Peppermill Mechanism Types

[Mortalis]

My wife has asked me to make a peppermill since out plastic store bought one has failed.

Looking at the different types of mechanisms and seeing as this is my first time turning something other than a pen I was leaning towards the "Antique" or "Old Fashioned" style as the mechanism simply sits atop the delivery tube.

My question to those that have used the Antique/Old Fashioned style, how does it hold up under fairly heavy use?
I watched a couple videos on making the antique style. Also watched a couple videos in the making of a crush grind peppermill and they used their spur point as well as their chuck with a jam chuck and I dont know if I want to get all that involved with this first one but will if need be.

My wife uses a lot, and I mean a lot of pepper that she grinds through the pepper mill on salads and cooking. We have an electric spice grinder but that is slumsy to get in an dout of the cabinet and we dont have a lot of counter space so we tend to keep peppermill and salt shakers in a cabinet until use and then put it back.

 

[Charlie_W]

The top mount antique style has the looks but just does not hold much pepper. You might want to make one of those first but plan on moving on to the twist style grinder soon.
Good luck!

 

[FourOaksCrafts]

I have made a couple and they are fairly easy to make. The only thing I experienced with these, is one day I accidentally knocked it off the table and the handle broke. Maybe just bad luck, but the crank handle does seem to be fragile.

 

[Mortalis]

I have made a couple and they are fairly easy to make. The only thing I experienced with these, is one day I accidentally knocked it off the table and the handle broke. Maybe just bad luck, but the crank handle does seem to be fragile.

Went to my local Woodcraft store and the one of the store guys said basically the same thing. With it being cast it is most likely not going to survive a drop to the floor.

 

[Mortalis]

The top mount antique style has the looks but just does not hold much pepper. You might want to make one of those first but plan on moving on to the twist style grinder soon.
Good luck!

It sure doesnt look like it will. It will get me to the next project which will be one of the larger crush mills.

 

[Herb G]

If your wife uses a lot of pepper, you might want to look into getting a Turkish Coffee Mill instead. They are expensive, but built like tanks if you stay away from the cheap models. A good one will set you back $150 these days.
But, they are milled from solid brass, and built to last.

 

[TellicoTurning]

Look at the crush grind type of mills, they are relatively simple to make ... and if you modify the drilling slightly, they hold lots of pepper and the ceramic grinders work very well and last a long time. We have one that is over 10 years old and still working like the day I finished it.

The instructions calls for 4 drill bits, but I only use 3 of the 4... the 1 1/6 bit makes a hole that I think is too narrow, so I drill through with the 1 9/16 bit to make a larger space for a larger volume of pepper corns. You will need to make a short tenon on the top that fits down into the through hold to keep the top from wobbling too much. You also should make a couple of grooves inside the body and top to take the tabs on the two parts... plus, you can cut the shaft to what ever length you need so as not to have to be so precise in your turning.

 

[Fish30114]

My guru in woodturning is infamous Nick Cook, he doesn't care for the crush grind pepper mill mechs so that is probably why I don't either, Nick promotes and uses the mechs from Chef Supply to Go, which I use exclusively. I have only been selling them for around 3 1/2 years but I have never had a complaint about one---the other positive thing about them is that you don't have to make the funky internal notch like you do with the Crush Grind mechs You have to use 3 drill bits, a 1 5/8 forstner and a 1 1/16 forstener and a 17/64 or 9/32 for the threaded rod to fit through. They offer one with a ceramic grinder which is intended for salt but will do pepper to if you prefer ceramic. I highly recommend getting Nicks 'Turning for Food' video, if you google Nick Cook you will find it. I would tell you it is pretty satisfying to build you first one, and you have a lot of flexibility on your design--I dislike the Kokeshi doll style Nick makes, but it gives you the idea, I usually make a sweeping curved modern style, I will see if I've got a picture of one and post it.

Best luck--Don

 

[Lucky2]

You would be better off to just bite the bullet and make a Crush Grind type of peppermill. They stand up to a lot of use, and they're not hard to make. The type your considering is more of a joke to me, I don't think they would stand up to much use. Plus, they hold such a small amount of peppercorns, that you will always filling the mill.
Len

 

[Charlie_W]

You would be better off to just bite the bullet and make a Crush Grind type of peppermill. They stand up to a lot of use, and they're not hard to make. The type your considering is more of a joke to me, I don't think they would stand up to much use. Plus, they hold such a small amount of peppercorns, that you will always filling the mill.
Len

I totally agree with your observations...however, they sell! Many folks are buying the look and they make inexpensive gifts.
Others research and buy for the performance.

 

[Charlie_W]

You would be better off to just bite the bullet and make a Crush Grind type of peppermill. They stand up to a lot of use, and they're not hard to make. The type your considering is more of a joke to me, I don't think they would stand up to much use. Plus, they hold such a small amount of peppercorns, that you will always filling the mill.
Len

I totally agree with your observations...however, they sell! Many folks are buying the look and they make inexpensive gifts.
Others research and buy for the performance.

Edit.....duplicate post

 

[Fish30114]

My guru in woodturning is infamous Nick Cook, he doesn't care for the crush grind pepper mill mechs so that is probably why I don't either, Nick promotes and uses the mechs from Chefkits.com, which I use exclusively. I have only been selling them for around 3 1/2 years but I have never had a complaint about one---the other positive thing about them is that you don't have to make the funky internal notch like you do with the Crush Grind mechs You have to use 3 drill bits, a 1 5/8 forstner and a 1 1/16 forstener and a 17/64 or 9/32 for the threaded rod to fit through. They offer one with a ceramic grinder which is intended for salt but will do pepper to if you prefer ceramic. I highly recommend getting Nicks 'Turning for Food' video, if you google Nick Cook you will find it. I would tell you it is pretty satisfying to build you first one, and you have a lot of flexibility on your design--I dislike the Kokeshi doll style Nick makes, but it gives you the idea, I usually make a sweeping curved modern style, I will see if I've got a picture of one and post it.

Best luck--Don

chefkits.com is the site Nick recommends--and me too!