# A few Rolling Pins



## Wilson's Woodworking

Here are a few rolling pins I have soaking in mineral oil. The FBE blank that I traded Mat for is in this batch. It is the second one from the right.

Reactions: Like 8 | EyeCandy! 4 | Way Cool 5


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## Mike1950

NICE

Reactions: Agree 1


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## Tony

Awesome rolling pins Danny! Tony


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## Nature Man

So nice! Will you use them? Chuck


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## El Guapo

Well I just got inspired to try something new! Those are beautiful!


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## jmurray

Is #2 from the left curly cherry? Well done sir!


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## Wilson's Woodworking

jmurray said:


> Is #2 from the left curly cherry? Well done sir!


That one is some curly maple that I cut from a big leaf maple tree on the place I stayed on for 7 years. It really surprised me when it turned out to be curly. The blank had been cut with my chain saw and was to rough to tell until I turned it. I haven't turned the cherry yet but I did start a handle for a tool out of the walnut I got from you.


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## Kevin

Very nice Danny. Are they monolithic or are the handles rollers?

We want a tutorial!

Reactions: Agree 1


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## Wilson's Woodworking

Kevin said:


> Very nice Danny. Are they monolithic or are the handles rollers?
> 
> We want a tutorial!


They are one solid piece. I have an idea of making some with an axil and handles but will have to have a chuck for my lathe to make them. That means I need to stop buying wood for a while and save up for a chuck. 
You have so many expert lathe people on here I don't want to embarrass myself by turning a dowel pin with handles on it. It is the wood that makes the rolling pin beautiful not me.


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## TimR

Nice looking pins Danny! I keep telling myself I need to make some, and I have the wood...I just get so darn distracted I forget about the pins!!!


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## Kevin

Hey nothing wrong with a solid pin they are a classic design.


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## Wilson's Woodworking

Nature Man said:


> So nice! Will you use them? Chuck


Sorry Chuck I missed this the first time thru.
They are usable and My wife has a half dozen already so I will probably sell most of these. They are usable however the straight flaming boxelder is probably to soft to use. The crotch wood/burl boxelder is much much harder and will stand up to a beating but I only have one more blank for them and will have to find a new supply of that material.
I have a pretty good market and if you show a wealthy woman that likes to cook a pretty piece of wood and tell her it is a rolling pin you would be surprised what her husband will pay for it just to keep her happy.

Reactions: Funny 1


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## El Guapo

Hey, that could be a selling point for the FBE pin... sell it to a guy who doesn't keep his wife happy (it will hurt less)!

Reactions: Funny 4


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## Wilson's Woodworking

El Guapo said:


> Hey, that could be a selling point for the FBE pin... sell it to a guy who doesn't keep his wife happy (it will hurt less)!


I think I would pass on that one.
The drive end cracked out on me when I was turning that one and almost hit me in the jaw. I think that might have hurt. 
It was a whole new experience turning something that soft and straight grained.


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## Kevin

How long are rolling pins Danny? Or a better question, what is the shortest length you'd recommend making one and it still be efficient? 

And this is just a laymen's comment because I have no experience making them, but it seems to me rolling pins wouldn't have to be too hard I mean, they're used for rolling out dough mainly aren't they? How hard is dough that it can dent even a soft wood?

Reactions: Like 1


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## Wilson's Woodworking

Kevin said:


> How long are rolling pins Danny? Or a better question, what is the shortest length you'd recommend making one and it still be efficient?
> 
> And this is just a laymen's comment because I have no experience making them, but it seems to me rolling pins wouldn't have to be too hard I mean, they're used for rolling out dough mainly aren't they? How hard is dough that it can dent even a soft wood?


Rolling pins come in a wide variety of lengths. I have seen them from 12" OAL to about 20".
The French style I have in the picture are 18 to 20" long.
My wife as with many cooks use them for anything from rolling out dough to crushing Oreo cookies to pounding a chicken breast to a uniform thickness.

Reactions: Informative 1


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## Kevin

I have only ever seen my wife use them to roll stuff. She uses a mallet for pounding stuff. That makes me think a mallet/cheese grater/bottle opener/rolling pin etc. all in FBE or some other unique wood would make a nifty kitchen set . . . . .

Reactions: Agree 2


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## Wilson's Woodworking

Kevin said:


> I have only ever seen my wife use them to roll stuff. She uses a mallet for pounding stuff. That makes me think a mallet/cheese grater/bottle opener/rolling pin etc. all in FBE or some other unique wood would make a nifty kitchen set . . . . .


Dang man I am doing good if I can get my wife to use a straight screw driver instead of a butter knife.
If I made a mallet for her she would be using it to drive nails.

Reactions: Funny 2


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## Wilson's Woodworking

I will never soak my rolling pins for 24 hours in mineral oil again! No it will be a minimum of 3 days! I got busy and forgot them and it brought out grain and color I didn't know was there.


 
The picture really doesn't do it justice

Reactions: EyeCandy! 5 | Way Cool 2


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## Tony

Wilson's Woodworking said:


> Dang man I am doing good if I can get my wife to use a straight screw driver instead of a butter knife.
> If I made a mallet for her she would be using it to drive nails.


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## Graybeard

Those are really nice. So you soak them in mineral oil. It looks like you must turn them since they're not completely under the oil?
Have you ever tried the ones with the rolling handles using a bolt or dowel?
Graybeard


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## Wilson's Woodworking

I want to get a chuck and a MT2 drill chuck for my lathe so I can make them with an axel. I guess I could take them to work and drill them in lathe there but I haven't yet.


