CrushGrind kits

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builtbybill

builtbybill

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Dec 17, 2014
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Clayton, NC
Hello,

For those of you that may have turned both types of the CrushGrind pepper mill kits (shafted and shaftless) I have a quick question - Do they take the same drill bits for mounting the grinder into the base. I have looked at many of the different instructions, from different websites, and there is quite a variance between sites. I am trying to get started making these kits and will probably make both at some point, but if they take different sized bits I will need to decide on which one I would prefer to make first.

Thanks,

Bill
 
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Hi Bill,
I haven't turned one of the shaftless crush grind in some time as I don't really like how they work. I only use the shafted inserts for all of my pepper mills.... But to answer your question, yes they use the same size bits.... it's difficult to go by the directions on some of the suppliers as often their directions are wrong...and some of them use the U.S. standards on their bit sizes and some use the metric.

I only use 3 of the 4 bits that are called for myself, I use the 1 3/4 for the bottom hole, the 1 9/16 for the next hole and also use the same bit for the through hole. Then I use the 15/16 bit for the top. I also cut a short tenon on the top that will fit down into the through hole to stabilize the top... most directions indicate the through hold as a 1 1/16 and uses the white cap piece as the tenon but I found that it allowed the top to wobble more than I liked.

I also only use the inserts from Ideas Denmark that I buy through their U.S. distributor, Cam Levers Designs out of Erin, Ont., Canada... he has the best prices I've found so far. Psi has a unit that's quite a bit less expensive, but I've found theirs to be made in Taiwan instead of Denmark and does not work as smoothly as the Danish units. Also the Danish units comes with a 25 year warranty... not sure about the PSI units....

CrushGrind.US

And right now, Cam Levers is having a sale of 9 units at regular price, then shipping 10... Shipping is a little higher than U.S. companies, but price per unit makes up the difference... I got 10 units this past week at average price of just over $14 each - including shipping.
 
Like you mentioned Bill, the varying amount of drawing dimensions frustrated me to no end. I ended up measuring (x2) right off of the mill body and then off of the ribs in the initial drill diameters. I then took the rough dimensions and compared it to a drill size that fell in between the two dimensions. My understanding is that these mechanism are supposed to press fitted into the pepper mill bodies. With a hole size smaller than the rib diameter measurement taken, this press fit will occur. Note: if you are pressing into hard materials such as sugar maple, there is going to a higher resistance to get the mill pressed into place.

I have not used the new mill drill yet, but I do believe the cutters are adjustable.

The groove for the clips is required. I have read in a few instructions that call for the removal and to epoxy the mills in place...(top and bottom on shafted mills). From experience I can say that the epoxy will not hold the mill body and top hardware in place permanently. They will eventually come loose causing problems.
 
Yikes, I have been using epoxy to hold my mechanisms in place. Haven't had a problem in the two years I have been making them.
 
I use the groove to catch the clips, but also add epoxy as a secondary precaution... in the beginning I only used the epoxy and in the 8 years I've been turning mills, have never had one come loose.

You want to be careful using too much force to set the grinders in place... they are ceramic and will break... I usually force them in by hand, but on occasion will tap one lightly with a mallet to make sure it's set... I tapped too hard once and broke the ceramic.
 
Thanks for all of the help, I can't wait to give these a shot. Just one last question - I have just found out about some copies from Asia so do you know if the ones at Woodcraft are the legit ones?

Thanks again,

Bill
 
Bellsy said:
MarkD said:
Yikes, I have been using epoxy to hold my mechanisms in place. Haven't had a problem in the two years I have been making them.
Click to expand...

Have you been making the groove for the clips Mark?
Click to expand...

No I have been following the directions that came with my mechanisms that told me to trim off the tabs and epoxy the mechanisms in place. I'm gearing up to make more so I'll get ( or make ) myself a tool to cut the grooves. I may even spring for a Woodcut MillDrill.
 
Even before I started using the groove to hold the grinder in place, I never cut the tabs away... I used them as a compression fit to help hold it in place. I now cut the groove with a recess tool that is part of my thread chase set...
 
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