How to Use a Hand Corn Grinder
Most manufacturers of residential grain milling/grinding equipment design the equipment for use with more than one type of grain. As a result, a hand corn grinder is typically a general multi-purpose hand-crank grain grinder that usually includes an extra long crank shaft for grinding corn or other hard grains, as the longer shaft helps with generating the extra force needed to crack and break down the corn. Once you’ve chosen a specific corn to fit your cooking and grinding needs, using your grinder only requires that you assemble it, fill its hopper and begin cranking. Does this Spark an idea?
Other People Are Reading
Things You'll Need
- Microfiber cloth
- Water
- Electric drill/screwdriver (optional)
- Collection container
- Motorization kit (optional)
Instructions
-
-
1
Prep your hand corn grinder's parts. Wipe all of the parts with a damp, lint-free microfiber cloth and dry the parts thoroughly.
-
2
Attach the base or body--the largest core part of your grinder--to the surface of a flat. Typically, this involves clamping it to a table edge for temporary placement or drilling holes through the surface and bolting it on for a more permanent placement.
-
-
3
Assemble the grinder. Although every grinder differs in regards to locking mechanisms and the number of individual parts used, typically you will slide a stationary burr or grinding disc into place in the grinder body followed by an auger, a rotating burr and a threaded adjustment knob attached via screws and/or nuts. Assemble these pieces, as well as the crankshaft and handle and/or flywheel as outlined in your grinder manual. If the grinder has an extra long crankshaft, attach it instead of the short crankshaft.
-
4
Turn the threaded adjustment knob to the "fine" setting by tightening the knob.
-
5
Place a clean, collection container (a bowl, canister, bucket or other container) under the grinder opening.
-
6
Pour dry corn into the hopper and turn the handle/flywheel a quarter turn.
-
7
Grind the corn to the coarseness level that you desire. Reset the threaded adjustment knob if you desire a coarser product and then grasp the handle and begin cranking the corn through the grinder.
-
8
Clean and store your grinder. Disassemble the grinder and remove any corn sticking to the parts using a soft-bristled brush.
-
1
Tips & Warnings
If your grinder has stone burrs, throw out the first ground corn batch that you make if it contains stone grit. Although grit in the first batch is a normal byproduct of using stone burrs, eating foods made from grit-contaminated ground corn can lead to injury (for example, chipped or broken teeth).
To turn your hand grinder into an electric grinder, purchase a motorization kit, a unit that contains a special electric housing that fits over and attaches to the grinder, from the manufacturer of your specific grinder.
Never tighten the threaded adjustment knob too much, as doing so can damage the burrs.
Never operate your grinder when the hopper is empty as this can also damage the grinding burrs, as well as the auger.
Always take precautions while grinding to not only protect the grinder from damage, but also your health and the health of others. Tie back loose hair or clothing; never allow small, non-grain objects to fall into the hopper and don't place your fingers in the grinder when it's in use.