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## barry richardson

Sweet! those are definitely on my list of things to make....


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## El Guapo

What is the diameter of your typical pin? I saw some gorgeous skeet at the yard yesterday, and I think it might have to get turned into a rolling pin!


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## Wilson's Woodworking

They are 2-1/4 to 2" dia. the french style are smaller in dia. I have never turned skeet. I bet it would be beautiful


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## NYWoodturner

Very nice work Danny. I have never achieved those results with mineral oil before. I think your right on the 3 day soak.

Reactions: Like 1


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## barry richardson

El Guapo said:


> What is the diameter of your typical pin? I saw some gorgeous skeet at the yard yesterday, and I think it might have to get turned into a rolling pin!


I saw some for sale in a shop and they really looked sharp, highly recommended!


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## Tony

Wilson's Woodworking said:


> I have never turned skeet. I bet it would be beautiful



Mesquite is my absolute favorite wood to work with, never lets me down! You should try some some, you'll love it. Tony


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## Wilson's Woodworking

Most of the time I use locally grown woods that I have cut myself. Mesquite doesn't grow around here so I haven't had a chance to use it. Heck the only way I have seen it sold around here is in chunks for smoking meat. Lol

Reactions: Agree 1


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## El Guapo

The pieces I saw would be perfect... Only downside is this place really values their skeet. They sell it at $16 bf!!!!

Reactions: Funny 1


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## gimpy

WOW, reallly nice, so it that all you do to finish then, soak them in mineral oil ?


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## Wilson's Woodworking

gimpy said:


> WOW, reallly nice, so it that all you do to finish then, soak them in mineral oil ?


Thanks to @Tony I use the mineral oil then after they soak I let them dry for a couple days then hit them with a bees wax mixture. Thanks to Tony, he saved me several hours of sanding and several coats of butcher block finish.


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## Tony

Wilson's Woodworking said:


> Thanks to @Tony I use the mineral oil then after they soak I let them dry for a couple days then hit them with a bees wax mixture. Thanks to Tony, he saved me several hours of sanding and several coats of butcher block finish.



You're very welcome Danny, glad I could help. Those look awesome!! Tony

Reactions: Thank You! 1


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## thrainson

Those look great! What's the length of the handles? It looks like about 4"s ?


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## Wilson's Woodworking

thrainson said:


> Those look great! What's the length of the handles? It looks like about 4"s ?


I kind of let the wood tell me what it wants to be.
I shoot for 18" OAL with 3" to 3-1/4" handles for the ones with handles. some times I will just turn a knob on the ends for handles.
The most popular with the chefs are the French style. I have also made Spanish/Mexican style that are a little shorter with very little taper on the ends. I have a few friends that still make the authentic tortillas and asked me to make them. They wanted one similar to what their Great Grandmother had.


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## El Guapo

I assume you're turning between centers, right? How do you get rid of the marks from the centers? I usually have nasty 1/8"+ marks when I turn between centers.


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## Kevin

El Guapo said:


> How do you get rid of the marks from the centers? I usually have nasty 1/8"+ marks when I turn between centers.



The only way I know to to it is start out with a little extra and part them off. Depending on the project of course jamb chucks are the way to go but solid handle rolling pins would just be a matter of parting a little on each end going back and forth until you get about as thin as you can go then use a saw to finish them off and sand. There may be a better way but that's what I would do unless someone shows me a better way.

Reactions: Agree 1


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## Wilson's Woodworking

Kevin said:


> The only way I know to to it is start out with a little extra and part them off. Depending on the project of course jamb chucks are the way to go but solid handle rolling pins would just be a matter of parting a little on each end going back and forth until you get about as thin as you can go then use a saw to finish them off and sand. There may be a better way but that's what I would do unless someone shows me a better way.


You got it @Kevin That is why I try to get 20" blanks. I put a large radius at the end and then hit them on my ridged orbital belt sander to finish the ends.
I need to find a chuck that will fit on my 1"-8 thread on my spindle so I can make the ones with the axil without running them into work and doing it on my engine lathe. So if you have one to trade let me know.

Reactions: Like 1


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## Kevin

Danny I can cut you a 29" blank out of this piece . . . .

Reactions: EyeCandy! 1


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## Wilson's Woodworking

SWEET!!!!!!!!

Reactions: Agree 1


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## Kevin

This is one of the best blanks I got from the last harvest - it was in a log too big to send @woodintyuuu and too rotten in places as well so I cut it out and saved it. You and I are splitting it. Half for you half for me.  

I'll set it aside because I have a few other things I want to send you stil as part of my end for the saw.


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## gimpy

Kevin said:


> Danny I can cut you a 29" blank out of this piece . . . .
> 
> View attachment 71652



If Danny isn't interested in this piece, I would like to be considered next in line please

thanks, gimpy


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## Wilson's Woodworking

Kevin said:


> This is one of the best blanks I got from the last harvest - it was in a log too big to send @woodintyuuu and too rotten in places as well so I cut it out and saved it. You and I are splitting it. Half for you half for me.
> 
> I'll set it aside because I have a few other things I want to send you stil as part of my end for the saw.


It only makes sense to keep some of the sweet stuff for yourself! I will be having sweet dreams about that piece till I can chuck it up and give it a spin.
By the way I machined those brass parts and will be sending a bag of chips your direction. I want to see what you do with it or even if you can use it.


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