WARRANTY:
This warranty is a Limited Warranty as defined in the Consumer Product Warranty and the Federal Trade Commission Improvement Act. It gives you specific legal rights and you may also have other rights that vary from state to state.
LENGTH: Country Living Products warrants this Country Living Grain Mill to be free from defects in material and workmanship under NORMAL USE and conditions for the lifetime of the original owner which includes all parts, excluding the finish. The grinding plates are warrantied for a period of one (1) year from the original date of purchase. This warranty is voided during this period if the mill is used in any way other than recommended, is motorized by anything other than the kit manufactured by Country Living Products, run without grain in the hopper, or used commercially.
REGISTRATION: The Warranty Registration Card must be completed and mailed to Country Living Products, 14727 56th Ave. NW, Stanwood, Washington 98292, within fifteen (15) days from the date of purchase. This proof of purchase, along with purchase date, must be on file when requesting warranty service.
WARRANTY CLAIMS: You must receive verbal or written authorization from Country Living Products to return the mill, plates, or any defective part. This can be obtained by writing or calling us at the address or phone number included with these instructions. Returned mills or mill parts must be shipped freight prepaid to an authorized service center specified by Country Living Products. The return shipping cost to the consumer will be the responsibility of Country Living Products.
SHIPPING DAMAGE: Damage due to shipping should be reported immediately to the carrier. Damage caused in shipping is not the responsibility of Country Living Products.
SERVICE: The company will repair or, at its discretion, replace the Grain Mill or mill parts free of charge if, in the opinion of the company or its authorized agents, it has been proven the problem was related to defective parts or an error in workmanship within the warranty period.
LIMITATIONS: The warranty is void if the product is used for any other purpose than that for which it is designed or intended. The product must not be altered, repaired or serviced by anyone other than the company or an authorized service center. The product must not have been subject to accident in transit or, while in the customer's possession, misused, abused or operated contrary to the instructions contained in the instruction manual. This includes failure caused by neglect, commercial use and Acts of God. This warranty is not transferable and applies only to United States and Canadian sales.
EXPRESSED OR IMPLIED WARRANTIES: Except to the extent prohibited by law, no other warranties whether expressed or implied, including warranty merchantability and fitness for a particular purpose, shall apply to this product. Under no circumstances shall Country Living Products be liable for consequential damages sustained in connection with said product and Country Living Products neither assumes nor authorizes any representative or other person to assume for it any obligation or liability other than such as is expressly set forth. This warranty covers only the Country Living Grain Mill and its specific parts, not the food or other products processed in it. |
| Instructions:
| CAUTIONS: |
• DO NOT operate the mill without grain in the hopper.
• DO NOT get excessive moisture on plates or bearings.
• EXCESSIVE WEAR will occur if plates are run tight against each other without grain.
• For flour, use only hard, dry beans or grains. Moist or soft beans or grains will cause clogging. When using moist beans or grains, back off the adjustment knob. A coarse grind will produce grits and is less likely to clog.
• A mixture of flour AND cracked grains is to be expected on coarser grinds.
• Always remove wooden handle from flywheel before motorizing mill.
• Full liability and responsibility for complying to all Federal, State, and Local Safety Standards is assumed by any person or persons who modify or motorize the Country Living Grain Mill in any way. Motorized mills should be operated by adults only. Note: All belts and pulleys not driven by hand should be enclosed for safety. |
| ASSEMBLY: |
Your mill is packed in a partially assembled state. It will be necessary to finish assembly before attempting to process any grains. A drawing is provided to clarify part description and location.
Remove the mill housing and set it upright on a stable work surface. The flywheel is packed in the bottom of the box. It locates by means of the rear key pressed into the shaft and should be installed by slipping it on the shaft protruding from the rear of the mill. Hold the flywheel in place by tightening the set screw in the hub with the hex wrench provided. The shaft should not protrude past the flywheel.
The handle assembly threads into the hole located in the outside edge of the flywheel until it stops. It can then be held in place by tightening the nut against the flywheel with a 9/16" wrench (not provided). The wood handle should spin freely on the bolt after installation. If it does not, loosen the nut and back the bolt away from the flywheel 1/4 turn, then re-tighten the nut against the wheel. CAUTION: if the handle is too loose, it may pinch skin during use.
Your mill is now ready for operation. Please refer to this manual for full operation instructions. |
| MOUNTING: |
The mill must be securely mounted to a solid base (table, counter, large board) before attempting to operate. For best results the mounting surface should be attached to either the wall or floor. The mill base is pre-drilled to be easily bolted or lagged to a surface permanently. An alternative would be to clamp the mill to a solid work surface. If you utilize this procedure, the mill base should be protected against possible damage to the finish. This can be done by putting something between the clamp and the mill base. The mill should be mounted at a height that is comfortable to the user. We found that if the center of the flywheel is located about waist height, we seem to gain the best leverage. |
| OPERATION: |
We grind wheat in every mill after assembly in order to test and adjust the grinding plates. We begin by tightening the adjustment knob until the plates are rubbing all the way around, then we pour in the grain and grind. It is much easier to begin at a finer setting and adjust out to a coarser setting. This adjustment procedure should be followed anytime the plates have been opened up or removed.
