Pepper Mills

[Bobby Perry]

I want to try a pepper mill. Do any of you know of any good videos showing how to turn a peppermill? I got a kit but the instructions with it are very vague.:D

Also I am a very slow learner :D
If I can watch someone do it I can do it most of the time.

[Ken Fitzgerald]

Bobby....I haven't seen any videos where someone was turning pepper mills but

In Kieth Rowley's book "Woodturning - A Foundation Course" he explains how to turn one and assemble it and it well illustrated with drawings and photos.

In Barry Gross's book "Learn to Turn" he has an extremely well illustrated and written procedure for pepper mills.

I've turned a few for Christmas gifts and my advice is do a practice one first and see how it goes before committing a precious piece of wood.

I'll look around and see if I can find a video somewhere on the net.

Good luck!

[Bobby Perry]

Thanks Ken. I was going to use cedar since I have a ready supply of it and can always get more.:D
I may have to hold off till this thing called "Dean" gets done doing whatever he is going to do.:)

[Stephen Beckham]

Bobby,

I had fits with the first one because of the instructions. I agree with Ken. Put a sacrificial piece on there and go at it... I played with about four mock-ups before I went to the real thing.

You will learn some tricks while playing with it. One I picked up was to place two end pieces on the lathe and turned them to fit both ends of the Pepper mill. I used them like a large set of bushings to center my pepper mill hole on the center. I later re-cut them with 7mm pen tubes and actually started turning pepper mills on the Pen Mandrel. Interestingly easy to keep in on the center. If drilled correctly, the head of the pepper mill can be placed back in to the top end of the Pepper mill and be used as that end piece - allowing you to turn the whole pepper mill as a single piece making the shaping less of a challenge...

Let me see if I can remember the steps...

1. Round off the stock (so your not fighting corners on the mandrel)
2. Part off the Head (leave a relief to fit back into the pepper well)
3. Forstner out the pepper well
4. Drill out the head
5. Place the End Piece in the bottom and the head back on the top (should look like a single piece again with the relief part recessed in the well)
6. Mount 'er up and start turning. Shape, sand and test fit - then finish.

Don't worry about your holes being centered when starting out - if you mount the head back into the well - they'll work themselves back into center. If you're good with center drilling - you're a better man than I. I like gross motor movements... Wobbly stock usually turns back into centered stock quick enough. Since they're together - as you finish the shape - they'll match.

Gosh that was a mouthfull - hope I didn't confuse you even more. If so - let me know and I'll try to get some pictures for you...

Steve

If that baffles you - sorry, it's late and been a long day. I'll take some pictures if I can find the little rascals and post for you if you're interested.

[Bob Hallowell]

Bobby,
They are not the hard to do, I did a right up on them a few months ago

http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?t=56400

Bob

[Ken Fitzgerald]

Bob.....this fuddled old mind of mine had forgotten about your tutorial. Thanks for reminding me!

[Greg Savage]

Ted Sokolowski Has a DVD available on his website covering the basics of making a peppermill. Making a mill is not as difficult as it seems. There is more than enough info on this site to get you through your first mill, though.

http://www.sokolowskistudios.com/

What type of mechanism do you plan on using? Chef Specialties is an easy mechanism to make a mill with. You need a 1 1/16, 1 5/8 and 17/64 bit to bore you housing and top. The CrushGrind can be a bit more difficult because of the metric bore holes needed and a blind cut that needs to be made...but, there is a way around that. Also the Beall Tool Company has a book that covers making Pep mills.

http://www.bealltool.com/products/turning/millbook.php

When you decide to tackle yor first project, let me know. I'd be happy to help.

Greg

[Walter Hickman]

Nick Cook did an artical in the Spring 2004 American Woodturner. The article is available as a PDF on Nick's web site. Google Nick Cook Woodturner.

[Fred Floyd]

There is an excellent article by Nick Cook which was published in the AAW Journal in the Spring 2004 edition.

Pepper Mill -- It's a new grind.