Millstone dressed

Heage Windmill is proud to produce and sell stone ground flour, in various grades, using essentially traditional methods.

 

The milling set up, as normally seen during a visit to the mill, with the stones enclosed by wooden casings and hoppers
The milling set up, as normally seen during a visit to the mill, with the stones enclosed by wooden casings and hoppers

In order to maintain the quality of the product, it is necessary to clean and sharpen the grooves which are cut into the millstone. In days of old, itinerant stone dressers toured wind and water mills and performed this essential task for the miller.

 

 

The actual pair of mill stones are visible when all the associated equipment has been removed.
The actual pair of mill stones are visible when all the associated equipment has been removed.

Today there are no such skilled men to hand and so it has been necessary for the team of maintenance volunteers at Heage Windmill to learn how  to do this themselves.

 

Some of the longstanding mill workers are now getting ‘ a bit long in the tooth’ and this year the opportunity was taken to pass their experience on to newcomers.

 

The runner stone is being slowly raised from the bed stone
The runner stone is being slowly raised from the bed stone

In order to carry out this operation it is necessary to lift and turn the runner ( or top stone) exposing the faces used in grinding the flour to enable them to be serviced.

 

The runner stone at Heage weighs 722 kilos (nearly 1600 lbs)  and this has to  be carefully raised and then swung out, to be turned over and laid on its back, with due attention being paid to relevant Health & Safety issues.

 

 

Brian Naylor, the Mill Maintenance manager, gathered a team of workers to the site last week and, guided by experienced miller John Boucher, performed the task, which went off without a hitch.

 

The runner stone is lifted clear using the scissor grip crane
The runner stone is lifted clear using the scissor grip crane

The runner  stone was lifted by a temporary crane which was erected over the stones and the actual lift carried out in the traditional manner, using  scissor-like grips with pegs which fit  into pre-existing holes in the stone. The lift was powered by a modern pull lift, although in the old days wedges and  pulleys would have been used!

 

 

 

 

Then the runner stone is turned over to expose the milling surface, prior to being laid on its back.
Then the runner stone is turned over to expose the milling surface, prior to being laid on its back.

Once turned over, both stones could be closely examined to establish if there were any high spots, (there weren’t!) and all surfaces cleaned. The grooves and cutting faces were then sharpened using hand operated, traditional mill bills which chip away and sharpen  any worn areas.

 

For several hours the mill rang to the sound of hammering whilst the various team members tried their hand at the dressing process, until the two stones met the high standard demanded by John.

 

Cleaning the bed stone. Note the bearing at the eye, or centre of the stone, and the hole ,left foreground , where the flour falls through to be processed on the floor below
Cleaning the bed stone. Note the bearing at the eye, or centre of the stone, and the hole, left foreground, where the flour falls through to be processed on the floor below

Once completed, the runner stone had to be raised and turned again and then carefully lowered back onto to its bearings and the rest of the milling ‘furniture’ – or equipment – was re-installed.  All in all, a long day’s work, but one which proved very satisfying to those involved and which will hopefully ensure Heage Windmill will continue to produce high quality flour.

The Trust expressed its sincere thanks to all who worked so  hard  in performing this very necessary task.