Just some peppermills

[Dominic Greco]

Dominic, I sure do like your pepper mills and this is something that really interests me. I would like to know more particulars.

Here are some particulars I posted as a reply to questions at Woodcentral:

<P>A couple of you have been asking for details on the peppermills. So, I'll do my best to answer your questions.

<P>The mechanisms come from Packard Woodworks. But you can also get them from Craft Supplies, Woodcraft, Or Lee Valley. They all sell them in an assortment of sizes, from 8" all the way up to 24". All of them come with their own set of instructions. I like to use the 10" mechanisms. They are big enough to hold a good amount of pepper corns, but not too huge to manage.

<P>I start with an approx 3" x 3" x 11" block of hard wood. I rough between centers to a cylinder using a roughing gouge. I turn a set of 1/4" tenons for a scroll chuck at each end. I then measure off about 2" for the top of the peppermill and part that portion off. I make sure to label each piece so that I can match them up later. The pepper mills look better if you can get the grain to flow nicely between the top and bottom pieces.

<P>After cleaning up the ends a bit, I then use a forstner bit to bore a 1 3/8" dia x 3/8" deep flat bottomed hole in the base of the bottom piece. Using my 3 wheeled steady rest helps here a lot. I then drill the 1" diameter thru hole in the bottom. I then set this aside and retrieve the top portion. Still using the steady rest, I drill a 1/4" dia hole through it.

<P>The top then gets held in a scroll chuck and a 1" dia x 3/4" long tenon gets formed on one end. This mates up with the 1" dia hole in the bottom. I take the top out of the chuck, replace it with the bottom piece, and then fit the two pieces together, bring the tailstock up against the top. I then form the shape using a spindle gouge. You can't go too heavy here. Friction between the pieces will only hold for so much. It also helps to sketch out the shape you desire beforehand.

<P>Sanding is pretty much the same as you would do with any other spindle. After finishing and buffing, I add the mechanism per the manufacturer's instructions.

<P>I just use a 1/2" spindle gouge or Skew to for the beads. For a while I was very leary about using a skew. That is until Bill Grumbine showed me how easy it was!

<P>So far the lighter woods like Maple, Beech and Butternut seem to be the best sellers. Cherry and Walnut and not far behind. It seems that the women here at work (as well as my wife) like the more slender shapes. They say they're easier to hold.

<P>From what I've found, no one species is easier to turn than another. I tend to like very hard woods like Beech, Cherry, and Hickory more. Although they are a real pain to drill!

<P>Drilling through the blanks is much easier if you use a big heavy 1" dia drill bit with flutes to carry away the waste rather than a forstner or spade bit.

<HR>
<P>I've attached some photos of the steady reast in action. the spalted beech in the photos is actually the blank for one of the peppermills you see here.

<P>That's pretty much it.

<P>See ya around the creek,
<p>Dominic

[Ken Salisbury]

I've attached some photos of the steady reast in action. the spalted beech in the photos is actually the blank for one of the peppermills you see here.

That's pretty much it.

See ya around the creek,
Dominic

I really like that steady rest Dom - If you made drawings - bring-em to 5 Barns'