# stabilizing pepper mill blanks?



## brown down (Jun 7, 2016)

can you stabilize pepper mill blanks?


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## Kevin (Jun 7, 2016)

Yes. I have stabilized several FBE blanks. I round them first then keep them under vacuum for two days then let them sit in the juice another day.


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## JR Custom Calls (Jun 7, 2016)

You can stabilize them if you have a big enough chamber anyways haha.

You can stabilize bowl blanks just as easily as a pot call blank. It sucks in resin from the end grain, so longer pieces will take a bit longer of a soak than shorter pieces (looking at it from an end grain to end grain perspective).


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## brown down (Jun 8, 2016)

so its safe to use for food products? I have to build a new chamber my ( indestructible) one I got off ebay didn't hold up for more then a few rounds. guess if you want something done right you gotta do it yourself lol.


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## Kevin (Jun 8, 2016)

brown down said:


> my ( indestructible) one I got off ebay didn't hold up for more then a few rounds



What happened?


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## brown down (Jun 8, 2016)

the lid cracked in about a million spots so it wouldn't hold a vacuum. I tried contacting the seller on ebay but no luck. very disappointing it was a large pot that I could do bowl blanks in it but ended up chucking it. I didn't chuck the lid yet, I need to take off all of the fittings and gauge before that goes in the trash! def won't buy that one ever again lol i'll just make one this time! I have two pumps and the one I was using is a big one.


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## Kevin (Jun 8, 2016)

If the pot is okay you could just make a lid.


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## brown down (Jun 8, 2016)

the cost of replacing that size lid I could prob build one. I was so ticked off I chucked it! I think I used it 3 times maybe and paid close to $150 for it. I'll go snap some pics of it to show you how many cracks there are. it looked like it almost imploded


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## Kevin (Jun 8, 2016)

Just for future record Corian and other such manmade material can be got cheap or free at cabinet shops from their drops and works great for lids, is easy to tap and won't crack.

Reactions: Thank You! 1


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## brown down (Jun 8, 2016)

heres the lid. I should have kept it but it was just an aluminum pot and took a lot of cactus juice to cover blanks so I figured I can make a solid one out of rigid metallic pipe for almost nothing. I won't be stabilizing any bowl blanks just need something large enough to do pepper mill blanks and smaller!


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## brown down (Jun 8, 2016)

BTW I FINALLY got my uncle to join here! I hope he posts the bedroom set he made for my cousin. He is a master craftsman in my eyes. does some insane work. I was over his shop today and he ended up giving me a hand plane I have been wanting for years. a stanley number 45 with all the irons. now I have to figure out how to use it but man am I stoked to finally have one in very very good condition!

Reactions: Like 1


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## Kevin (Jun 8, 2016)

As far as using too mich resin, for smaller blanks put them in a smaller container inside the larger pot just large enough for the blanks and enough resin allow the wood to absorb it and still remain higher than the weighted blanks. No need to use the pot itself for small projects.

Reactions: Informative 1


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