Pulverizing roots

Hi,
I'm working with herbs and got some shredded marshmallow roots, thinking I'd pulverize them as I needed them, so they'd be fresh.  Using a medium size pestle and mortar, I made a batch up, it took at least a couple of hours to get a mere 4 tablespoons reasonably fine.  A lot of work for a small amount of powder, and I have the rest of a kilo of shredded roots left to use up #-)

I see there are electric grinders, but aesthetically I'm looking for something lower tech' if possible.  I've looked for grindstones, all I've found so far under this are blade sharpeners.

Any thoughts or advice?

Antony

What are you using the roots for? I’m wondering if there’s an easier route to your intended goal - salves, balms, infusions, decoction? Then you could gust use a sharp knife and chop into thin disks? Two hours with a pestle and mortar must have been an exhausting workout. Maybe you just need a much bigger pestle and mortar - I have a 20kg one that can pulp almost anything in five minutes.

How would you power your grind stone?

I used my Oster blender to grate my chicory which produced something like coffee.

Why not use a blender then use the pestle and mortar to finish it into a powder?

S Bengi wrote:How would you power your grind stone?

With elbow grease :-D
I haven't really worked it out.
Cheers

Edward Norton wrote:What are you using the roots for? I’m wondering if there’s an easier route to your intended goal - salves, balms, infusions, decoction? Then you could gust use a sharp knife and chop into thin disks? Two hours with a pestle and mortar must have been an exhausting workout. Maybe you just need a much bigger pestle and mortar - I have a 20kg one that can pulp almost anything in five minutes.

Thanks for that!  It's part of a powder to soak and then drink, to soothe and detoxify the gut.  I tried a coarse grind with the previous batch, but it just didn't work well - I ended up pulling out any lump that was too big.  A fine powder is just much nicer to drink & I assume more effective.  I don't know exactly how long it took, but I did get a blister out of it #-)

Thanks for the tip on the 20kg pestle and mortar!  I will be looking for one.

Since you are using it as something to drink, why not use the cut root to make a strong tea? Then strain.

Anne Miller wrote:Since you are using it as something to drink, why not use the cut root to make a strong tea? Then strain.

Thanks.  For this mix, everything else is powder, so I need the root to be powdered too.

Cool idea though, could work in other combos.  I will give it a try.  Thanks!

I use a coffee grinder to grind up herbs. The flow-through kind, not the whirling blades kind.

If there's an herb I use frequently, I may dedicate a grinder just for that, so I don't have to be as finicky when cleaning it between uses.

Grinders tend to be cheap at thrift stores, or sometimes Amazon has a good deal on them.

Edward Norton wrote: . . . Maybe you just need a much bigger pestle and mortar - I have a 20kg one that can pulp almost anything in five minutes.

Hi, a late follow up question: how much does your pestle alone weigh please?

Also I figured out a better technique for grinding marshmallow roots with what I've got: grind them up with some seeds at the same time.  Otherwise the roots can just turn into a fluffy mass.  But even with that change, it's still hard work with what I have at the mo'.

Cheers,
Antony