Figured Maple Peppermills

[Pat Scott]

I took a 2-day weekend workshop in August with Paul Chilton at Craft Supplies in Utah. What a fun way to spend a weekend. I made both of these mills in his class and am ashamed to say they have been sitting around since then waiting for me to put a finish on them. Christmas might have had something to do with me getting them done.

Both are 10" tall and use the Deluxe Stainless Steel mechanism. Both are from figured Maple that was provided for us in class. The mill on the left you'll notice is about 3/8" shorter than the one on the right, so I had to cut down and peen the end of the shaft (which Paul showed us how to do and is a piece of cake).

I've read a lot about Minwax Antique Oil on this forum, so I bought a can to try. The mill on the left has 3 coats of AO rubbed with Liberon steel wool in between coats. It's as smooth as it looks.

The mill on the right has about 5 coats of Deft Danish Oil on it, rubbed with steel wool as well. It also is smooth as a baby's bottom.

I don't know if you can tell from the picture (I need a photo booth and better lighting), but the left mill is a bit darker in color than the right mill. I don't know if it's the wood or the oil or a little of both. I can't decide which one I like better or which color I like better as I think both of them are gorgeous. Paul makes a lot of mills with this shape, and I love his mills so I copied the shape for mine.

My wife is keeping the left one, and the right one is going to my step-Mom for Christmas.

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[Jim Burr]

Beautiful Pat!! I've always wanted to do one of those classes. You really picked it up quick! My only thought...a little more shine, you picked out some great wood, maybe a little more gloss to it. AO may not hold up well in a hostile environment like a kitchen...it can get rough in there! Make more...it really is a great form!

[Roger Chandler]

Well done Pat! Those will be treasured much and used much no doubt!

[Pat Scott]

Thanks Jim and Roger. Jim I thought AO was like Danish Oil in that it had a little urethane in it for durability? A lot of guys seem to use it on bowls so I assumed it holds up well. Or do you think for a peppermill that will be handled a lot, that I should just use straight poly or lacquer? In any even I took the mechanism out of the left mill and put another coat on it last night.

[Doug Herzberg]

Hey Pat. Those are really beautiful.

I've never used AO, but with DO, I would definitely recommend several topcoats of urethane, if you have enough time for the oil finish to cure before Christmas. When I rush things, I notice the first coat of urethane takes a little longer to harden, but subsequent coats seem to dry normally. I may be sealing in the oil finish and preventing it from ever curing, though.

[Peter Elliott]

Antique Oil is.. Linseed oil, urethane, mineral spirits and a few other carriers.

[John King]

Pat - Go with some sort of oil finish - Waterlox, Liberon Finishing Oil, Minwax Antique Oil, etc. The peppermill will likely get bumped and banged around in the kitchen. Oil finishes are easy to restore. Avoid "hard" finishes - Minwax Wipe On Poly, lacquer, urathenes, etc. They tend to chip and crack when bumped. And they are more difficult to restore than oil based finishes. A peppermill that has been used and acquired some "character marks" looks great when it is refurbished with an oil based finish. - John

[Steve Schlumpf]

Beautiful work on each of these mills Pat! Love all the curl!

[Richard Jones]

Oh, yeah! Great curves and pretty wood. Glad your wife is keeping one, now you get to enjoy it as well.

[Timothy Mann]

Very nice, I have yet to try one of these but they are on my short list.

[Bernie Weishapl]

Beautiful mills and wood. Love the curl. I use antique oil on mine because it is easily repaired if needed.