# My "Click" Mystery



## Alan Sweet (Jul 18, 2016)

I like making peppermills. And most of my shapes and forms are non-conventional. I have detected something recently which may have been around all the time. In some of my mills, (emphasis on some) if you hold the the top of the mill to your ear and turn the top you can hear a "click". Usually only one click as you are turning the top. But I have one mill where I can get a couple clicks with extended rotation.

Now there is no binding, no drag, all the mills turn the same. But in 2-3 out of 10, I get this click. You can not discern it unless you are holding close to your ear. 

But, I can't for the life of me figure out what is causing it. I have resanded the races and the tenons. I have taken extra lengths to making sure the drive is centered. I have double checked the race area is not oval. and the tenon.

It does not effect functionality or appearance. So, I'm at a loss.

How do I eliminate this nuisance? And what causes it.


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## Spinartist (Jul 18, 2016)

I've never payed attention to the sounds my mills make. Who's mechanism do you use?

Are they kind with knob on top or crush grind? 

Does the "click" happen when mill is empty or when pepper corns or salt is in it or both?


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## Nubsnstubs (Jul 19, 2016)

My observation has nothing to do with a mill, but with my tailstock. I always use my Chuck Plate to mount anything I'm going to turn. Sometimes, on my old lathe, I would get a clicking sound at every revolution with very uneven blanks. That was by hand rotating the spindle to verify that things were clear of any obstruction and would fully rotate. I found it was the quill not PURRFECTLY aligned and causing the bearing in the live center to make the clicking sound. My correction method was to just turn the piece round, and the clicking sound would go away.. So, I suppose your drive rod on the mill isn't absolutely aligned , causing the click....... If you don't think this is correct, no big deal............ Jerry (in Tucson)


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## Wildthings (Jul 19, 2016)

Alan Sweet said:


> You can not discern it unless you are holding close to your ear.
> 
> But, I can't for the life of me figure out what is causing it. How do I eliminate this nuisance?



Quit putting it close to your ear!!

Reactions: Agree 3 | Funny 1


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## duncsuss (Jul 19, 2016)

Alan Sweet said:


> How do I eliminate this nuisance? And what causes it.



Is it the type of peppermill that has a stem and grinder at the bottom? If so, there's a spring on the stem, and I'd inspect it to see if that is what causes the click -- the spring might catch and wind up, then release with a click when it reaches tension.

I don't know if the other types of mechanism (crush-grind, shaftless, etc) have an internal spring, but that's where I'd be looking.


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## Kevin (Jul 19, 2016)

Knowing the type of mechanism is the first step.

Knowing why you stick peppermills in your ear is none of my ear wax bees wax . . .

Reactions: Agree 1 | Funny 1


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## Alan Sweet (Jul 19, 2016)

The mechanism used in all cases is the kind with the grind control knob on top; not crush grind. And the tightness does not appear to affect the clicking sound. It did occur to me that either the tenon or the inner hole were out of round and I thought I checked that closely, but doesn't hurt to check again. (That would be an easy fix, so it would be nice if that was the problem.)


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## rocky1 (Jul 19, 2016)

Have you considered turning up the radio in the shop?

Reactions: Funny 4


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## Wildthings (Jul 19, 2016)

rocky1 said:


> Have you considered turning up the radio in the shop?


LOL that's how I get rid of unwanted noises!!


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## Don Ratcliff (Jul 19, 2016)

@Kevin @Wildthings @rocky1 you guys should be ashamed of yourselves, this is a serious thread from someone looking for honest answers to a problem that troubles him. The idea you would derail the thread for your demented, childlike and selfish reasons saddens me. 

Allan, I hope you are able to identify the clicking noise so you feel better about the products that obviously mean a great deal to you. I am also sorry for the shenanigans that interrupted your quest for knowledge, which were the founding principles of the site as I understand it to be.

Reactions: Funny 1


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## Alan Sweet (Jul 19, 2016)

<sigh>.... interesting...


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## Schroedc (Jul 19, 2016)

Alan Sweet said:


> <sigh>.... interesting...



Alan- I grabbed a mill here and was able to duplicate a click noise at the bottom, I'm pretty sure it was the spring catching, and then skipping ahead. With this one I turned the spring upside down and the noise went away. Another option would be to get some small thin plastic washers and put one between the spring and mechanism if that really is the issue.....

