This article appeared in the Newsletter 8th January 2026

LIFTING THE STONES.

There are times when we need to lift the runner stone off the bed stone. This can be to check for wear on the stones and their grinding faces, (known as the dressing), and also in some cases to look at the hole in the bed stone where the stone spindle which brings the drive from the stone nut up to the runner stone.

Some mills are lucky, they have what is known as a stone crane. This is usually either a wooden or metal frame on wheels that can be positioned over the runner stone. The stone when made will have had two holes one either side, bored into the stone at about half the depth. These have a threaded socket fastened into them. To lift the stones a threaded eye bolt is screwed into the socket and these are then attached to the stone crane which can then lift the runner stone off its mace. The stone can then be wheeled away and in some cases the crane also allows you to turn the stone over so the milling surface can be easily dressed.

NOTE THE SOCKET IN THE SIDE OF THE STONE JUST BELOW THE IRON BAND (HERON CORN MILL)

Alas we don’t have a stone crane and none of our stones have sockets in the sides either.  To lift our stones we use a chain hoist. After dismantling the stone furniture as explained last week we also have to take the hopper on the granary floor off and then remove the spout down to the hopper above the stones. We then lay a thick piece of timber across the hole in the granary floor and attach the chain hoist to it.

The other end of the  chain hoist is fastened to the runner stone via the rynd with two slings. The rand  is the heavy piece of metal set into the stone in the eye which normally sits on the top of the stone spindle. We then simply lift the stone using the chain hoist.

If we just want a quick inspection of the surfaces of both stone, we insert some large blocks of wood between the two stones and lower the runner stone down to sit on them. Occasionally we do need to move the runner stone away from the bed stone. To do this we need to pass a strap underneath and around one side of the runner stone  whilst it is sat on the blocks.

THE RUNNER STONE RAISED USING THE CHAIN HOIST AND THEN LOWERED ONTO THE WOODEN BLOCKS

There is a substantial eye bolt set into the floor beam of the granary floor to the side of the stones. By attaching a second chain hoist to that and connecting it to the strap around the stone we can lift the stone and move it across to the side of the bed stone.

This allows us access to the centre of the bed stone.

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