Food safe finishes

[Houstonian]

What does the collective brain trust think is the best food-safe finish for pepper/salt mills? Does the exterior even need to be finished with a food-safe finish? Does anyone finish the interior? What about woods that are UNSAFE for mills?

A lot of questions for one post, but I've never done a pepper mill and I'd like to.

Thanks for your input.

Lee

 

[Crashmph]

From what I am been told... after a finish cures they are all pretty much "food safe", but I am sure someone here will correct me.

Also, I have been using a finish called Salad Bowl Finish on some of my bowls and mills.

 

[workinforwood]

Yep, what he says is mostly true. Most finishes will be food safe once they cure, but that doesn't mean you should use them on a bowl you are going to put food in. The simple reason is that the finish will start to flake off from all the abuse of utensils and chemicals like perhaps vinigar. You won't get sick from eating the plastic flakes of cured polyurethane, but it does have an un-apetizing look to it and it can stick between the teeth! For a pepper mill.. you can finish the inside and outside with anything you want <lead free > of course. But why even bother finishing the inside of a peppermill? There's nothing to see in there but pepper...Although when I was a kid we used them to grind something else.

 

[Glass Scratcher]

I like Salad Bowl finish as well.

 

[GouletPens]

I did a little research too about finishes safe for kids, since I have a baby on the way and was wondering about finishes safe for rattles, cribs, etc (anything the kid might chew on). Basically, any finish is 'safe' after it's COMPLETELY cured, a few weeks or so. But echoing what's already been said, not everything will wear the same and that's why there are food safe finishes, butcher block finishes, etc. For pepper mills though, the only real abuse you have to worry about is hands touching it and maybe it being dropped from time to time. You could really use just about anything and it'd be fine after the finish cures. Don't bother finishing the inside. As far as what woods are safe, you got me there!

 

[DozerMite]

I always use mineral oil. Little less expensive than the salad bowl finish, which I believe is mostly MO, and it has been used forever as a food safe finish.

 

[brewtang]

All US finishes are food safe when fully cured. Just remember...fully cured can take a couple months in some cases.

 

[justaccord]

It seems that the bigger finishing issue for peppermills is all the handling they will take. Inside, you don't need to finish. Outside, it doesn't need to be "food safe".

If you prefer, why not shellac the inside -- it's quick, great sealer and dries fast? It will give you a great seal between wood and pepper. It is absolutely food safe (in fact used to make fruits and vegetables shine as well as coating for medicines we take, etc).

For the outside, I would suggest an oil/urethane or poly gel or wipe on poly finish. These will do well with handling over time.

HTH

 

[Houstonian]

Sounds good. Thanks for the info.

Lee

 

[Larry in Harrow]

See:
http://www.triedandtruewoodfinish.com/

Boiled Linseed produced the old way by actually boiling not by adding chemicals. Food safe cured and in liquid state. Down side is the cure time is quite long because there are no metalic driers. This stuff smells great. I have to hide curing projects from my dogs, they like to lick it off.

Also shellac flakes disolved in denatured alcohol is non toxic and widely used as a coating on pills and candies. Great for the outside of mills and also to seal the inside if you so desire.

 

[TellicoTurning]

I rarely finish the inside of my pepper mills...on occasion I have sprayed a sealer - usually a water based - if it's a wood that might be questionable... most woods are food safe in their raw state for dry foods... not sure if you put a hot liquid in a raw wood container... some woods like walnut do have toxins that could leach out, but man has been using wood dishes for centuries...

On the outside, I use a variety of finishes depending on the wood... wipe on polyurethane, rattle can lacquers, salad bowl finish, oils, etc.... after the finish is cured most will last well.

 

[garrett]

I use Kerfs Wood Cream on everything I turn. It's an all natural food safe product my friend makes here in Bellingham WA. It works and smells great. Russ Fairfield wrote a nice essay on the topic of Food Safe. If you google his name you can bring up his website and find the essay.