 The Little Ark mounted to a counter.
|
I really like the Little Ark, because of it's price, and because it also has stones as well as burrs. The manufacturer, Retsel Corp, says it can be motorized. Since the bearing surface consists only of a long, oil impregnated brass bushing, I really didn't believe that it could be motorized like they said. I expected the bushing would wear out under this kind of abuse. But in talking with them about this, they told me they sell them all over the third world and "they just don't come back." So, I guess, the proof is in the pudding. Another reason I like the Little Ark is because I can temporarily mount it right on the counter top in the kitchen. I first place a newspaper down so the feet of the grinder won't scratch the counter top. Then I set the grinder on top of this and attach the grinder securely using two C clamps. (See photo.) It works like a charm and doesn't take but a minute to attach it and remove it. You have to get your own flour catching container. A square piece of tupperware works like a charm.
The burrs and stones are easily interchanged. All one has to do is screw out the thumb screw on the end, pull the stones off, put the burrs on, and screw in the thumb screw. I prefer the stones for grinding wheat because I like a finer flour. I did a test run grinding a cup of wheat with the stones, and another cup of wheat using the burrs. The burr ground flour was slightly coarser when I felt it between my fingers. The stone ground flour didn't - powder. It took 5 minutes 34 seconds to grind a cup of wheat with the stones and 5 minutes with the burrs. Both grinding operations were made turning the grinder at 60 RPM. I personally use the burrs only when I'm grinding oily things, like peanuts for making peanut butter. But some people use them exclusively.
The thumb screw is your coarseness control. The further it is screwed in the finer the grind. But you shouldn't have it screwed in so far that the stones or burrs grind on each other when the grinder is empty. "Just not quite touching" when it's grinding is the right answer. You can get anything from fine flour to barely cracked grain. The Little Ark really is simple to operate. It should treat you just fine through hard times and not let you down.
Let me say just a word about motorizing this grinder. Retsel sells a kit to motorize it which consists of some pulleys and belts. You will have to buy your own motor and set the pulleys up yourself in a housing you build yourself. I'd guess this is more than what the average guy or gal would like to tackle. If you do motorize it, you should gear it down so the grinder doesn't turn faster than 120 RPM. My personal feelings about all this are if you are going to make a habit of making your own bread from flour you grind yourself, you'd be much happier with an electric grinder for everyday use and keep a hand grinder, like the Little Ark, for when the power is off.
12 Oct 98 Update: Last week I got a call from a guy wanting wheat. Talking about grinders, he told me he motorized his Little Ark back in 1978 and has since put 'literally tons' of wheat through it. He said he has it geared down to turn at about 110 RPM, and used an old washing machine motor to power it. Although the original stones are getting old, and aren't giving him quite as fine a grind, the whole machine is hanging in there as good as the day he bought it. I specifically ask him about the bushing. He said it was still as tight as when it was new.
Let me add one last thing about the Little Ark. I see lots of criticism on the 'net about how hard the Little Ark is to clean because of the roll-pin that must be removed to dissemble the feed mechanism auger. Even when grinding peanuts it took only 2-3 minutes cleaning it out with the auger still installed. When grinding dry grains such as wheat there is no need to clean it. And even if you choose to, the unground wheat falls out leaving the chamber clean.