Flour Milling

Yes, I mill some of my flour.  I do sift my flour and I use what is called a classifier.  This is a stainless steel screen that is used to classify soil samplers or to pan for gold.  I use a number 20 screen and it removes about 3% of the flour from the rest.  http://www.blackcatmining.com/mining-equipment/jobe-classifiers.cfm  They are designed to sit on top of a 5 gallon plastic bucket.  I just rock the bucket back and forth and the flour gets sifted in about a minute.

I don't temper my grain and never have.  I have a KOMO DUETT MILL.

I only make one pass through the mill.

If you want to make white flour you can buy more classifiers and stack them on top of each other.  The higher the number the more flour that will get sifted out.  I would start with a number 20 and included all the classifiers to about 50 or 80 for a white flour.  I don't sift out higher than a 20 because then to much flour gets sifted out for me.

The #20 classifier is 1/20 of an inch or 1.27 mills.  I think to get 75-85% extraction you will need #50 or 70# classifier.  With my mill I would start with a #20 and not skip any of the classifiers until you got to the level of fineness that you want.  I'm surprised that the gold industry in Australia doesn't have classifiers for sale that is why I mentioned it.  You can try and contact Jobe direct and see if they have a contact in Australia or if they will sell to you direct.  http://www.jobewholesale.com/products_results.php?Search=0

Hello anonymous,

Here is a link to something that might be of interest.  It doesn't give a mesh size but could be worth a try.

https://www.robinskitchen.com.au/product/d-line-23cm-stainless-steel-dru...

Good luck with your projects.

Farinam

Hello StretchNFold,

Mesh size is expressed as the number of openings per inch so a 20mesh screen would be about 1.25mm opening.  So basically, you would have to decide how small as size you wanted to screen at and work out the necessary mesh to look for.  A 53mesh screen (as I recall) is 300 microns (a bit under a third of a mm).

The 'dog ears' (") means 'inch' and the 0.08 inch is a 12 mesh screen or about 2mm opening.  I think you would be looking for something quite a bit finer than that.

Good luck with your projects.

Farinam

The classifiers at Prospecting Supplies will work.  I would get the 20, 30, and 50.  You need all three as if you try to just use the 50 by itself the screen will be overloaded with all the bigger pieces.  They don't show a 70 on their site but I think that is most likely the finally grade that you would want.  The 100 might be to fine but I don't know.  I have never gone above a 50 so I'm not sure what one will get the job done for you.

The classifiers at Reeds have to large of screens and will not work to make flour.

I would start with a 20 and add as you can afford them.  If making a more whole grain bread is a possiblity for you make that loaf with the 20.  Then keep adding classifiers until you get the flour that you want.  I have a 50 and it doesn't make a white flour.  I still think you will need to go to a 70.  One thing that I forgot to ask you is what kind of mill do you have?

Hello StretchNFold,

I wonder whether you should look at something a bit finer than 20# (1.25mm opening) in the first instance since you say that everything goes through your normal kitchen sieve and in my experience the mesh size in them is about 1mm.  Some of the specialist 'chef' shops might also have kitchen sieves with finer mesh though I'm not sure how the price would compare with the 'mineral' sieves that you are looking at.

Good luck with your projects.

Farinam

I forgot about a great place to read about mills, milling, and sifting is here.  This is where I learned more than I would ever use.