[Ansteorra] Tanning Equipment

[mikea]

On Tue, Jul 13, 2010 at 02:06:34PM -0500, Fields Family Farm wrote:
> Greetings All,
> 
> I am looking at doing some tanning of hides/leather.  I have a source of
> hides, but I'm looking for the other things needed to tan.
> 
> I'm planning on vegetable tanning - using a vegetable source for the
> tannins.  Here's what I need:
> 
> - A way to grind the plant materials (bark, leaves, etc.) to release the
> tannins, the finer the better.  Historically a stone mill was used, as in
> grinding flour.  But, I don't currently want to build a stone mill, so I'm
> looking for other suggestions.  A mortar and pestle would be too slow - I
> need pounds and pounds of ground plant material.  Even something that could
> just chop the material somewhat finely would help.  Links to sources and
> approximate prices for whatever is suggested would be useful.

Make a ball mill; there are several how-to articles on the web, and the
results are powder at whatever fineness you may want. Plastic barrels
may be suitable. They're used at several sizes, including the ones that
eat Big Rocks and produce, eventually, fine rock powder for concrete. 

> - Wooden barrels.  Tanning with tannins takes quite a bit of soaking, over
> months of time.  I need non-metal soaking containers.  Historically, wooden
> or ceramic vats were used.  I hope to use wooden barrels, if I can find a
> reasonably priced source of them.

Good luck! 

> - A source of lye (I can use hardwood ash if needed, but not making the lye
> myself would save a step or two).

Hoisehold sodium hydroxide drain cleaner. Be careful: it eats meat and
skin, including precious irreplaceable you, very efficiently.

> - A consultation with anyone that has successfully done vegetable tanning.
> It always helps to talk with those that have experience.

Perhaps Master Dairmuid. Certainly not Yours Very Truly.

-- 
Mike Andrews        /   Michael Fenwick    Barony of Namron, Ansteorra
mikea at mikea.ath.cx  /   Amateur Extra radio operator W5EGO
Tired old music Laurel; Chirurgeon; SCAdian since AS XI