If the flour produced from this setting is not the consistency desired, it can be varied by the adjusting knob on the front of the mill. Tightening the knob will produce a finer grind; loosening it will produce a coarse grind or "crack" grain for cereals. Most adjustments should require only a slight turn of the knob. After each small adjustment, turn the fly- wheel 2 to 3 times and check the product for desired consistency. The amount of effort required to turn the flywheel will increase as the knob is tightened. IT SHOULD NEVER INCREASE TO THE POINT THAT THE FLYWHEEL CANNOT BE TURNED AT ALL, OR REQUIRES EXCESSIVE EFFORT. DAMAGE MAY OCCUR AFFECTING THE GRINDING ABILITY OF THE PLATES. RELEASE TENSION BY BACKING OFF ON THE ADJUSTING KNOB.
NOTE: We found that after tightening the knob to achieve the grind desired, we can often back it off a little to relieve the effort required to turn the flywheel and still retain the grade of flour we wanted! |
| CLEANING: |
The mill is easily disassembled for cleaning by removing the adjusting knob and sliding the front plate off the shaft. BE CAREFUL not to lose the small square key that prevents the plate from spinning on the shaft. Removal of these parts allows access to the cutting surfaces of the plates. Use a small brush to clean out excess flour from corners and surfaces.
On rare occasions it may be necessary to remove and wash the grinding plates. Use the wrench provided with the mill to remove the screws holding the stationary plate to the housing. The plate may now be separated from its mounting surface for thorough cleaning. If the plates are washed, they should be dried immediately to prevent rust. Before replacing the stationary plate, make sure that the mounting surfaces are clean and free from any foreign matter. The plate is designed to locate in one position only, so make sure that all the mounting holes line up before reinstalling. The mill housing is not designed to be submerged during cleaning. A slightly damp cloth should suffice for cleaning the housing and its parts. If any parts of the shaft or bearings get wet, they should be dried immediately to prevent damage. |
| MOTORIZATION: |
Your grain mill is designed to be easily motorized. The flywheel is grooved for use with a standard "V" belt. We recommend using at least a 1/3 HP motor rated at 1,150 RPM and equipped with a 1-1/2" pulley. This ratio will produce about 115 to 120 RPM at the flywheel. Other motors may be used, but they will need to be geared so that the RPM at the flywheel does not exceed 120 RPM.
The motor and the mill should be securely fastened to a substantial surface. The mill handle MUST be removed before motorized operation. NEVER ALLOW THE MILL TO OPERATE WITHOUT GRAIN BEING PROCESSED!! Belt size may be determined by the distance the motor is mounted from the mill. Belt tension should not be excessive or bearing damage may occur. Note: Due to the many variables introduced during motorization, the warranty is void if the mill is motorized.
CAUTION: Full liability and responsibility for complying to all Federal, State, and Local Safety Standards is assumed by any person or persons who modify or motorize the Country Living Grain Mill in any way. Motorized mills should be operated by adults only. Note: All belts and pulleys not driven by hand should be enclosed for safety. |
Wheat and Grain Storage:
Choose dark, hard winter or spring wheat with a 12% or higher protein content. It should be clean and high grade.
The moisture content should be 10% or less. This low moisture content aids in limiting insect contamination. Insects cannot reproduce in wheat with very low moisture content. If you are going to store wheat for long periods, make certain you take precautions to eliminate possible contamination. Contact you local agriculture extension office concerning long term wheat storage in your area.
To store wheat, metal containers have proven to be the most efficient. Do not store the containers of wheat directly on a cement or dirt floor. Instead, place the containers on wood pallets or on shelves. This will aid in eliminating a rusting can which could affect the quality of your wheat.
Wheat will keep indefinitely if stored properly. Make certain the wheat remains dry. The most successful storage comes from rotating the supply of wheat, using the older wheat before using newer wheat.
We would like to caution you when buying wheat to make certain the wheat is dry and has the proper protein quotient. As with all things, be a cautious shopper. If you are conscientious enough to grind you own flour, then go the extra measure and be certain the grains you are purchasing are the best grains available.
Manufactured by:
Country Living Products |
Hooking up your Mill to an Exercise Bike
by Jack Jenkins
 It was 4:55 a.m., the time that our alarm radio does its early morning thing. My consciousness was struggling when an announcer began intoning something about "the most fuel-efficient machine in the world. This marvelous machine gets 914 miles per gallon," he said.
Suddenly, I was very awake. Visions of replacing our 12 miles-to-the-gallon van leaped into my sleep-shrouded head. I listened carefully. I was both disappointed and delighted in the same instant. This magnificent machine was nothing less than the human body.
I had to have more information, more documentation. I called long-distance to the radio station to see if they could give me sources on the story, but, alas, the very stuff that radio is made of (in an instant, here- in an instant, gone) had taken its toll. They had erased the tape and claimed no ability to retrieve the information.
