You may wonder what happens at the Old Wye Mill during the winter months. It is a time when it is too chilly for a comfortable tour of the mill but our hardworking millwright Richard Frunzi of Richard Frunzi Historical Services worked with a team of volunteers to sharpen and repair the historic Old Wye millstones. Rick provided us with a very clear and descriptive summary of their work.
The milling stones at the Wye Mill that are in active use needed its regular maintenance. The grinding stones were examined, and the raised surfaces were worn smooth and uneven. Stones in frequent use become worn and stop grinding effectively. This creates an overheating of the material being ground which changes the flavor of the flour or meal. The milling stones were lifted and over turned using the stone crane. The stones were cleaned and examined. A previous advisor to the mill had relayed the thought that the stones were at their last sharpening and new ones would be needed soon. I found this to be incorrect and feel that there are several more sharpenings in these stones. And even then, the iron band could be moved and more room for sharpenings will be available. The stones were sharpened the traditional way using hand tools. Volunteers of the mill were invited to participate in the age-old process of stone sharpening. After the tired helpers were done, diamond tools were used to clean up the furrow lines and level the stone surfaces then finish the sharpening. It was discussed among the millers as to the land surfaces to which the bushing method was performed. The top of the runner stone was cleaned up with Plaster of Paris to fill in the holes and gaps in elevation. a smoother surface was created. The stones were cleaned and re-installed. The stones were used to grind corn and the stone cover was adjusted to be better centered over the runner stone. the grindings sweep was also adjusted for better performance. Miller, James Casey ground grits the following weekend to check the grinding operational performance of the stones.
The Mill thanks all the volunteers who helped with this important project.