Hand cranked grain mill

The Country Living Grain Mill is the most popular as you probably already know - but it's NOT under $150.00 unless by some miracle you could find a second hand one. I bought a Diamant (made in Denmark and purchased in the States) but you need to add another zero somewhere 🙂 We use it every day - not as an emergency tool but as part of our lifestyle so we decided it was worth the money to have the lifetime of quality. Unfortunately it is a case of you get what you pay for.

I wrote a blog post for the Canadian Preppers Blog about Grain Mills: http://www.canadianpreppersnetwork.com/2012/03/manual-grain-mill-and-why-you-need-one.html so you can read about my justification 🙂

None of that answers your question -sorry. I would start looking at antique/junk shops for that miracle and in the meantime save for a good quality one.

but if you want something in between - http://www.ebay.com/itm/Tall-Cast-Iron-Mill-grinder-hand-crank-manual-grains-oats-corn-wheat-coffee-nuts-/360448797414?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item53ec6c2ae6

$30.00 is cheap but it would do the job - probably made in China.

but if you want something in between - http://www.ebay.com/itm/Tall-Cast-Iron-Mill-grinder-hand-crank-manual-grains-oats-corn-wheat-coffee-nuts-/360448797414?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item53ec6c2ae6

$30.00 is cheap but it would do the job - probably made in China.

i have that one as a backup.
it will not grind your grain into a fine flour.
i ground down the grinding face with a grinder but only got marginal improvement .
i use and electric (the kitchen mill) one that works great.(with a 12 volt battery and inverter you got fine flour if power out)
kitchen mill is not cheap if i remember right.

I have been looking at the hand crank type, (I course I wouldnt buy one unless I wanted my wife to send me to a looney bin.) I have seen one hooked up to a Bicycle, Takes more room but easier to use, especially if you have shoulder problems. Also its something you can get your children to do.

I just purchased the Wondermill Junior Deluxe. At $240.00 it's more than you want to spend but has good reviews. It is hand cranked but comes with the option for a pully so you can motorize it or even hook it up to a bicycle. I haven't used it yet but when I do I'll post a review.

All this talk about grain mills - I found for $15.00 at a thrift store this morning. It looks a lot like the one in the ebay link but It's a Corona. My back up to the backup to the backup.

GREAT FIND!!! ( sticking my tongue out at you just a little bit) He He....

I saw a mill just like that one in some surplus store. For the hell of it I bought it. Absolute garbage.
Not saying this one is good or not but if a great mill is $300 can you really make one that works for $30? Just sayin....

Thanks all for the advice everyone, I bought an Estella they sell at sears for 50.00$. It will have to do for cracking grain and grinding coffee. My neighbor is going to barter a older grinder that you hook up to a PTO on my tractor, for some labor. It can hold 100 lbs of grain and grind it into flour in about 15 min. I still want a Little Ark though for kitchen use will have to save up alot more.