# Peppermills



## DKMD

I've lucked into a local museum gift shop that wants to sell stuff from local makers, and I took a half dozen peppermills and a few bowls and hollowforms up there about two weeks ago. Amazingly, they sold a bunch of the stuff already, so I knocked out a few more mills to replenish the stock. Most, if not all, of this wood came from WB. All are the shaftless crushgrind mechanisms. The tallest mill is about 13 or 14". The photos suck... Sorry.

From left to right: buckeye burl from @manbuckwal, walnut from @TimR, oak burl from @oregonburls, and flamed boxelder from @Kevin.

Reactions: Like 3 | EyeCandy! 7 | Way Cool 9


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## NYWoodturner

Thats awesome Doc! I would imagine you could sell those about as fast as you can make them. Congrats!

Reactions: Thank You! 1 | Agree 2


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## Blueglass

Love the shape!

Reactions: Thank You! 1


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## manbuckwal

Beautiful work David, thanks for sharing !!! Nice variety in the wood choices too . The buckeye had some unique character in it and you sure made it stand out  Almost makes me wish I had you turn it for me instead of the Manz Burl lol .

Reactions: Thank You! 1


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## Sprung

Awesome work, Doc!

Reactions: Thank You! 1


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## manbuckwal

Tim's Turkey Calls said:


> Those are great looking Sir. Rookie question, those are to help in grinding things in bowls right?



No they are Pepper mills. Fill em with peppercorn and twist back and forth to crush and pepper your food like they do in a restaurant.

Reactions: Agree 1


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## bench1holio

very nice doc.. that buckeye is killer!

Reactions: Thank You! 1


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## Kevin

Those are all superb, especially the BEB. I'm not easily impressed by BEB but that one is magical. Fantastic wood and masterful use of it.

Reactions: Thank You! 1 | Agree 1


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## ironman123

Those are really nice David. I hope they sell much more of your work.

Ray

Reactions: Thank You! 1


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## Treecycle Hardwoods

DKMD said:


> I've lucked into a local museum gift shop that wants to sell stuff from local makers, and I took a half dozen peppermills and a few bowls and hollowforms up there about two weeks ago. Amazingly, they sold a bunch of the stuff already, so I knocked out a few more mills to replenish the stock. Most, if not all, of this wood came from WB. All are the shaftless crushgrind mechanisms. The tallest mill is about 13 or 14". The photos suck... Sorry.
> 
> From left to right: buckeye burl from @manbuckwal, walnut from @TimR, oak burl from @oregonburls, and flamed boxelder from @Kevin.
> View attachment 52652
> View attachment 52653


Looking good Doc!

Reactions: Thank You! 1


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## TimR

Fine looking mills doc! I see a future in knocking a number of mills out. Mainly because I had too many large bowl blanks that didn't get roughed in time and ended up cut into PPM blanks! In another year or so, some of the first put away should be ready. Hmmm, may need to check dates on some of these, time does fly by. Glad you found an outlet for them and that you were able to recall who you got them all from. Just curious, what did you finish them with? I've always had a hard time with the walnut and poly, but may try hitting outside with shellac first. I assume you don't treat insides at all.

Reactions: Thank You! 1


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## barry richardson

Glad you found a good outlet for some of your work! Very nice mills, I've never made one, is the tenon on top ornamental, or does it have a function? It just occurred to me that a local business which sells olive oil and other gourmet stuff (and where I sell a few nick-nacks) would love to sell those......might have to enter the pepper mill world

Reactions: Thank You! 1


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## Mike1950

Always amazed at Your mills David- the line that separates the top from the bottom is always so elusive to find. Nice mills!!!

Reactions: Thank You! 1


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## manbuckwal

barry richardson said:


> Glad you found a good outlet for some of your work! Very nice mills, I've never made one, is the tenon on top ornamental, or does it have a function? It just occurred to me that a local business which sells olive oil and other gourmet stuff (and where I sell a few nick-nacks) would love to sell those......might have to enter the pepper mill world



I have one that he turned for me out Manz Burl . The "tenon" you speak of is actually an ornamental cap.

Reactions: Thank You! 1 | Agree 1


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## manbuckwal

This kind of looks like a bear out of a children's book .

Reactions: Agree 2


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## PhoenixWoodDesigns

Love them all, but I think the buckeye burl one is my favorite, followed closely by the FBE. Again, you can't go wrong with ANY of them!

Reactions: Thank You! 1


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## DKMD

Thanks all! 

Tom, it does look like a bear now that you mention it. I still think that's about the nicest piece of buckeye burl I've seen... Thank you fo sharing it!

Barry, as Tom said, it's a plug that caps the end of the mill. There's a 1 1/16" hole drilled all the way through the upper section which holds the peppercorns/salt. The kit comes with a little O ring, but I found them to be a major PITA... I've gone to just using a slight taper instead of the ring.

