Peppermill question

[John Strait]

I am going to try my hand on making some peppermills and have a question. Do you apply any finish to the inside of them, and if so, what do you use for finish that is food safe? I have been thinking about using lacquer on the outside but not sure about the inside.

Thanks in advance,
John

[Frank Parker]

I'd use a oil finish like tung, danish, and walnut oil, from what I've heard and read there safe as long as you let them cure. On one I just did I droped the hole thing in a tub of Danish oil for a couple hours so that I'd get good penetration thru out that way it keep any moisture from penetrating from inside.
Frank

[John Strait]

Frank,

I sure like the peppermills you posted on a recent posting. I think I will try the tung oil and danish oil and see which I like the best. Thanks for the advice!
John

[Quinn McCarthy]

I just used cutting board oil which is mineral oil.

[Bill Stevener]

Hi John,

A finish on the inside of a pepper mill is really not necessary, however if one wishes to finish the same, about the best is shellac, one, of the only true food safe finishes.

Bill.>>>>>>>>>>>>:)

[Blake McCully]

John,
I agree with Bill S. on unfinished inside. Take a look at his website if you really want to see some super mills.

[Andy Hoyt]

I recently made one of these using padauk. Looked great, but the operabilty was lousy due to my lousy interpretation of the even lousier instructions. Will one day dismantle it to salvage components and try again.

But afterwards, I realized that this was likely a good thing as padauk can "irritate" some folks.

So.... If one does not finish the interior and uses one of those species noted for its nastiness, are you setting someone up for problems since the wood and pepper will interact?

Or is it better to just stay with "safer" woods?