![]() |
|
![]() |
#1 |
Member
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: Olomouc
Posts: 1,693
|
![]()
Hopefully this topic is fine for this part of the forum. I'm fascinated by water powered tools within European forges, which started from a pretty early period as I understand it and were heavily used by the 14th century.
While a main application was for crushing ore with trip or drop hammers, forges also used them and water powered grinding wheels. I find watching videos of these tools fascinating and though forum members might enjoy a few. Brescia, Italy https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=96ED...I&noredirect=1 Belluno, Italy https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cp_A0HSEjbI Arbesbach, Austria https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M24nZbhKkdU I am certainly no expert in this topic but Agricola's De re Metallica is a great resource into these processes. Perhaps others will know of more sites with surviving water powered forge tools? I am not sure how far back the examples I posted go, but I think show the general principle quite nicely. |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
#2 |
Member
Join Date: Apr 2010
Posts: 668
|
![]()
://www.facebook.com/eduardo.fontenla/videos/t.1478273380/4057733412971/?type=2&theater
Hello Klighenthal Fernando K |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
#3 |
Member
Join Date: Apr 2010
Posts: 668
|
![]()
/www.youtube.com/watch?v=L26MV_pCBwg
|
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
#4 |
Member
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: Olomouc
Posts: 1,693
|
![]()
Thanks Fernando!
|
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
#5 |
Lead Moderator European Armoury
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: Portugal
Posts: 9,694
|
![]()
The oldest Portuguese facilities for the making of weaponry were established in the village of Barcarena by King Dom Joćo II in 1487. The next King Dom Manuel installed in this arsenal a workshop with a mill for the making of gunpowder. Later in 1621 Leonardo Turriano proposes a millstone system for the crushing, mixing and hardening of gunpowder, to be powered by the water that fell from a watermill placed in the stream situated by the side of the building. This first system only had one millstone, made of limestone. In the 18th century the system was improved to two millstones. The next and impiortant improvement was changing the plates and wheels to those of wood, coated with bronze. This was a significant evolution, as the risk of fire was reduced and so was the weight of the equipment. Apparently this complex hidraulic system, fed by the nearby stream and underneath running waters lase until the end of the 19th century.
. |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
#6 |
Lead Moderator European Armoury
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: Portugal
Posts: 9,694
|
![]()
... and if you don't mind, Iain, this interesting thread would be better placed in the Miscellania section
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
|
|