Tim, I used Antique oil or Danish oil on these then buffed with tripoli after it cured. I try to avoid film finishes like poly with utility stuff because it inevitably gets chipped. With Tom 's manzanita or stabilized blanks, I just buff and ren wax them... I figure anything that dense doesn't need much protection.

Reactions: Thank You! 1 | Informative 1


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## TimR

DKMD said:


> Thanks all!
> 
> Tim, I used Antique oil or Danish oil on these then buffed with tripoli after it cured. I try to avoid film finishes like poly with utility stuff because it inevitably gets chipped. With Tom 's manzanita or stabilized blanks, I just buff and ren wax them... I figure anything that dense doesn't need much protection.



Thanks. I'm pretty devoted to the antique oil for walnut...darn near foolproof. Good choice and I agree on the poly issues with repairs.


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## barry richardson

So I did a quick look on google and saw a shatfless kit, it said it filled through the bottom, I take it you use a different type kit?


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## DKMD

barry richardson said:


> So I did a quick look on google and saw a shatfless kit, it said it filled through the bottom, I take it you use a different type kit?


I use the shaftless crushgrind kit, and I get them from CSUSA... Ordering in bulk will save a few bucks per kit. The insert is glued in from the bottom, but the pepper is added from the top.


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## steve bellinger

Doc great looking mills, still havn't tried making one, but do have them on the bucket list.

Reactions: Thank You! 1


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## duncsuss

Fabulous ... looks like you've found your signature form for peppermills. There's even a hint of Rude Osolnik in them -- but that's probably true of any shape that has a well-proportioned curve. (And looking again, there's a hint of Marilyn too )

Reactions: Thank You! 1


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## barry richardson

DKMD said:


> I use the shaftless crushgrind kit, and I get them from CSUSA... Ordering in bulk will save a few bucks per kit. The insert is glued in from the bottom, but the pepper is added from the top.


This is the kind Im considering, http://www.chefwarekits.com/pepperm...-no-shaft-wood-mechanism-woodturning-kit.html ever use them? anyone? Seems like it would give more flex ability in top design


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## manbuckwal

barry richardson said:


> This is the kind Im considering, http://www.chefwarekits.com/pepperm...-no-shaft-wood-mechanism-woodturning-kit.html ever use them? anyone? Seems like it would give more flex ability in top design



That looks same/similar to what Doc uses, except his can be filled from the top simply by pouring the peppercorn in.

Reactions: Agree 1


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## Dane Fuller

Way to go, Keller! See, you're gonna get to quit your day job after all......

Reactions: Funny 1


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## DKMD

barry richardson said:


> This is the kind Im considering, http://www.chefwarekits.com/pepperm...-no-shaft-wood-mechanism-woodturning-kit.html ever use them? anyone? Seems like it would give more flex ability in top design



It looks exactly the same, Barry. I'm at work, so I don't have any way to check to see if the ones I got can be filled from the bottom. I'm embarrassed that I've never tried to disassemble one to find out! It would be a lot faster than turning the plug at the top!

If they are exactly the same, CSUSA is a bit cheaper especially if you order them in quantity.


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## Kevin

Doc the shaftless crush grind mechs I bought from Packard Woodworking a couple years ago have tabs that exert pressure agaisnt the wall off the mill, but I noticed you said you glue yours in. Is that in the instructions or just something you do? Because you cannot remove them once you do that, can you?


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## DKMD

Kevin said:


> Doc the shaftless crush grind mechs I bought from Packard Woodworking a couple years ago have tabs that exert pressure agaisnt the wall off the mill, but I noticed you said you glue yours in. Is that in the instructions or just something you do? Because you cannot remove them once you do that, can you?



I believe the tabs are meant to fit into a metric sized hole... They won't go in the 1.5" hole that I drill, so I trim the tabs off and glue them in. I'm not sure how you'd get them out if you went the tab/metric route short of pulling the whole thing apart and banging a dowel or something against the cartridge.


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## Kevin

Doc you might want to try either the Packard or the PSI brand. I don't want to derail your thread so I will start *a new one* - I have taken some pictures.


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## DKMD

Kevin said:


> Doc you might want to try either the Packard or the PSI brand. I don't want to derail your thread so I will start *a new one* - I have taken some pictures.


I don't believe in derailing, but I'll look for the other thread...


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## manbuckwal

DKMD said:


> It looks exactly the same, Barry. I'm at work, so I don't have any way to check to see if the ones I got can be filled from the bottom. I'm embarrassed that I've never tried to disassemble one to find out! It would be a lot faster than turning the plug at the top!
> 
> If they are exactly the same, CSUSA is a bit cheaper especially if you order them in quantity.



Yep, yours can be filled from the bottom as well .


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