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Here is my summary, first my question, and than the replies I received.
Thanks to all who replied.  Now, if I can only get my mill's grinding
wheels close enough together (my mill has never been used, and has a
tough spring), I can get started.

> I have a question about gf flours. I know some celiacs react to gf
> flours from certain mills, and I'd like to find out which mills and
> why you think you reacted. (i.e. if you think the flour is
> contaminated with wheat because the mill processes wheat on the same
> line; or you occasionally, but not always have a problem with a
> certain mills flours and suspect sometimes wheat(barley, etc.) from
> the field > is in the product, etc.) > > I'm having a difficult time
> figuring out which mills to trust. > > Also, if you have milled your
> own bean flour, please send me hints to make my first try go well
> (should I toast the beans first to reduce moisture?) > > Thanks, >
> Karen in MO the "tax me state" >


1.)I have made my own bean flour. Really like it a lot. Pinto is best,
but have done great northern also.  Just rinse the beans, dry them, and grind.

I especially Betty Hagman's sesame bean bread with pintos. Yummy!!!
Quite inexpensive this way also.

2.) I've made both bean and rice flours in my blender, but only in small
amounts. I understand it's hard on blenders, so intend to look into
other options. The blender doesn't make it really fine, so I've only
used what I've "milled" for gravies and for dredging meats and fish for
frying. Garbanzo bean flour is my favorite. I think the rice flour by
itself has a kind of bitter taste.

3.) I don't trust any of them that have wheat flour on their line. You
have to find a mill that grinds only GF flour. I use my Grainmaster
Whisper mill and gind my own flour, then I know I am safe and my flour
is fresh. I buy my grains like rice and beans at my regular grocery
store, so this is convient for me. Here is how I grind my beans
(garbanzo) or (chick peas). I dribble them into my hopper, a little at a
time. In this way the beans do not get stuck in the hopper. I use the
beans raw from the package and do not bake them.

4.) No, just grind the beans. I just started with a mill recently. I am
pleased. But, don't limit yourself to just garbanzo beans. I have tried
lentils and yellow split peas and mung beans. They really give a nice
flavor to breads, more than garbanzos and I can't tell the difference in
quality of the finished product, at least with what I make. Besides, the
lentils and peas are much easier to grind than garbanzos. I usually run
the flour through twice to get a finer grind.

5.) Bob's Red Mill brand flours have caused me lots of problems.

6.) In our store we stock various types of flour from Ener-G,
Cause You're Special, and Glutino.  All three are companies that specialize
in gluten-free.  So far all of the customer comments about these brands
have been very favorable.

On the Celiac listserv and in the CSA there is a lot of concern about
Bob's Red Mill. Supposedly they do not always clean the mills thoroughly
between different types of grain, so there is a high risk of
cross-contamination.  (This is secondhand information, so I make no
guarantees about its accuracy).

I personally had problems with Goya rice flour when I tried it a couple
of years ago (Goya is a line of groceries sold mainly in Hispanic
neighborhoods).

Happy Easter,

John Shaw
Gluten-Free Trading Co., Milwaukee
http://www.glutenfree.net

7.) Many years ago I had problems with flour from Bob's Red Mill. I
contacted them and was told that they produce gluten containing flours
in the same plant using the same equipment. I don't know if that is
still true today.

8.) I put some garbanzo beans in a blender a handful at a time and came
up with something with a texture like a mixture of cornmeal and corn
flour. I think if I run it through again it will get more like flour. Do
you know of things that can grind better than a blender? I used the
blender because I have it. Garbanzo bean flour is $2.49 at our
healthfood store and the beans are 85 cents at the grocery store.

Thanks,
Karen


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