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<pre>I agree about 1 tonne per hour as the minimum pressing rate for a
frantoio. Less than that are toys and cost almost as much. New machinery is
going to cost serious money and in the case of Australians with new groves
I have suggested in our book that they buy second hand equipment from Italy
until their groves reach full production. After that it would be useful as
a standby. The cost is a small fraction of new plant and while the quality
of the oil may be less it would be better than having a lot of capital tied
up in equipment that is being used at a small fraction of its capacity.

There are more than 10,000 frantoio in Italy and a constant
turnover of equipment.

Two other makers to put on your list are Pierilisi and Rapinelli.
Both are excellent.

I'm sorry I cannot vote in your survey for Italy as my browser is down.

Cheers Brian Chatterton.
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<pre>Brian

Thanks for your comments about the machine capacity. Certainly, buying
refurbished equipment is an alternative to buying New equipment, if the cost
and the investment are of concern. I know most of the equipment
manufacturers do have these offers and it is an option upon availability.
When the equipment are refurbished they look and function just like new.
There is no sacrifice in the quality of the olive oil produced. However,
the operation is little bit more combersome and the the throughput is
usually limited to 1 ton/hr or less.

My father has a machine shop that refurbishes used and old mill equipment
and that is one service he provides his old customers. You know after
running the decanter for so many 10-15 years, it will need rebuilding.
Also, it is recommended to dynamically rebalance the decnater after each
bearings exchange. This amount of maintenance required determines the
quality of the decanter and makes it stand out.

As of 1985, Sadoun Olive Oil started manufactering and selling most of the
equipment needed except for the decanters and the separators that are
supplied by Alfa Laval.

You mentioned:
> Two other makers to put on your list are Pierilisi and Rapinelli. Both are
excellent.
Pierillisi is fine, but Rapanilli? no way. I would not put one in our plant
even if it was for free.

What do the others think? What are your experience with these brands?

Cheers, Sadoun
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<pre>If you want a real second hand mill that works the other source is the
manufacturers of new mills who often have trade ins available.

Stan the jury is still out on the hammer mill versus granite wheels.
Many new frantoio are still installing the granite wheels. They crush
the cells without the high level of emulsification of the hammer mills.
Less stirring needed.

Cheers Brian Chatterton.


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<pre>Thank you Brian for the info on Frantoio. I agree. My friend Sam Vescio
in Perth migrated from Calabria some 50 years ago and he has just built
a number of screw presses and for one client a set of wheels. The
capacity is half a tonne.

When I was in Italy recently, I did not see any continuous crushing by
wheels. It seemed to be all batch. Have you come across any type of
wheeled mill that can feed directly into the modern decanters?

Stan Kailis.
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<pre>Our local frantoio has the granite wheels installed and it was built
about three years ago.

The olives are fed through in batches to keep each grower separate.
After cleaning and rough crushing the paste goes under the wheels for 20
minute and is then fed direct into the stirrer.

Pollution? The whole operation is carried out in a sealed hygienic
room.

Oxidation? Six of one and half a dozen of the other as far as I can
understand. The hammer mill causes more emulsification and therefore
more stirring is needed to form oil drops. According to the experts it
is s fine balance between the two systems.

Cheers Brian Chatterton.
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