OAT ROLLER RE-BUILT.

It has taken a bit longer than was originally planned to renovate the Hopkinson oat roller. This is a self contained piece of machinery that has probably been in the mill since 1875.

The renovation has mainly been a process of cleaning the original structure. The only replacement was new wood for three sides of the hopper below the rolls into which the rolled oats drop. We have had to buy new belts to allow us to power the rolls from one of the lay shafts that takes the drive from the crown gears on the spur wheel. This also involved us in replacing a section of the line shafting in the mill.

THE ROLLS BEFORE CLEANING.

There are no operating or maintenance manuals for this type of machine and we will have to do some experiments to work out the settings needed to produce rolled oats.

THE ORIGINAL WOOD WORK BEING PLACED BACK ON THE ROLLER .

THE FINAL CONSTRUCTION WITH THE BELTS IN PLACE.

We need now to complete the boxing in of the belts for health and safety reasons and to restore it to how it looked originally.

THE OAT ROLLER WHILST THE MILL WAS STILL WORKING.

Hopefully our own rolled oats will be available shortly.

For more news etc. on the mill sign up to the newsletter on the website.