Mesquite pepper mill

[Aaron Wingert]

A while back Ernie Nyvall sent me some mesquite as a kind gesture after I gave him some guidance on making turkey calls. I had the urge to turn a pepper mill from it from the moment I saw it, as my first one (several months ago) hadn't turned out the way I wanted...Actually quite the opposite.

As is often the case with mesquite, this piece had a very deep crack with the grain running along its length. I ran the crack with thin CA and then medium CA to make it safer to turn. I was going to fill the crack with coffee grounds to make it not show up that much but I figured it would be a good way to try a turquoise inlay for the first time. In hindsight I should've smashed the turquoise up a little bit more but I'm generally pretty happy with how it came out. Filled a couple little bug holes with turquoise as well. Overall it is about 12-1/2" tall. Finish is five coats of spray laquer that will get buffed in a week or so.

Pretty glad I didn't saw this piece up to make duck calls, which was my initial plan. The other half of the piece will be a matching salt shaker, and it has similar cracking so it'll get the turquoise treatment as well.

I rarely if ever turn anything but duck calls, turkey calls and bottle stoppers so this is a nice change for me. But I can tell that I seriously need to practice turning beads. Those gave me fits!

Comments and critiques welcomed and appreciated.

[Bernie Weishapl]

Aaron that is a nice looking peppermill. I liked what you did with it.

[David E Keller]

That's cool. I like how the turquoise line mimics the form. Mesquite is pretty stuff, and you've done a nice job with it.

[David Christopher]

nice looking mill, and the beads look good too

[Ernie Nyvall]

Sorry about the cracks Aaron. All my mesquite has that wind-shake in it, but you sure did a fine job on it. Nice finish too.

[Aaron Wingert]

Sorry about the cracks Aaron. All my mesquite has that wind-shake in it, but you sure did a fine job on it. Nice finish too.

The wind shake cracks make it fun in my opinion Ernie, and as strange as it sounds I was actually thrilled to see that it had some cracks. I love filling holes, knots and cracks with various materials...The sort of thing that lends a little intrigue to an otherwise average piece. I'm now dying to make myself a duck call with some cracked-up mesquite just so I can fill it with turquoise.

[John Keeton]

But I can tell that I seriously need to practice turning beads. Those gave me fits! Aaron, one couldn't tell from this piece!! Well done, and the turquoise is a really nice touch. The mesquite has a really nice color.

[Baxter Smith]

Very nice Aaron. I was sent a block of mesquite in the spring that had developed quite a few cracks. Your post has given me an idea of how I might leave it large but deal with the cracks. Will have to do some research on doing that with the turqouise when I get the shape figured out. Thanks for posting.:)

[Allen Neighbors]

Nice job on the Mesquite, Aaron! I love the way turquoise looks with Mesquite! Sometimes it just looks better this way, the way you crushed it, rather than turning the turquoise into a powder... this way, when you hold it, you can see the variations in the color in the turquoise. Well done!