Peppermill questions

[kevrob]

For those of you who turn peppermills, who is the best online source for peppermill blanks? Why would you suggest this site...price, service, selections, all the above? I've searched and searched for the last few weeks and it seems either the site has REALLY high prices or few options for kiln dried 3x3x12 blanks. Do any vendors who support IAP offer peppermill blanks?

From what I have read online, kiln dried blanks are the best option for peppermills to alleviate any cracking issues later, would you more experienced turners agree with this?

Thanks for your input!

 

[jasonlmartin]

Hi,
What species are you looking for? I have a piece if 3x3 Holly that is very nice. Kiln dried. I think its about 21" long. If you let me know what species you want, I can check if I can get it. ( I am an exotic lumber dealer)
Thanks

jasonlmartin100@gmail.com

 

[Curly]

George's Bits of Timber - International Association of Penturners

George can cut special for you but you will want to let them dry awhile as they aren't kiln dried. If someone else sells olive blanks big enough for pepper mills cheaper I'd be surprised.

 

[kevrob]

Hi,
What species are you looking for? I have a piece if 3x3 Holly that is very nice. Kiln dried. I think its about 21" long. If you let me know what species you want, I can check if I can get it. ( I am an exotic lumber dealer)
Thanks

jasonlmartin100@gmail.com

Not really looking for any species in particular, I'm fairly open...just want something that I can play around with that looks nice when finished and doesn't cost a ton. Maybe this is too much to ask for! Do you have an online site with listings?

Is simply drying the boards good enough for peppermills or do they truly need to be kiln dried?

 

[kevrob]

George's Bits of Timber - International Association of Penturners

George can cut special for you but you will want to let them dry awhile as they aren't kiln dried. If someone else sells olive blanks big enough for pepper mills cheaper I'd be surprised.

Pete, thanks for the info. He has some beautiful wood. Have you ordered from him? I was wondering if shipping to North America Was Cost prohibitive.

 

[Curly]

We did order from him ages ago when he had only about 25 or so woods in his arsenal. If I remember right we got a 20 kilo box of primarily olive bowl, pepper mill and an assortment of penblanks. I think the total was about $300 or $400 Canadian including shipping by sea but may have been less. It took about 2 months or so to get here and the only complaint was from the mail lady lugging it to the front door. Try him. He is a stand up guy.

Added a picture of a few pieces.

 

[TellicoTurning]

Got Wood? LLC
https://www.cwp-usa.com/collections/spectraply-blanks

Not sure what you consider as expensive, but the two sites listed above are good sources for wood pepper mill blanks. Turningblanks has natural wood blanks, both undried and kiln dried.... Haven't actually bought from them as mostly I cut my own blanks from woods I have one hand.

CWP is a manufacturer of Spectraply... a dyed laminated woods mostly Birchwood that makes some really nice colorful mills. I use them often and if you watch, they sometimes run sales that are pretty good prices.

Another source I use is a local wood importer that occasionally has pepper mill blanks, but mostly I get flat boards from them and laminate my own blanks... I cut the boards to length, then rip to 3" wide and either run them through a planer or my joiner and glue together to make the 3x3 blanks.

 

[Magicbob]

Bob Jackson turned me onto using baseball bat blanks.
Keim Lumber has both maple and ash

Wood Baseball Bat Blanks | Hard Maple & Ash Dowels - Keim Lumber

I use the economy as I don't care if it has a chipped end or a little sap wood or a knot.

 

[kevrob]

Got Wood? LLC
https://www.cwp-usa.com/collections/spectraply-blanks

Not sure what you consider as expensive, but the two sites listed above are good sources for wood pepper mill blanks. Turningblanks has natural wood blanks, both undried and kiln dried.... Haven't actually bought from them as mostly I cut my own blanks from woods I have one hand.

CWP is a manufacturer of Spectraply... a dyed laminated woods mostly Birchwood that makes some really nice colorful mills. I use them often and if you watch, they sometimes run sales that are pretty good prices.

Another source I use is a local wood importer that occasionally has pepper mill blanks, but mostly I get flat boards from them and laminate my own blanks... I cut the boards to length, then rip to 3" wide and either run them through a planer or my joiner and glue together to make the 3x3 blanks.

Chuck,

Thanks for the comments. I had not thought about the CWP blanks. I have ordered blanks for bowls from Turningblanks, but they have a limited supply of the 3x3x12"+ blanks. I will keep my eye on their website. i bet they update frequently.

 

[Buckeyepen]

If you have a woodcraft near by it is worth stopping by. They usually have a discounted pallet near the front. I have got canary wood, bocote, padauk, and others for under $10 for a 3x3x12 piece. I have never found the deal online just in store. I have also got blanks off ebay.

 

[Herb G]

Another way of doing peppermills is to use flat stock, and glue up your own blanks. I have seen some pretty amazing peppermills from gluing up different woods into a blank. A few examples are Cherry & Ash, White Oak and Mahogany, Yellowheart & Black Walnut, etc.

If you glue your own blanks, you can make any combo that looks good to you. 4 pieces of 3/4" stock will give you a 3" thick blank.

I am currently making some blanks for myself using Yellowheart & Mahogany & some Ash with Cherry.


Just something to consider.

 

[TellicoTurning]

I use a lot of flat boards for my mills... possibilities are endless... a few from boards..

I've even made one from ordinary Lowe's plywood... glued several pieces together to make a 3 x 3 x 12 block, then cut into 4" lengths for the little crank mills from PSI.

I some times stack boards together until I get a block of wood about 12-14 inches wide x 3 inches thick and about 12-14 inches long, then cut at angles into 3 x 3 x 12-14 blocks, then glue the triangle cut offs back together to make the angles on the last mill.

The fourth and fifth mills are combinations of the spectraply and flat stock.. these two are Spectraply Tigerwood and Cocobolo.

Just have fun with it.

 

[jasonlmartin]

I have a 3" x 3" x 12" Walnut, Kiln dried and very nice color that I would sell for $12.00 plus shipping. If you want pictures, let me know.