Good morning Nexians!

As someone prone to insomnia, Ive just spent the last couple of hours pondering on a better way to powderise MHRB than the blender and coffee grinder.Both of these do the job to some degree but when it comes to blitzing say 500g or more, its time consuming, and to be frank, a bit of a pain.

We have thousands of members here, and statistically speaking, there has to be some who have a passion for power tools and also have an inventive mind.Its the help of such Nexians that this thread requires, for the benefit of those who cannot get powdered MHRB anymore.

If we consider that a blender is simply a usually feeble motor, attached to a rotating blade with the latter enclosed within a confined receptacle, I feel confident that we could simply extend this idea, with a little imagination, and utilise a power drill with an appropriate bit carrying a circular saw-blade to produce a turbo-charged blender which would meet our requirements nicely.And I'm hopeful that a construction such as I envisage would probably powderise the fibres too.

I really do reckon that this could be the way forward provided any devices constructed pay the required attention to the safety of the user, and for this reason any Nexians who have experience of using such tools and cobbling together devices with an appropriate regard to safety, please chip in.


Im sure other power tools such as a drill press could be imaginatively used as well, so any ideas etc are most welcome!!

What a great idea.

I just picked up the following for another project, but never considered the option of a grinder. How do you propose it be made? I'd love to test it out.

Yes, a1pha, thats the kind of drill press Im talking about-ideal for keeping your blade-thing held firmly and strictly vertically.

TBH, Ive lots of ideas but Im not that technically adept, but I see great potential with this approach.Hence the need for those better versed than me to help this thread evolve!

Just get one of those nice big circular drill pieces that are meant to grind out large holes in wood

I imagine you could just fire that up and let it grind if you could somehow enclose it, like some kind of metal tubing enclosure around the drill with the mimosa inside? Kind of like a satanic french press of sorts although instead of filtering we are obliterating.

I have many sizes of those. I need to finish this one project, but would love to test this out. Let me think a bit on this.

^^Nice!!

Already Im getting the feeling that the possibilities with powertools etc, are not bad at all!

Maybe a mini millstone? One that straps to the bottom and another one on top in place of a drill bit.

Somehow wrap the sides with something so nothing could escape and then have a dugout on the bottom stone for the powder to escape and collect.

That would grind it finer than anything else I can think of. We would just have to watch the heat levels so it doesn't hurt the spice during the grinding process.

How about a commercial (a lot more expensive) blender from a catering equipment supplier? It would be a lot more robust, probably bigger and have a stronger motor.

Nope. I've tried the VitaMix with zero luck. From my understanding, it's about the best blender available.

In terms of souped-up kitchen ware, the Wondermill might be a possibility:
Wondermill

I also think a belt sander could be utilized, if the appropriate way to hold the bark could be worked out.

SWIM was looking into this for some time, actually. The drill blender is what really caught his eye, and he's been searching for DIY approaches ever since. The cost of the device isn't too bad, and it'll likely fit a mason jar (ideal for containing the mess and for the preparation to follow, most of which may be performed in the very same vessel); but the lack of replacement blades is concerning. SWIM has managed to use a regular blender blade assembly in conjunction with a drill with minor success (enough to get the extraction underway) and some difficulty.

SWIM does believe this to be the way forward.

Also, I'm sure more complex systems could be devised using a simple cordless drill as a motor: http://www.dpxsystems.com/

What about that blendtec blender that blends golf clubs, mobile phones and houses etc? There's loads of videos on YouTube.

just wondering here, cause i dont remember reading it:

has it been "proven" that more can be extracted from powdered mimosa than finely shredded?

how about shredded then pressure cooked in vinegar?

just wondering because if there is not much difference, then it may be easier than trying to build a new tool. i would like to see the machine that the suppliers use

^^ Fine question!

Its one I can't answer but I wonder if the claims by some vendors who say their powdered mimosa is 30ish % more potent may have simply sold the blended stuff with the fibres filtered out.Last time I powdered 500g, which was time-consuming, the bag of end product did contain a fair bit of fine fibre as well as the powder.Just speculating here....

Interesting thread... I have access to many power tools from belt sanders to drill presses. I can think of numerous ways to powderize the bark. The only complications arise when trying to contain all the loose dust and particles that will be flying all over the place.

A blender is good cause everything is contained with a lid and all. Unfortunately the motor can only take so much before it quickly breaks down.

I'm gonna sleep on this and try and contribute as best I can. I've got a few ideas floating around...

It's a load of crap according to most who actually buy it...especially for the price. The VitaMix is better afaik.

OMG i just watched a few of the crazy blendtec vids on utube. this guy blends a iphone. that machine will prob do pretty well, but will it be a fine powder?

I have coveted the vita mix for years now, but cant spare the change, and if i had one, i would not abuse it with bark--it is too fibrous.

the vita mix is the raw foodist wet dream.

I use a £25 ice blender,by repeatedly inverting it,500g of hole bark can be powderised in a couple of minuets.

Here's a picture I got from a supplier.

Wow! That machine actually looks a lot smaller than I imagined it would. Anyone know the cost of one of those would be?