Guess I'll Be Making a Salt and Pepper Mill... Arggggg

[Jeff Gilfor]

My wonderful wife, in her infinite wisdom, bought me a box of woodturning stuff from the local WoodCraft. Great idea, and I love all of it... except... she got me a pepper mill kit and nice 12 inch blank to make it/them. She thought it would be nice.

Problem is, I HATE making pepper mills. Don't get me wrong, they are very nice and useful, and I fully appreciate those who make them; they are just not my thing. I hate all the drilling! Made her some flower vases for Christmas presents last year, and almost lost my mind drilling the holes for the glass inserts, while still trying to make the shape pleasing with what I had left in the wall of the blanks. Same reason I hate making pens! Like using them and looking at them, just don't like to make them.

I'm more of a bowl, vase, HF, platter, and art piece turner kind of guy.

Anyway, I didn't have the heart to tell my sweetheart the truth, so I guess I'll be drillin' some pepper mill and salt shaker blanks.

Just needed to vent. Sorry to all those who love making things from kits. Please don't flame me for my "feelings."

[Thom Sturgill]

Jeff, I started with pens, mills, etc and moved on. Really don't care for them for the same reason you stated. I have a drawer full of teacher double ended pen kits my wife bought to give to the other instructors and then the school decided against gift exchanges in favor of supporting a needy family. Boy was I glad to be off the hook!

[Quinn McCarthy]

Buck up camper. Nobody likes it. When I did a 24" PM out of mara which is really dense it took 3 nihgts to get through that.

Q

[Curt Stivison]

Nothing more fun to be around than a happy woman! Good luck with that.

Curt

[Richard Madden]

It's kind of funny, I have never turned pens, bottle stoppers, peppermills and probably lots of other things, but just recently I bought a few grinding mechanisms woodcraft had on sale. I tried my hand at a peppermill and kinda enjoyed it. Had to make a steady rest which I've wanted to do for quite sometime, but all in all it's been different and most of all, fun.

[Bill Hunt]

I think I'm up to about 75 or so pepper and salt mills. They make great gifts. and are pretty good sellers too. Sold six 16"mills to one lady for Christmas gifts this past Dec. Most of the wood I use is obtained locally.

[Ian James Webster]

Hope you will forgive me if I kind of hijack your thread for a moment but....... I decided to make a few pepper mills for friends / family for this years Christmas gifts (although your comments are causing me to re think that idea!!!). Would someone / anyone be kind enough to suggest the best source for the hardware (lowest price vs quality)?

Thank you

[Jim Burr]

Search function is your friend Ian...this was a thread 2-3 weeks ago and it was covered in detail.

[Paul Singer]

I think this may be the thread that Jim is referring to http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?205197-Pepper-mill-kits

[Bill Hunt]

I buy all mine from Packard if you buy 10 or more you get a 10% discount.

[Marc Himes]

I enjoy the mills and pretty much everything else on the lathe. My wife also suggests projects for me to do that go along with some of the things she is into (scarf Jewelry, buttons, purse handles etc). I work them in as I can. The mills can be more interesting if you want to add color or texture. Happy wife, happy life.

[Ian James Webster]

Thank you all for your responses - the ones from Packard look good.