rotary quern specifications

[Flavius Promotus]

Fratres, is there somebody who can provide me with sketches and/or images of a Roman army rotary quern (= handmill)? Our group has a huge one made by a group in the Rhineland, which is very effective, but weighs a solid 40 kgs! Our cook would be happy if he could get a smaller one for his own, but he would need specifications.

The Junkelmann group used a rather small one in 1985, and I've seen a very similar quern in the camp of the Opladen guys.

Any help would be kindly appreciated

Florian

[M. Demetrius]

Deepeeka is making one now, but I don't know more about it than that. It's much smaller, around 30cm in diameter, IIRC

[Flavius Promotus]

Thanks you David!
Hmmm.... to wait or not to wait for the Deepeeka quern...

[Peroni]

I have one at home. (Not a DPKa)

I will take and post some images and dimensions for you Florian.

[LUCIUS ALFENUS AVITIANUS]

Deepeeka one is very beautiful!

[Flavius Promotus]

I will take and post some images and dimensions for you Florian.

That would be very nice

Cesar, the quern looks good! Does it work well? How much does it weigh (approximately)? Do you know what it is made off? How many Euros did you have to pay?

Sorry for the many questions

[Peroni]

Here are the pictures Florian...

The stones are cut in such a way to assist the flour toward the outer edge of the stones. They are cut in opposing directions for grinding. My wife uses it a great deal to very good effect. It gives the children something to do at displays!)

Dimensions are:
360mm diameter
100mm deep (each stone)

As for weight.. It's heavy! About 15kg each stone!

http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b242/ ... CF2365.jpg

http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b242/ ... CF2366.jpg

[Flavius Promotus]

Ah, there's the axle! I was already surprised how this quern might work

This one looks very nice (but 30 kilos is still a lot!), and thank you for the specifications. As for the attractiveness of querns for children - we once nearly had to interfer when several children where on the brink of starting a row over the right whose turn it was at the quern. They did not haggle over the question who had to turn the damn thing, but who should be allowed to do it!

Oh, and if you add Austrian pumpkin seed oil (which is green) to your Roman army porridge, the latter looks like a fresh cow turd! :lol:

[Peroni]

Oh, and if you add Austrian pumpkin seed oil (which is green) to your Roman army porridge, the latter looks like a fresh cow turd!

:? ?

[Tarbicus]

Does the bottom stone really need to be as thick as the top one?

[Flavius Promotus]

I don't know, but if the lower stone is too light, then it might be turned around, too (not enough friction), which would of course not be very efficient.

[Tarbicus]

I don't know, but if the lower stone is too light, then it might be turned around, too (not enough friction), which would of course not be very efficient.

True. What if it had protrusions on the bottom to dig into the dirt? That may be getting away from the authentic thing too much, though.

[Caius Fabius]

I bought a quern (from Deepeeka), but I am actually having trouble finding unground wheat to test it! I am told that I can buy 1/2 semi-trailer of seed wheat, but that is a bit more than I want to grind! I expect to bring it to Lafe, where all the re-enactors can take turns trying it out. We may end up gringing barley or some other grain, if I can't find a source for 100-200 pounds of wheat.

I will have to weigh it, and it cost me about $80, but that may have been a sale price. It looks good, and will be excellent in my static teaching displays.

[Tib. Gabinius]

Di i understood right, the mill cost 80$ ?

[M. Demetrius]

but I am actually having trouble finding unground wheat

Try a "natural foods store", such as Whole Foods or Sun Harvest Foods. They sell several kinds of wheat, rye, barley, etc.

If you can't find it up there in the limes, let me know, and I'll buy some here, and UPS it up there. Easy enough, not expensive.