14-16% | Dark brown | Animal feed, fiber supplement | High fiber, minerals |
| Middlings (shorts) | 10-15% of kernel | 15-17% | Tan | Animal feed | High protein |
Storage: Whole wheat flour goes rancid in 1-3 months (germ oils oxidize). White flour stores 6-12 months. Whole grain (unmilled) stores 5-30 years if dry and pest-free. Mill fresh for best nutrition and flavor.
Chapter 6: Hand Mill (Rotary Quern) Construction
| Step | Action | Materials | Details |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Find/shape two flat stones (granite, quartzite) | Hard, non-friite stone | 12-18 inches diameter, 3-4 inches thick |
| 2 | Flatten grinding faces (peck with hammer) | Hammer + hard point | Must be flat (check with straightedge) |
| 3 | Cut furrows in both faces | Chisel + hammer | 6-8 furrows radiating from center |
| 4 | Drill center hole in top stone (eye) | Drill or peck through | 2-3 inches diameter |
| 5 | Set pivot pin in bottom stone center | Iron pin or hardwood dowel | Top stone rotates on this pin |
| 6 | Attach handle to top stone edge | Wood handle, set in drilled hole | Lever for rotation |
| 7 | Build frame/housing | Wood | Holds stones, catches flour |
Output: A well-made 14-inch quern produces 5-8 lbs flour per hour with one person grinding. Two people alternating can produce 30-40 lbs per day — enough for a family of 8-10.
Reference Card
- Whole grain stores 5-30 years. Flour stores 1-12 months. Mill fresh whenever possible.
- Overshot water wheel: most efficient (60-80%). Needs 6+ feet of head (water fall height).
- Millstone furrows: must be re-dressed (sharpened) every 100-200 hours. Use mill bill chisel.
- Temper grain before milling: add 1-2% moisture, rest 12-24 hours. Bran separates cleanly.
- Rotary quern: 5-8 lbs flour/hour per person. Enough for a family. Granite or quartzite stones.
- Bolt (sift) flour through progressively finer cloth: coarse (bran) → medium (middlings) → fine (white flour).
- Feed conversion: 60 lbs wheat → 42-45 lbs flour + 15-18 lbs bran/middlings. ~72% extraction.
- Stone gap (tentering): closer = finer flour. Too close = overheating (damages gluten). Adjust by feel.
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