THE MILLER ART

Pavana Pistoiese: mill

The miller art was always really transmitted from generation to generation. The experience acquired after having helped long time an elder parent became like this the safely guarded in the able hands of the young miller.
The offtake channel maintenance, the sluice-gate efficiency, the cleaness of the showers and the direct control of the working of the basin wheels are only some of the tiring works that he had to do.
The totality of the wooden structures and the wall handfacts were enterely built by the miller.
He was sided by the smith just only for what concerned the transmission shaft and some minor metallic particulars. The miller experience roomed in a wide range.
He had to comprehend services a little aside from the proper milling activity.
He had to estimate how dry the cereals were, or quantify their production interms of flour. When the customers came to the mill with their modest charges of graminaceous plants or chestnut he started his specific job.
Heving completed, with sieves, the cleaning of the product to treat, he conceived the exact weight putting the matter on the right steelyard.
He ordered the cereals laying in a wide container that could host right to 20 Kg. From these hepoured into the hopper. And from this they fell in the understaying eye of the superior millstone. The quantity was programmed by the miller, following his precise calculus, actioning a drawer that was fixed, through hinges, under the base of the hopper. A long stick vibrated for the movement of the millstone. A bell tossing, acustically warnedthe miller to refill again the hopper.
The inferior millstone was blocked, while the superior rotated. The millstones were very heavy and could overpass the tonn.
This, of circular shape, presented engravements that started from the central pin then developed towards the sides ina circular , smooth movement.
They had the scope to riduce the friction generated by the rolling and made easy the outflow of flour.The millstones were circled in their external part by a strong iron that ameliorated its mechanical features. A wooden loom placed in the external perimeter was used to containthe flour dispersion.
Finally the flour obtained fell in a basin placed in the bottom, in front of the basement of the millstones.
The miller collecter the dust produced with the carachteristic wooden shovel and putit clearly inside the sacks of cordage and lute.
The earning of themiller called the “molenda” was calculated, considering the eventual diminution during the process, with a parameter oscillating around the 5 per cent of the milled product.
In some, not so common, cases it was paid with money or exchanging other goods.
Theentire ancient art of the miller was at the same time a principally manual activity coordinated by a wit mind and a fine brain.

fonte: appennino web

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