Help with Grain Mill

[kthull]

A few months ago, I bought a hand-crank grain mill. Tonight was the first time I used it to grind almonds. Well, I got more than ground almonds...everything that came out was a nice shade of gray.

Anyone out there use one that can shed some light on the subject? Do I just need to sacrifice a certain quantity of nuts before it grinds clean? I don't recall reading about that in the instruction sheet that came with it.

And, in case it helps, here's a link to what I'm using:
http://www.cooking.com/products/shprodde.asp?SKU=136044

Thanks!

[foodnfoto]

Often these aluminum coated cast iron appliances come with a coating of mineral oil on them to prevent rusting. You should wash all pieces in hot water with a gentle soap and scrub with a soft brush to remove it; then dry thoroughly before using. My hunch is that the grey is coming form the mineral oil. As you suggest, you may have to sacrifice some grain before getting the thing completely clean. Dry grinding up something cheap and absorbant first, like oats.
To keep the coating fresh, NEVER put the thing in the dishwasher and always rub with a paper towel dipped in vegetable oil after use.
Hope this helps.

[kthull]

I did everything but the soft brush part. I'll give that a whirl, then sacrifice some oats to the food gods.

Thanks!