My First Pepper Mill

[Mike Goetzke]

First thanks to all here that helped me get going on this especially Peter Fabricius.

Besides a few pens this is also my first real spindle work too. My wife bought these fancy wood blanks for salt/pepper mills. I found out after roughing that they were green wood and need drying so I took this hunk of oak a friend gave to me years ago and went at it. It looked like a big leg with two face glued boards. I see others getting ready to make Crushgrind mills so I'll include quite a few photos of how I combined Peter's and Chris West's methods:

Start with a plan. I looked online and then used Deltacad a 2-d drafting program to make a drawing:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v212/mbg/Projects/Salt%20and%20Pepper%20Mills/IMG_0001_zps96305c07.jpg (http://smg.photobucket.com/user/mbg/media/Projects/Salt%20and%20Pepper%20Mills/IMG_0001_zps96305c07.jpg.html)


Then cut the post to length - I may get two mills. (did you ever start the BS w/o the blade tensioned?):
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v212/mbg/Projects/Salt%20and%20Pepper%20Mills/IMG_0002_zpsa509345e.jpg (http://smg.photobucket.com/user/mbg/media/Projects/Salt%20and%20Pepper%20Mills/IMG_0002_zpsa509345e.jpg.html)



Mount between centers:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v212/mbg/Projects/Salt%20and%20Pepper%20Mills/IMG_0003_zps771da5e5.jpg (http://smg.photobucket.com/user/mbg/media/Projects/Salt%20and%20Pepper%20Mills/IMG_0003_zps771da5e5.jpg.html)



Turn round and part off top (I cut so deep then used the BS to cut through:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v212/mbg/Projects/Salt%20and%20Pepper%20Mills/IMG_0004_zps594370ce.jpg (http://smg.photobucket.com/user/mbg/media/Projects/Salt%20and%20Pepper%20Mills/IMG_0004_zps594370ce.jpg.html)



Body & top:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v212/mbg/Projects/Salt%20and%20Pepper%20Mills/IMG_0005_zpsdd0391a5.jpg (http://smg.photobucket.com/user/mbg/media/Projects/Salt%20and%20Pepper%20Mills/IMG_0005_zpsdd0391a5.jpg.html)



Mounted body bottom with DT jaws using live center to line it up:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v212/mbg/Projects/Salt%20and%20Pepper%20Mills/IMG_0006_zpsb8b2d98a.jpg (http://smg.photobucket.com/user/mbg/media/Projects/Salt%20and%20Pepper%20Mills/IMG_0006_zpsb8b2d98a.jpg.html)



After cleaning up the face (I found gouges don't make good face cleaning tools - must be the end grain. I ended up using my parting tool):
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v212/mbg/Projects/Salt%20and%20Pepper%20Mills/IMG_0008_1_zps62bd1383.jpg (http://smg.photobucket.com/user/mbg/media/Projects/Salt%20and%20Pepper%20Mills/IMG_0008_1_zps62bd1383.jpg.html)



Drill 1-3/4" diameter to 7/8" deep:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v212/mbg/Projects/Salt%20and%20Pepper%20Mills/IMG_0009_zps3a2f030f.jpg (http://smg.photobucket.com/user/mbg/media/Projects/Salt%20and%20Pepper%20Mills/IMG_0009_zps3a2f030f.jpg.html)



Then drill 1-1/2" hole to 2-3/16" deep:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v212/mbg/Projects/Salt%20and%20Pepper%20Mills/IMG_0010_zps72ff7a92.jpg (http://smg.photobucket.com/user/mbg/media/Projects/Salt%20and%20Pepper%20Mills/IMG_0010_zps72ff7a92.jpg.html)



Using the bottom of this bore as a stop insert Crushgrind recess tool and cut relief. Found you need to cut and clean out the chips a few times. I made this recess tool myself:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v212/mbg/Projects/Salt%20and%20Pepper%20Mills/IMG_0011_1_zps4e41eb88.jpg (http://smg.photobucket.com/user/mbg/media/Projects/Salt%20and%20Pepper%20Mills/IMG_0011_1_zps4e41eb88.jpg.html)



Recess complete:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v212/mbg/Projects/Salt%20and%20Pepper%20Mills/IMG_0012_1_zpsb7d19a34.jpg (http://smg.photobucket.com/user/mbg/media/Projects/Salt%20and%20Pepper%20Mills/IMG_0012_1_zpsb7d19a34.jpg.html)



Now drill, in my case, 1" hole past center. I had this 1" auger bit it worked fine:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v212/mbg/Projects/Salt%20and%20Pepper%20Mills/IMG_0013_1_zpse8fda786.jpg (http://smg.photobucket.com/user/mbg/media/Projects/Salt%20and%20Pepper%20Mills/IMG_0013_1_zpse8fda786.jpg.html)



