Is anyone planning to make a coffee mill using the new parts Lee Valley sells?

[Malcolm Schweizer]

When I saw that Lee Valley was selling parts to build a burr grinder, I was all over it. Mine just recently shipped and is yet to arrive. I'm curious if anyone else wants to share their ideas for a coffee mill- in part because I like seeing the creativity of others, and in part because I plan to shamelessly steal any ideas that are better than mine. :-)

For you non-snobs, just an fyi- a burr grinder crushes the bean into very uniform pieces that are large enough that they don't fit through the screen in a French press, thus eliminating the "sludge" often found at the bottom of your cup when using a French press and other types of grinders.

I have two ideas- the first being to just build the basic style coffee mill similar to their stock photo http://www.leevalley.com/us/wood/page.aspx?p=75258&cat=51&ap=1 and use figured woods and maybe finally find a use for the Incra router fence that I just HAD to have; maybe do some double-dovetails. The other idea is to turn something out of this big block of macadamia wood that my wife bought for me one year and is constantly reminding me that I have yet to build something from it. The problem there is simply that I really am not a turner, and I let the thing dry completely. I think you're supposed to keep it moist for the initial turning. I may figure some way to use it.

[Erik Manchester]

I will pass on this one as I have a cast iron coffee grinder made using the parts that LV was selling 25 yrs ago. Works well, no need to replace it.

[Ryan Mooney]

I've been eyeballing it since I wouldn't mind having a better hand grinder but haven't quite gotten to the design part yet. My main concerns would be stability based on previous experience with hand cranked "things" so figure out how to make it so it all stays in place nicely while you crank it (although this will take a lot less torque than say a grain mill). From that perspective a lower profile that's easy to get ahold of would be preferred.

[Jim Becker]

Either idea sounds interesting, Malcolm. Why not build both in prototypes and decide which you like the best before you commit to "the real deal". :)

I wouldn't use anything that isn't a burr grinder. While mine is electric, how it's powered is less important than the method. Different coffee brewing methods require different grinds but they all benefit from the consistency that the burr grinder brings!

[Bradley Gray]

Maybe turn the bin part out of the macadamia and use the mechanism to join it to a box.

[Jamie Buxton]

..a burr grinder crushes the bean into very uniform pieces that are large enough that they don't fit through the screen in a French press, thus eliminating the "sludge" often found at the bottom of your cup when using a French press and other types of grinders..

Ummm...What's the matter with the "sludge"? It is coffee beans, right? Why is that a problem?

[Malcolm Schweizer]

I've been eyeballing it since I wouldn't mind having a better hand grinder but haven't quite gotten to the design part yet. My main concerns would be stability based on previous experience with hand cranked "things" so figure out how to make it so it all stays in place nicely while you crank it (although this will take a lot less torque than say a grain mill). From that perspective a lower profile that's easy to get ahold of would be preferred.

My understanding is that the mechanism gets epoxied in and has ridges that, once the epoxy cures, locks it in place. I also sprang for the forstner bit that perfectly fits the hole- can't remember the size, but it's something odd like 2 17/32 or some weird size and all my sets go in 1/8ths


I will pass on this one as I have a cast iron coffee grinder made using the parts that LV was selling 25 yrs ago. Works well, no need to replace it.

Don't knock it 'til you tried it. The burr grinders provide a much more even grind. I thought it was hype until a friend sold me on the idea and I bought a hand-cranked burr grinder. My only issue is mine is rather small and takes a long time just to make 2 cups worth. I compared the size listed on the website for this one and it's much larger than the one I have, so I am hoping less time grinding. I do love the manual grinding: (a) morning exercise, and (b) power goes out a lot here.


Either idea sounds interesting, Malcolm. Why not build both in prototypes and decide which you like the best before you commit to "the real deal". :)

I wouldn't use anything that isn't a burr grinder. While mine is electric, how it's powered is less important than the method. Different coffee brewing methods require different grinds but they all benefit from the consistency that the burr grinder brings!

Two words: Time and money! Also I don't want to mess up this macadamia- that's the real reason. I'm not very experienced with a lathe, but I do love the idea of a turned piece, because the grinder I have now is round and I can hold it in my hand to grind the coffee.


Maybe turn the bin part out of the macadamia and use the mechanism to join it to a box.

I thought about that. It's a fairly large chunk- about 4" square by 6". I have some ideas about how to do the part that catches the grinds- one is a press-fit, the other is to mortice out a cavity and build a little drawer- that's the idea I like best.