Still the thought of such phenomenal efficiency plagued me. Here we are inhabiting one of the most efficient machines ever devised and yet we persist in surrounding ourselves with inefficient, energy-wasting machines, expensive convenience appliances that literally encourage the degeneration of the most magnificent machine ever placed on earth- the human body. It's not fair to condemn all appliances. If used correctly they can give us the time needed to accomplish and create. But, like many blessings, mankind has a tendency to overindulge, to take for granted. Often we forget where to draw the line. If it's convenient, we overindulge. If it's pleasurable, we sate ourselves. When we cross over this line of reason and restraint, both the body and the mind suffer.
It may be a simple thing, but to me when I spend ten to thirteen minutes grinding- by hand- our fresh whole wheat flour in the Country Living Grain Mill, both my body and my mind benefit. I'm keeping in tune this 914 miles-per-gallon machine. I could never use an electric grain mill so beneficially. Mentally, what value? The sense of pride I feel as I walk into the kitchen with two pans of beautiful, fresh whole wheat flour and hand them to Ann, is inestimable. A simple thing, perhaps. But often the simple things have the greatest value.
The mounting platform with a slotted 2 x 6 board locks the exercycle into place, while making the tension of the belt easily adjustable. The wing nuts and bolts in the slots make it quick and easy to make all adjustments.
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The feet of the exercycle should fit firmly against the 2x6 adjustable board.
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The wing nut and bolt (located on either side of the board) should be tightened down once proper belt tension is achieved.
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Use a three or four inch pulley hub suitable for use with a v-belt.
Creating your own 914 Mile Per Gallon Machine
Dear Friend:
Unfortunately, since there is such a huge variety of exercycles on the market, I don't have any specific plans describing how to hook an exercycle up to the grain mill. There is no standard pulley for the exercycle hub that I can recommend because most of the exercycle brands have different flywheels and hubs. The exercycle (AVITA made in Redmond, Washington) that I have hooked up to my Country Living mill has been off the market for at least 15 years. I actually took my exercycle flywheel to a machinist and had him mill a pulley to fit the hub. It cost me $40 but I have been using it for almost 20 years now, so it has been well worth it.
I suggest that you look for an exercycle with a cast iron flywheel and enough space between the frame and the flywheel to allow you to bring a V-belt out from the hub. I saw an exercycle in a thrift store a while ago for $8.50 (cheap). I guarantee that if you are patient and look around you can find a very nice but inexpensive cycle that will serve you well.
For the best ratio, it would be nice to put a three or four inch pulley on the exercycle's flywheel hub. An off-the-shelf pulley might work for you. You will have to drill holes through the pulley and match them to holes drilled in the cast- iron flywheel. Self-tapping metal screws will hold the pulley to the flywheel of the exercycle. Some people have used a strong epoxy to bond the pulley on. Someone suggested J. B. Weld - I haven't tried it, so I can't assure you of success. Trouble is, all hubs are not created equal, so you may have to have a machinist machine a pulley to fit the hub of the cycle that you decide to get. Another alternative is to run your V-belt around the outside diameter of the exercycle flywheel. The ratio isn't efficient, but I know several folks who have done just that and they seem satisfied.
I wish you well,
Jack Jenkins
Country Living Productions
Mountain Bike Conversion
How to De-hull Buckwheat with the Country Living Mill
by Tom Kast
This report on dehulling buckwheat was prepared by Tom Kast, who was kind enough to share the information with us and asked us to disseminate it for the benefit of our other customers:
Step 1 - Get round-hole test screens from a seed testing house such as Seedburo.com. The screens are measured in 64ths of an inch. Purchase the 9, 10 and 11 64th's screens. They are 15" square perforated pieces of metal. If you pay a bit extra they come with frames, or if you want to save a few dollars you can build the frames yourself.
Step 2 - Size your buckwheat. In my experience most kernels were larger than the largest 11 64th holes, but the value in putting the kernels through this largest screen is that all the tiny kernels fell through and could be discarded (because there were not enough to work with); otherwise, they would mix into the final result and be surprises that are very hard on your teeth.
Step 3 - Take the County Living Grain Mill and set it to a very wide aperture. Take a test handful of the same-sized buckwheat kernels and run them through the mill. Check your results. The results should be (A) All the kernels have been opened or (B) There has been little or no grinding of the black hulls which would result in "hull flour", (C) - The buckwheat is as large as you would like it (for example, Russian kasha calls for whole, dehulled kernels where as buckwheat flour can be as fine as you like).
Gradually decrease the aperture of the Country Living Grain Mill until all the kernels have been opened and before the black hulls begin grinding. If the hulls start grinding then widen the aperture a bit. Once you have the result you like, keep the setting on the mil and put all your buckwheat through the mill.
Step 4 - Take the loose hulls and buckwheat and sift them through the medium-sized test screen (10 64th's). Shake the hulls and buckwheat over a cookie sheet. This will extract 90% of the hulls which you can save to make a Japanese soba pillow. Then take the cookie sheet outside and blow lightly over the pan, shaking it slightly. This will blow off most of the remaining hulls.
That's it, you're done. Use the buckwheat flour in your favorite recipe.
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