I used my stepped jaws to reverse mount the body:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v212/mbg/Projects/Salt%20and%20Pepper%20Mills/IMG_0014_1_zps6e0da202.jpg (http://smg.photobucket.com/user/mbg/media/Projects/Salt%20and%20Pepper%20Mills/IMG_0014_1_zps6e0da202.jpg.html)



Peter pushed me hard into creating a M&T between the top and bottom. Here is the 1-1/2" mortise. I cut it a little more than 1/4" deep to receive the 1/4" tenon from the top. This was an error - I should have bored this hole much deeper because the Crushgrind top piece didn't like fitting into a 1" hole drilled next (sandpaper took care of this):
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v212/mbg/Projects/Salt%20and%20Pepper%20Mills/IMG_0015_zps409573c4.jpg (http://smg.photobucket.com/user/mbg/media/Projects/Salt%20and%20Pepper%20Mills/IMG_0015_zps409573c4.jpg.html)





...continued

[Mike Goetzke]

Now the 1" hole to meet the other one:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v212/mbg/Projects/Salt%20and%20Pepper%20Mills/IMG_0016_zpsad248e0c.jpg (http://smg.photobucket.com/user/mbg/media/Projects/Salt%20and%20Pepper%20Mills/IMG_0016_zpsad248e0c.jpg.html)



Must have been beginners luck they met perfectly!:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v212/mbg/Projects/Salt%20and%20Pepper%20Mills/IMG_0018_zpsf0d17bdd.jpg (http://smg.photobucket.com/user/mbg/media/Projects/Salt%20and%20Pepper%20Mills/IMG_0018_zpsf0d17bdd.jpg.html)



Mounted the top of the top in compression jaws, centered it with the live center, and turned a 1-1/2" tenon to fit tightly on the body:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v212/mbg/Projects/Salt%20and%20Pepper%20Mills/IMG_0019_zps34fdd962.jpg (http://smg.photobucket.com/user/mbg/media/Projects/Salt%20and%20Pepper%20Mills/IMG_0019_zps34fdd962.jpg.html)



Next, drill 7/8" diameter hole to 3/4" deep:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v212/mbg/Projects/Salt%20and%20Pepper%20Mills/IMG_0020_zpsd1141d3d.jpg (http://smg.photobucket.com/user/mbg/media/Projects/Salt%20and%20Pepper%20Mills/IMG_0020_zpsd1141d3d.jpg.html)



Again use the bottom of this bore as a guide for the depth of the recess:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v212/mbg/Projects/Salt%20and%20Pepper%20Mills/IMG_0021_zps187dab83.jpg (http://smg.photobucket.com/user/mbg/media/Projects/Salt%20and%20Pepper%20Mills/IMG_0021_zps187dab83.jpg.html)



After the recess bore 7/8" hole to 1-1/2" deep:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v212/mbg/Projects/Salt%20and%20Pepper%20Mills/IMG_0022_zps1df99a0a.jpg (http://smg.photobucket.com/user/mbg/media/Projects/Salt%20and%20Pepper%20Mills/IMG_0022_zps1df99a0a.jpg.html)



Depending on your top design drill a 3/8" hole to provide space for the mill shaft:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v212/mbg/Projects/Salt%20and%20Pepper%20Mills/IMG_0023_zpsb499d8b1.jpg (http://smg.photobucket.com/user/mbg/media/Projects/Salt%20and%20Pepper%20Mills/IMG_0023_zpsb499d8b1.jpg.html)



Mount the top on the body mortise, the body into a jam chuck that pilots into the 1-1/2" hole but made to fit tight in the 1-3/4" hole, and live center on the top (depending on top design might not want that pointy center in the top). Made my first jam chuck! Should have made it a little longer - sometimes got a little close to that chuck:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v212/mbg/Projects/Salt%20and%20Pepper%20Mills/IMG_0024_zps721cddef.jpg (http://smg.photobucket.com/user/mbg/media/Projects/Salt%20and%20Pepper%20Mills/IMG_0024_zps721cddef.jpg.html)



Cut a full size print of my design as a guide:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v212/mbg/Projects/Salt%20and%20Pepper%20Mills/IMG_0025_zps355ccf85.jpg (http://smg.photobucket.com/user/mbg/media/Projects/Salt%20and%20Pepper%20Mills/IMG_0025_zps355ccf85.jpg.html)



Laid out som critical locations:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v212/mbg/Projects/Salt%20and%20Pepper%20Mills/IMG_0027_zps78326c1d.jpg (http://smg.photobucket.com/user/mbg/media/Projects/Salt%20and%20Pepper%20Mills/IMG_0027_zps78326c1d.jpg.html)



