CrushGrind Pepper Mill wobbles

[Kim Metzger]

Hello all - I just turned my first CrushGrind pepper mill, following the Craft Supplies instructions religiously. http://blog.woodturnerscatalog.com/2016/11/turning-crushgrind-mill/ Everything turned out well except for one problem. When I turn the grey adjustment wheel on the bottom to the coarsest setting, the mill won't sit flat on the table. The wheel protrudes about a 1/16". I have to turn it to the finest setting to get it to sit flat. Is this the way it is intended to be?

[John K Jordan]

I don't think that is intended.

I just checked two that we've been using for a decade or so. I made them with slightly different crushgrind mechanisms. Both have the knob/wheel up a bit inside the wood, 1/32" on one and 3/64" on the other. They always sit flat regardless of the setting.

I don't know about the new ones and I haven't seen the instructions you mentioned. It sounds like the hole for the mechanism is just not deep enough. Could it be the wood was turned away a bit too much at the end? Or could the mechanism you have be a slightly different design from what was used in the instructions?

If you can remove the mechanism perhaps you can jam the body on the lathe and drill a bit deeper.

JKJ



Hello all - I just turned my first CrushGrind pepper mill, following the Craft Supplies instructions religiously. http://blog.woodturnerscatalog.com/2016/11/turning-crushgrind-mill/ Everything turned out well except for one problem. When I turn the grey adjustment wheel on the bottom to the coarsest setting, the mill won't sit flat on the table. The wheel protrudes about a 1/16". I have to turn it to the finest setting to get it to sit flat. Is this the way it is intended to be?

[Kim Metzger]

Thanks, John. I drilled the recess that the mechanism sits in 5/8" deep. I pushed it all the way in and now the bottom of the mechanism is 5/16" from the bottom of the mill. Can't remove the mechanism, it's epoxied in.

[John K Jordan]

Thanks, John. I drilled the recess that the mechanism sits in 5/8" deep. I pushed it all the way in and now the bottom of the mechanism is 5/16" from the bottom of the mill. Can't remove the mechanism, it's epoxied in.

Bummer. I just checked my two - the bottoms of the mechanisms sit deeper than yours, 13/32" and 7/16". I not only epoxied them into place but turned a recessed ring up inside for the hooks to grab - ain't no way to remove those either. I wonder if you can add depth to yours - perhaps the bottom and glue on a piece of contrasting wood (and maybe elsewhere for balance) and jam chuck and turn again. Or is it possible to simply shorten the knob by 16"+ by filing or grinding or turning? I didn't try removing either of the two (different) knobs on mine to see if this might be practical.

JKJ

[Kim Metzger]

OK, I think I know what happened. When I dry-fitted the mechanism, I cut the shaft off 1 1/8" from the body. When I measure that distance now, the top of the shaft is only an inch from the body. So I must not have pushed the mechanism all the way up. Lesson learned.

[John K Jordan]

OK, I think I know what happened. When I dry-fitted the mechanism, I cut the shaft off 1 1/8" from the body. When I measure that distance now, the top of the shaft is only an inch from the body. So I must not have pushed the mechanism all the way up. Lesson learned.

I think I'd try to salvage the mechanism and start over. Mount the body between wooden jam centers and carefully turn away until you just contact the epoxy. Then chip away the wood and epoxy.

JKJ

[Kyle Iwamoto]

Turn a decorative ring and fasten (glue or epoxy) it to the bottom of the mill.

[Kim Metzger]

Thanks, Kyle. That's also what John suggested and I added a ring to the bottom. It looks OK, but not good enough to sell, so I'll keep it in my kitchen. Next time, I'm going to cut a groove for the tabs on the mechanism so I'll know for sure it is seated properly.

[Sid Matheny]

I know member Dave Fritz makes a little dish caddy for his mills. You could do that and make a recess in the center.