Pepper mill length

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Drcal

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Aug 3, 2009
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Location
Tampa, Florida
I want to turn a traditional pepper mill-- the kind with a rod from top to bottom. I have never turned any kind of pepper mill. I have watched 4 or 5 YouTube videos and no one talks about length.

My question: how critical is.exact length?
Because the top of the rod is threaded, do I have a 1/4 inch, half inch, etc margin for error?

Thanks in advance.

Carmen
 
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Depends on the PM kit you are using. Some of them allow you to remove the rod from the mechanism, trim it to fit, then replace.
 
I want to turn a traditional pepper mill-- the kind with a rod from top to bottom. I have never turned any kind of pepper mill. I have watched 4 or 5 YouTube videos and no one talks about length.

My question: how critical is.exact length?
Because the top of the rod is threaded, do I have a 1/4 inch, half inch, etc margin for error?

Thanks in advance.

Carmen

Go to exoticblanks.com to buy your hardware and download the pepper mill instructions. You make your mill the length you want and cut the rod to length.
 
I have been making several lately. Although the length can be adjusted by cutting the rod (I had to do this on one), I usually make mill a little long and do trial fits prior to finishing it. That way, I can trim a little off to make it fit perfectly.

I am in Tampa as well. If you want to see some already made or in process, let me know and we can meet up sometime.
 
I think Capn Eddie did a youtube (may have been a Ustream) where he shows how to calculate the length of a pepper mill. I can't search there from work, but I will try to find it later.

With the standard mechanism, the screw is used to adjust the grind (fine to coarse) so you need some of that quarter inch for that adjustment. Most of the time the rod can be cut shorter so you are better off going shorter rather than longer on the body. Alternatively, you can take some off the top of the body or top. You can choose which is easier for you.
 
I've heard good thinks about the Crush Grind mechanisms because the adjustment is on the bottom making the length not quite so critical.. I was thinking about ordering those next to give them a go.
 
I've heard good thinks about the Crush Grind mechanisms because the adjustment is on the bottom making the length not quite so critical.. I was thinking about ordering those next to give them a go.

I only use the crush grind... I tell people that I tend to measurementally challenged and no matter how careful I measure and cut, the lengths still seem to be off... with the crush grind, I just adjust the length of the shaft and I'm home free.... plus I think they allow for more open designs. Also now you can buy them in 5, 10 and 18" length shafts.
 
I've heard good thinks about the Crush Grind mechanisms because the adjustment is on the bottom making the length not quite so critical.. I was thinking about ordering those next to give them a go.

I only use the crush grind... I tell people that I tend to measurementally challenged and no matter how careful I measure and cut, the lengths still seem to be off... with the crush grind, I just adjust the length of the shaft and I'm home free.... plus I think they allow for more open designs. Also now you can buy them in 5, 10 and 18" length shafts.

Chuck,


2 questions:
  • What holds the crush grind style together?
  • I have a Delta midi lathe with no table extension and I think 10 inches is too big and I don't like the small (5") size. Do you think a 10 inch could work on my Delta? The distance between centers is 16 inches.
Thanks for your input. I was wondering about the crush grind.
Carmen
 
Crush grind is great, but the tenon for the clip must be exact!! You can make a tool or buy one, but that area is not negotiable, despite what some that may make a lesser product will say. After that is correctly installed, it's a matter of the rod length and remembering that you need a straight hole through the center of the mill body.
 
Crush grind is great, but the tenon for the clip must be exact!! You can make a tool or buy one, but that area is not negotiable, despite what some that may make a lesser product will say. After that is correctly installed, it's a matter of the rod length and remembering that you need a straight hole through the center of the mill body.
it doesn't have to be that exact.

cut the tabs off and epoxy the mechanism into the pepper mill body.
 
Carmen,
I will PM you with my phone number
give me a call and we can discuss
I've made a few


I want to turn a traditional pepper mill-- the kind with a rod from top to bottom. I have never turned any kind of pepper mill. I have watched 4 or 5 YouTube videos and no one talks about length.

My question: how critical is.exact length?
Because the top of the rod is threaded, do I have a 1/4 inch, half inch, etc margin for error?

Thanks in advance.

Carmen
 
I think Capn Eddie did a youtube (may have been a Ustream) where he shows how to calculate the length of a pepper mill. I can't search there from work, but I will try to find it later.

With the standard mechanism, the screw is used to adjust the grind (fine to coarse) so you need some of that quarter inch for that adjustment. Most of the time the rod can be cut shorter so you are better off going shorter rather than longer on the body. Alternatively, you can take some off the top of the body or top. You can choose which is easier for you.

I think it is #172 pepper mill basics

Levi Woodard
Sent from my DROID RAZR using Forum Runner
 
I've heard good thinks about the Crush Grind mechanisms because the adjustment is on the bottom making the length not quite so critical.. I was thinking about ordering those next to give them a go.

I only use the crush grind... I tell people that I tend to measurementally challenged and no matter how careful I measure and cut, the lengths still seem to be off... with the crush grind, I just adjust the length of the shaft and I'm home free.... plus I think they allow for more open designs. Also now you can buy them in 5, 10 and 18" length shafts.

Chuck,


2 questions:
  • What holds the crush grind style together?
  • I have a Delta midi lathe with no table extension and I think 10 inches is too big and I don't like the small (5") size. Do you think a 10 inch could work on my Delta? The distance between centers is 16 inches.
Thanks for your input. I was wondering about the crush grind.
Carmen

There are two ways to hold it together... there are little tabs on the grinder that fits inside a groove inside the body, but I still use 5 min epoxy to also glue the grinder in...
I smear a good coat just below the lip of the 1 9/16 hold and along the edge... then the grinder sits on that lip and is held by the epoxy....
The top is held on by a spring in the top piece that grips the shaft and also turns the grinder when the top is twisted. The shaft is a pentagon shape and fits inside the little top piece. I also cut a groove inside the top to catch the tabs on the top piece.
Also I don't use all of the drill pits that the directions call for ... I drill through with the 1 9/16 drill bit and cut a 3/8 to 1/2 tenon on my tops to fit inside the body... I felt the tops wobbled too much if you depend on the little top piece to be the tenon...

I'm not sure what the bed length on the Delta Midi is, but I started turning pepper mills on a Jet 1014.... no bed extension, so I'm pretty sure you can do a mill on the midi.... and you aren't restricted to a 10 inch... you can always cut the shaft off some if you want to do a lesser length... most of my mills run between 8 1/2 and 10 1/2 inches...
 
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