Ummm...What's the matter with the "sludge"? It is coffee beans, right? Why is that a problem?

Actually, I love the sludge, but my wife doesn't. Once we pour our two cups from our two-cup french press, I take a strainer and strain the remaining grinds and make a nice, thick second cup with a bit of grit to it! That said, it's still much smoother with the burr grinder. I really love my burr grinder, but as stated in a response above, it's just kind of small and takes forever to grind just two cups.

Thanks for the replies. The grinder is at the post office today. I will update you when I do something. It may be a while- very busy week.

[Jim Becker]

Two words: Time and money! Also I don't want to mess up this macadamia- that's the real reason. I'm not very experienced with a lathe, but I do love the idea of a turned piece, because the grinder I have now is round and I can hold it in my hand to grind the coffee.

Time certainly counts, but remember that I suggested prototyping before you commit to the expensive wood. I'd do that for sure with the turning to work things out on poplar or whatever. Even the most experienced turner will do that for things that have to have specific dimensions.

[Malcolm Schweizer]

Time certainly counts, but remember that I suggested prototyping before you commit to the expensive wood. I'd do that for sure with the turning to work things out on poplar or whatever. Even the most experienced turner will do that for things that have to have specific dimensions.

Probably a good idea to ruin something less valuable before I try my hand at turning this nice macadamia.

[John Gornall]

I was gifted a commercial version of a ceramic grinder which appears to be similar and probably the same mechanism. 2 comments: It's a great grinder, my favourite, grinds very evenly, and is readily adjustable for course/fine. It requires a bit of work to grind - at the setting I like it's 50 plus cranks per cup and too hard for my wife - needs a handle to hold with the other hand or better would be having it clamped to counter.

[John Gornall]

Reading another post about post drills I was thinking about adding one of these grinders to a post drill with it's handle and flywheel - be a great coffee grinder and look cool in the kitchen.

[Ryan Mooney]

My understanding is that the mechanism gets epoxied in and has ridges that, once the epoxy cures, locks it in place. I also sprang for the forstner bit that perfectly fits the hole- can't remember the size, but it's something odd like 2 17/32 or some weird size and all my sets go in 1/8ths

I was talking not about the insert itself but about the stability of the unit as a whole. Basically the same concern that John Gornall stated below (above), some way to easily hold the whole base unit steady while you crank it.

This is largely based on experiences with other hand crank grinders of various sorts.. including a small hand cranked coffee grinder we have (the emergency electric-grinder-broke or take-with-you-camping version :D) where you have to grab onto the base part fairly tight and the top luckily has a pretty good lid otherwise beans would go everywhere as I flail around with it. Having it so the base was locked in place (like my grain mills do..) would make it a bit easier to use rather than stabilizing the base with one hand and grinding with the other, but that makes the design more complicated so...

[Malcolm Schweizer]

I was talking not about the insert itself but about the stability of the unit as a whole. Basically the same concern that John Gornall stated below (above), some way to easily hold the whole base unit steady while you crank it.

This is largely based on experiences with other hand crank grinders of various sorts.. including a small hand cranked coffee grinder we have (the emergency electric-grinder-broke or take-with-you-camping version :D) where you have to grab onto the base part fairly tight and the top luckily has a pretty good lid otherwise beans would go everywhere as I flail around with it. Having it so the base was locked in place (like my grain mills do..) would make it a bit easier to use rather than stabilizing the base with one hand and grinding with the other, but that makes the design more complicated so...


Ah, you are right. The one I currently have is round and easy to hand-hold, and that's what I prefer. My sole concern there is my ability to turn it without destroying it! I just got the part today. It is very well made and twice as big as my current hand-cranked burr grinder. It's pricey but well worth it. I am going to see what I can do with this thing.

[John Gornall]

The grinder shown on the Lee Valley site would, I suspect, be hard to hold when grinding.

[Ryan Mooney]

Ah, you are right. The one I currently have is round and easy to hand-hold, and that's what I prefer. My sole concern there is my ability to turn it without destroying it! I just got the part today. It is very well made and twice as big as my current hand-cranked burr grinder. It's pricey but well worth it. I am going to see what I can do with this thing.


Looking forward to seeing what you do with it so I can steal the idea (or at least get a good review on how it goes..) ;) There has been somewhat of a dearth of quality grinding mechanisms available and this looks to fit the void pretty well. I'm certainly in no hurry since a) I already have way to many projects and b) can't get to any of them until it warms up a bit so I don't freeze in the shop!! But this is definitely creeping up the short list.