Getting there. I need more practice on those beads:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v212/mbg/Projects/Salt%20and%20Pepper%20Mills/IMG_0028_zps647894dd.jpg (http://smg.photobucket.com/user/mbg/media/Projects/Salt%20and%20Pepper%20Mills/IMG_0028_zps647894dd.jpg.html)



Top getting close. I was surprised I was able to get a pretty good sphere. I did have a problem here. I was using a detail gouge to shape this and the always last pass got me - I got a catch. As you can see I was able to remove it. I'm thinking on the end of the ball I starting to cut end grain and should have used another tool. I ended up using my parting tool and 1/2" round nose scraper (I still haven't got the guts to get familiar with the skew but maybe I should have used one here?):
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v212/mbg/Projects/Salt%20and%20Pepper%20Mills/IMG_0029_zps80944e23.jpg (http://smg.photobucket.com/user/mbg/media/Projects/Salt%20and%20Pepper%20Mills/IMG_0029_zps80944e23.jpg.html)



Sanding - lots of sanding. Must be some special sanding material to get into those tight spaces:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v212/mbg/Projects/Salt%20and%20Pepper%20Mills/IMG_0030_zpsae36bd6a.jpg (http://smg.photobucket.com/user/mbg/media/Projects/Salt%20and%20Pepper%20Mills/IMG_0030_zpsae36bd6a.jpg.html)



It's my first mill! The tight 1-1/2" M&T fit had to be loosened a bit. I couldn't find a good way to do this except mount the body on the jam chuck and sand it (does this M&T joint need to be very tight for finish turning?). I also, as stated earlier had to sand down the 1" bore a bit for the Crushgrind top piece but if I bored the 1-1/2" bore deeper this would not be a problem. The sanding was made a little difficult because I used the no-glue method and discovered the issues after pressing in the mill mechanisms. Oh - almost forgot, buy chance I had a 1" hole in my jam chuck so I was able to use it to press the body piece in. For the top I folded a towel a few times and put over the wood jam chuck. Then held the top against it and once again used the tail stock as a press. Now I need to figure what to finish this with.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v212/mbg/Projects/Salt%20and%20Pepper%20Mills/IMG_0002_1_zps4daab344.jpg (http://smg.photobucket.com/user/mbg/media/Projects/Salt%20and%20Pepper%20Mills/IMG_0002_1_zps4daab344.jpg.html)


Very fun project. Probably took about 5-hours. One thing I need to eliminate though is once in a while I get a squeak when turning the mill. I think it's from the faces where they meet - maybe the finish or some paste wax will solve this?


Thanks,

Mike

[john snowdon]

Mike, Very nice pepper mill and a GREAT tutorial! The pics are excellent. I have a couple of pieces of cherry drying that I intend to use for my first mills and will follow your lead. Many thanks for such a great post! And yes, I have started a BS without tensioning the blade...
Cheers,
John

[Marc Tuunanen]

Very awesome project. Great instructions set as well. Good job mate on your first mill. It's all downhill from here.

Cheers,
Marc

[Fred Belknap]

Mike that is very helpful. I can understand the top piece not fitting in the 1" hole, it is 26mm, the 1" is 25.42mm. Yes I have started my BS with it detensioned, since I use mine almost everyday I just leave mine tensioned now.

[Peter Fabricius]

Fantastic Mike,
You did it and it looks just great. Now you are ready to make more using whatever wood you can find, even firewood is great for practice.
I sent you another email to follow up on your announcement of completion and the issues noted.
We are away Skiing right now and have limited WiFi.
Well done and your pictorial here is fantastic!!!
Peter F.

[David Delo]

Nice job Mike and thanks for the tutorial.

[Jeff Belany]

Really nice post, great instructions. I've been wanted to tackle a peppermill for a long time. Have all the materials, even the special size bits. One of these days!!

Jeff in northern Wisconsin

[Thom Sturgill]

Great job and great tutorial. A better than my first couple - I had to use undersized wood and did not get enough shape into them I like your use of the CAD program and template.

A detail gouge (basically a spindle gouge with a sharper grind, though a 'proper' detail gouge also has a shallower flute) IS the proper tool for cutting that end grain and getting in tight areas. Both a regular spindle gouge and skew work well too. I would suggest Alan Lacer's video and spend some time practicing the skew to overcome your 'shyness'. You could make the entire thing with the skew as the only 'gouge'.

For large sweeping coves like those normally found on mills, I prefer the European or German spindle gouges which are forged like a Spindle Roughing Gouge, though only about 1/4 circle instead of half and ground with swept back wings instead of square like a SRG. But then again, I'm a tool junky.