New Pepper mills

[TellicoTurning]

These are my latest pepper mills and attempts at getting decent photographs. Just got a new light tent and trying it out tonight... Need any help you guys can offer on using the lights and tent. As I said in Pen Photography, I am really camera challenged.

First is Ambrosia Maple with a Walnut cabochon... this was originally a standard pepper mill with the little knob on top, but it didn't quite fit like I wanted it to, so re-drilled and turned it into a crush-grind style. Finish is Min-Wax.

The second is another Ambrosia Maple crush/grind that was ordered as a welcome home gift for her soldier son. Finish on this is Watco Butcher Block Oil.

Final one is from a block of Mahogany.. also a crush grind style. Also finished with Watco.

Comments and Critiques welcomed...
TIA

 

[Randy_]

Chuck: Those look very nice; but let me suggest an alternate design for you to think about. Your mills (or at least the ones pictured) are pretty much straight up and down designs with a few coves and beads. Many of the mills I have seen have a different basic shape. They are a little slimmer in the waist and a little fatter at the top and bottom.....a subtle "hourglass" shape. I think this "hourglass" shape has a more elegant and sleek look to it. You can keep the beads and coves if you like; but try one with a narrower waist and see what you think.

Here is a picture from the CSUSA catalog of the basic idea. This one is a very basic modern look.

And this one has some decorative work done in the more traditional style.

 

[TellicoTurning]

Randy,
Good point.. will look at trying this on next ones..

 

[kkwall]

Nice work, need to try a pepper mill.[]

 

[ed4copies]

Those who are interested, I will have a tutorial .pdf(FREE) available in about a week. Based on the traditional hardware. Send e-mail if you would like it (so far its 7 pages and the body is finished), now we need to assemble with the "guts" to complete the tutorial.

 

[leehljp]

Very Nice looking mills! Very nice!

 

[Thumbs]

Very nice, Chuck! Randy has a point though and I think a combination of styles, both narrow waisted and columnar, would probably appeal to the widest customer base. I haven't done any of these, but since I do love freshly ground pepper.... That Watco Oil sure does shine! Is that after a lot of buffing or just hand rubbed?[]

 

[ed4copies]

I'm sorry, Chuck, I ignored you.

Lots of questions. First, I tried the "crush" mech from Woodcraft and I thought it was difficult to make and would not do a very good job. Was there something I missed??? I know you know how to make peppermills, do you LIKE this mech??? OR is it just something different to offer?

I also would like to know about that Watco Oil. The finish is BEAUTIFUL!! (Still wet????[}][}]) Seriously, how many coats, is there a sanding sealer? How did you get it so shiny??? Are you comfortable that it will stand up to kitchen use???

As for design, every peppermill I have ever made has sold. Some are plain, some more intricate. Different buyers for different styles. If you are "craft-showing", display lots of choices and expect about one a day to sell (displaying about a dozen). Price point starting at about $50.

 

[TellicoTurning]

Actually, I was looking for critique on my photography work.. I just got a new light tent and am trying to work out how it works... as I said, I'm kinda picture challenged when it comes to a camera.

Ed, to answer your questions, I like the "crush/grind" mechanism because it's much more forgiving on dimensions... I'm also a little measurement challenged on the standard mills... other than having 3 or 4 different drill bits you have to work with, I think they are fairly easy to use... the shaftless version is a little trickier.. it generally takes 3 parts and getting them all to fit is tough.
I buy my kits from Packard.. they're a little better price.

I bought the Watco Butcher Block oil at Lowe's. It's actually like a sanding sealer or lacquer finish. This one has three coats on it... first one has to dry about 6 hours.. then the second and third has to dry for 72 hours. The shine rose with the second coat and really came up with the last coat. No buffing required.
I can only hope it will stand up to kitchen use..
The ambrosia maple is actually an order... the lady saw one I had in cedar at the local bakery and wanted one of same design, but in the maple..

I have a few more in the shop to do and think I'll take some of Randy's advice and try some wasp waisted one.

I have to look at my lathe though, the tail stock is acting up... I think I've either lost a "c" clamp on the runnout bolt...or it has slipped out of it's groove... I'm having trouble getting the live center out of the spindle... it should pop out when I back the spindle in... plus this afternoon my headstock got really hot... the handwheel was almost too hot to handle.. thinking my bearings may be getting hot and transfering some heat.. it's about a 6 year old Jet mini and has seen lots of useage.

 

[doddman70]

Ed I just sent you a PM but i have another question that you or maybe the "PR princess"[] my be able to answer. do you think PR would work for a mill would you be able to cast a mold that large and the resin still set? I know there would be alot of waste from drilling but i think it could make some really nice mills.

Thanks Shane

 

[TellicoTurning]

Shane,
That is a very interesting question... Ed, could you cast the blanks with maybe a 1 inch pvc in the center... less waste on the drilling then..

 

[doddman70]

Chuck, thats kinda what i was thinking but not sure i have a couple of gallons on order as well as some new colors to play with but i have only done a few casts. so my knowledge on how the pr works is pretty limited.

Shane

 

[ed4copies]

THIS IS AN OPINION, READ AT YOUR OWN RISK!!!

I thought about making peppermills from Polyresin some time ago. Then, I went through this thought process: If I cast PR to make a mill, it will have a material cost of about $20 (COST). Then, drilling & turning will be time consuming, adding a couple hours wages to the cost. When I am finished, I will have a plastic peppermill. If I go to WalMart and look at peppermills they are, you guessed it, PLASTIC!!!!! AND they are TEN BUCKS!!!!! HALF my MATERIAL cost.

Please explain where the market will be!![][][]

For the member who recently e-mailed me to tell me I am always defensive, you need not respond. The rest of you, I AM soliciting opinions - We CAN do it, I just don't see WHY!!![:0][:0][:0][:0]

 

[Milpaul]

You can buy pens at Walmart too! I think anything that is handmade is worth more and allows you to customize it as you wish, either the shape or the blank appearance. As far as what customers would want I gave up trying to predict. [][][][]

 

[woodwish]

I would agree with Ed, but then I am not generally fond of plastic anyway. I've seen some nice pens on here out of PR but I have been moved to make any, just my preference and each to their own!

 

[laspringer]

I made a goose call out of PR and only dropped it once. [!]

Alan

 

[ed4copies]

Ray,

I do make some polyresin kaleidoscopes. Even though I love turning plastics, these do NOT sell as well as wood or glass.