Problem: There was grain in the hopper of my brand new mill when I opened the package. Solution: Before we ship a Country Living mill we hand grind a test sample of flour to ensure that the mill is working properly.  We provide a sample of this flour in a plastic baggy, and you may find some of the remaining wheat berries at the bottom of the hopper.    Problem: The edges of the grinding plates on my brand new mill already show signs of wear. Solution: Each set of grinding plates undergoes a number of processing and machining processes to ensure that they will work properly.  One of these steps involves machining a flat ridge around the edge of the grinding plates.  The central area of the rotating grinding plate is responsible for breaking up the grain and the flattened area on the outside performs the function of milling the grain into a fine flour.  This flattened area is necessary for proper mill function, and is intentionally machined.   Problem: My mill is difficult to grind. Solutions: A) Check Mill Mounting.  Make sure that your Country Living mill is sturdily mounted to something that is attached to either the floor or the wall.  It takes a fair amount of leverage to turn the mill and if it is not firmly mounted extra effort will be required to hold the mill still.  Even mounting the mill on a sturdy table will be problematic, because the table will have a tendency to move around.  We suggest a counter or a workbench which is built or screwed into the wall. B) The Power Bar.  The power bar extension handle reduces the effort of turning the mill 40%   Problem: My mill grinds extremely slowly Solutions: A) Check Grains.  Most often this problem occurs when soft, oily, or moist grains are being ground.  These clog up the patterns of the grinding plates and make grinding a laborious and interminable job.  Even hard grains like wheat, spelt, and corn can collect moisture during storage and gum up grinding plates.  The best test to determine if your grains have collected moisture is to throw a pan of your grain into the oven at 150 degrees for 45 minutes, and then try grinding that grain.  If there is a noticeable or miraculous improvement then you know that moisture is the problem. Clogged grinding plates can be cleaned by taking off the adjustment knob and rotating grinding plate and using a stiff toothbrush or even a wire brush. The Country Living mill is not recommended for grinding oily grains, seeds or nuts. B) Replace Worn Grinding Plates.  As grinding plates wear they will began to produce flour more slowly.  A healthy set of grinding plates should have grooves radiating from the center of the plate out to the edge of the plate.  When these grooves began to disappear on the outer edges it may be time to consider replacing your grinding plates.   Problem: My grain mill will start grinding a fine flour, but eventually the flour becomes  coarser. Solutions: The most likely problem is that the adjustment knob is slipping.  Below are some solutions to the problem: A)  Clean the Adjustment Knob.  Fine flour can get in the threads of the adjustment knob and serve as a lubricant, causing you to lose your adjustment.  Unscrew the adjustment knob and clean out the inside threads with a toothbrush.  Also clean the threads on the stainless steel shaft. B) Create more Friction.  Use a piece of fine sandpaper to roughen the threads of the stainless steel shaft.  Often this will create enough friction so that the adjustment knob will no longer slip. C) Lock the Adjustment Knob in Place.  After adjusting the knob to the fineness of grind that you desire, spin on a 5/8 nut, locking the knob into place.  This is an especially good solution when the mill is motorized, hooked to an exercycle.   Problem: I changed the adjustment knob from where it was set when I bought the mill and now I can't grind fine flour. Solution: Empty the Grain Hopper. If there is grain already stuck between the grinding plates it is more difficult to tighten the adjustment knob.  Loosen the adjustment knob until the grain drains out of the hopper and into the flour bin.  Once the hopper is emptied, tighten the grinding plates together and refill the hopper.  It is easier to adjust the fineness of the flour by backing the adjustment knob off, than by trying to tighten it.   Problem: I hear a clicking noise when I turn the mill/ my spring auger has broken or is catching. Solution: Replace Bearings.  Though bearing failure is a rare occurrence in mills that are used by hand it happens more often when mills are motorized at faster than recommended speed. Replacement bearings are available from Country Living at no charge if the warranty is in effect.  Just-in-Case repair kits, which include bearings and a method to press them, are available on our website.  We will do warranty bearing replacement if $20.00 is included for return shipping.  Mills should be well-packed and sent without the flywheel.  Non-warranty bearing replacement and return shipping runs $40.00.