Reactions: Agree 1


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## duncsuss (Jul 19, 2016)

Schroedc said:


> Alan- I grabbed a mill here and was able to duplicate a click noise at the bottom, I'm pretty sure it was the spring catching, and then skipping ahead. With this one I turned the spring upside down and the noise went away. Another option would be to get some small thin plastic washers and put one between the spring and mechanism if that really is the issue.....



Oh, kind of like THIS GUY said.

Reactions: Agree 1 | Funny 1 | +Karma 1


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## Wildthings (Jul 19, 2016)

Don Ratcliff said:


> @Kevin @Wildthings @rocky1 you guys should be ashamed of yourselves, this is a serious thread from someone looking for honest answers to a problem that troubles him. The idea you would derail the thread for your demented, childlike and selfish reasons saddens me.
> 
> Allan, I hope you are able to identify the clicking noise so you feel better about the products that obviously mean a great deal to you. I am also sorry for the shenanigans that interrupted your quest for knowledge, which were the founding principles of the site as I understand it to be.


You're right - I'm Sorry!!

Reactions: Funny 1


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## Schroedc (Jul 19, 2016)

duncsuss said:


> Oh, kind of like THIS GUY said.



Yes but I proposed a possible solution

Reactions: Like 1 | Funny 1


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## duncsuss (Jul 19, 2016)

Schroedc said:


> Yes but I proposed a possible solution



My solution would have been "twist it the opposite way"

Reactions: Funny 1 | Creative 1


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## Spinartist (Jul 19, 2016)

Could be the spring like Colin suggested.


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## rocky1 (Jul 19, 2016)

Uhmmm... the ultimate solution would be -- Put pepper in it. And, see if it still clicks. I'm guessing that once it's loaded, you'll never know it's there!


Goes to us being our own worst critic. I understand wanting to know what's causing it Alan, but once you put pepper in it, no one will ever notice it.


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## Alan Sweet (Jul 20, 2016)

Thanks for all the help. A member of the local guild knew exactly what the issue was. She had the clcik show and the fix was easy. As she pointed out though, ocer time it definitely would have caused wear problems. Thanks for the help though.

Reactions: Like 1 | Way Cool 1


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## Kevin (Jul 20, 2016)

Don Ratcliff said:


> quest for knowledge, which were the founding principles of the site as I understand it to be.



Actually the original purpose was to increase my personal hoard of curly koa and other yummy species. I'm not joking. So it started for selfish reasons. But as karmic justice would have it, I have less CK now than when I started the danged place, and I'm not joking there either. Have more friends though (and more enemies lol) and lots more wood of various species. So it all worked out for the better - for hundreds of woodworkers I assume.


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## duncsuss (Jul 20, 2016)

Alan Sweet said:


> Thanks for all the help. A member of the local guild knew exactly what the issue was. She had the clcik show and the fix was easy. As she pointed out though, ocer time it definitely would have caused wear problems. Thanks for the help though.


Alan -- glad you got it worked out, but what exactly was causing the click? And what was the fix?

Reactions: Agree 1


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## Don Ratcliff (Jul 20, 2016)

Kevin said:


> Actually the original purpose was to increase my personal hoard of curly koa and other yummy species. I'm not joking. So it started for selfish reasons. But as karmic justice would have it, I have less CK now than when I started the danged place, and I'm not joking there either. Have more friends though (and more enemies lol) and lots more wood of various species. So it all worked out for the better - for hundreds of woodworkers I assume.


I believe I speak for everyone taller than you when I say; thanks for the CK.

Reactions: Funny 1


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## Kevin (Jul 20, 2016)

Don Ratcliff said:


> I believe I speak for everyone taller than you when I say; thanks for the CK.



@Tony did you see that? He's leaving you out of the conversation!


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## Don Ratcliff (Jul 20, 2016)

Kevin said:


> @Tony did you see that? He's leaving you out of the conversation!


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## Spinartist (Jul 20, 2016)

duncsuss said:


> Alan -- glad you got it worked out, but what exactly was causing the click? And what was the fix?




It made the click noise because????


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## Spinartist (Jul 22, 2016)




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