9 replies to this topic

[caruga]

It's pretty lamentable when coffee grinders surpass dedicated tablet grinders at grinding tablets to a fine powder--and they don't manage it well either. I'm tired of these little nuggets that won't break any smaller. Has anyone had this problem, and found the solution?

[YOLF]

A stainless steel mortar and pestle would work. The ceramic and stone material ones always add their surface to the mixture though.

[caruga]

A stainless steel mortar and pestle would work. The ceramic and stone material ones always add their surface to the mixture though.

Sounds like manual labour that I was hoping to avoid (particularly when grinding 70 tablets at once), but I may have to resort to it. Glad you told me about the stone as my sister's pestel and mortar are marble.

Edited by caruga, 04 February 2014 - 06:47 PM.

[YOLF]

Marble might work. Test it with something. As long as it doesn't have a ceramic work glaze on it or something similar to that, nothing should rub off.

I would use a coffee grinder and then separate the nuggets with a screen and just put them in the M&P or save them for when you have alot of them to grind up manually. Also, running the grinder on and off will help break up nuggets to some extent.

[caruga]

Marble might work. Test it with something. As long as it doesn't have a ceramic work glaze on it or something similar to that, nothing should rub off.

I would use a coffee grinder and then separate the nuggets with a screen and just put them in the M&P or save them for when you have alot of them to grind up manually. Also, running the grinder on and off will help break up nuggets to some extent.

Thanks. I will look at trying it, as well as investing in capsules in future (even if they sometimes cost more)

[niner]

A ceramic mortar and pestle might shed a tiny amount of particles, but it's not harmful to consume. It's essentially "dirt" of the type that we inevitably eat a little of whenever we eat most vegetables or grains. Ceramic mortars tend to grind better than other materials because of the surface texture. Actually, regardless of what the mortar is made of, it will probably shed some material. I'd rather eat powdered ceramic than powdered metal, as a general rule.

[YOLF]

Another option I just thought of would be to put something like paper into the M&P or to crush it using a "pig" pill press.

I wouldn't think stainless steel gives up too much in the particles... it's a pretty hard surface.

[caruga]

Well I used the method you suggested cc, and now I have the mineral powder I wanted. Hope I didn't inhale any of it. Thanks for the tip.

Edited by caruga, 06 February 2014 - 12:01 PM.

[jadamgo]

The actual problem with stainless steel, as well as porcelain, agate, and glass, is that the surfaces are too smooth. When you try to grind something it just slips out from under the pestle. Something with a rough surface, like marble, is optimal with pills of any sort, or indeed with anything that needs to be actually ground instead of simply smashed with the pestle into pieces too small to further smash individually.

And don't worry; the tiny tiny flecks of calcium carbonate certainly won't hurt anything! You can even grind acidic substances if you use them in dry form, and wipe out as much powder as possible with a dry towel before rinsing the mortar and pestle thoroughly.

EDIT: Forgot to mention, adding a hard granular substance to the mortar will help grind more easily no matter what material you're using. Salt, sugar, and tea leaves (from an unused tea bag) are common and effective food-safe options.

Edited by jadamgo, 14 February 2014 - 11:15 PM.

[Luminosity]

Glad everyone could help you. I'd look into buying capsules and powders too. The highest quality supplements are often not in tablet form.

I have an Osterizer blender with a flour grinding attachment. It can powder things quite well. I don't remember using it on pills but I think it would work. I've powdered grains, salt, sugar and other stuff.

I wouldn't worry about particles from using a marble mortal and pestle. I've used mortars and pestles. They seem fine to me. They've been used a lot for a long time.