Gristmill

Gristmill is a mill that grinds grain, especially grain brought by a farmer to be exchanged for the flour (less a percentage).

History

The early grist mills were built in the 1630s in the northern colonies in America, but the grinding of grain goes back centuries before that. These early mills used stone rollers (mill-stones), imported mainly from France, to grind the grain.

Operation

The grain is lifted in sacks onto the sack floor at the top of the mill on the hoist. The sacks are then emptied into bins, where the grain falls down through a hopper to the millstones on the stone floor below. The flow of grain is regulated by shaking it in a gently sloping trough (the slipper) from which it falls into a hole in the center of the runner stone.

Types of Gristmills

There are two types of gristmills: Vertical mills and Horizontal mills. Vertical mills are used for grinding raw grain, spices, and animal feed. Horizontal mills are used for grinding paper, making paint, and making soap.

See Also

• Millstone
• Watermill
• Windmill

References

Gristmill Resources
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