Pepper Mill Advice?

[John Shattuck]

Does anyone have an opinion on the different brands/types of mills?
-quality of grind
-durability
-ease of assembly

Also, how big a blank do you need? I've heard 3x3 -neccessary, or just easier?
Thanks!
John

[Bob Hallowell]

John,
I did a little tutorial awhile back on pepper mills http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?t=56400

I use http://www.chefspecialties.com/ ther made here in Pa and they sell the better mech. that Lee Valley, CSUSA sell.

Blank size? well I have never started with a 3x3 thats a waste of wood. the tall ones I make 14"-18" probaly end up 2 1/2" at the bottom but for most mills starting with a 2 1/2 by 2 1/2" is plenty I even use alot of 2x2"'s from smaller mills

Bob

[Kevin McPeek]

Personally I prefer the Crushgrind mechanisms, I like that you can change the height easily and that you have no top knob. I think you need a little larger blank for them though, a 2x2 would be too small but anything over 2.5 is okay. The quality is very good but you do pay for it, but IIRC they have a warrantee.

[Greg Savage]

Blank size? well I have never started with a 3x3 thats a waste of wood. the tall ones I make 14"-18" probaly end up 2 1/2" at the bottom but for most mills starting with a 2 1/2 by 2 1/2" is plenty I even use alot of 2x2"'s from smaller mills

Bob

3x3 is not a waste of wood. Think of the design possibilities! I routinely use 3 1/2 in stock for some of my mills.....And they sell!!!!!......2x2 is too limiting, besides a mill of this diameter is easily knocked over. I use 2 1/2 for my standard contemporary mill.

I use both Chef Specialties and CrushGrind. They are both excellent mechanisms. Cost would be the only factor in my choice. If you use the CrushGrind, I recommend using metric boring bits for a slightly tighter more accurate fit.

As for changing the height of the ChefS mechanism....Cut the aluminum shaft to the desired length....Not the threaded end!!!.....Put it in a vice......Heat it with a torch and mushroon the end. I sometimes replace the entire aluminum shaft with a stainless one that I fabricate myself. Especially on very tall mills where there is a lot of torque on an aluminum shaft.

[Wayne Bitting]

I've used the Crush Grind for all of the ones I sell (27 to date) and start out with a 3x3 blank too. I tend to make my mills "beefy", which is what has sold better for me over the thinner ones. I finally bought a 3"x7"x60" slab of walnut from the saw mill which dropped the cost of the wood per pepper mill down significantly. Good Luck!