Hard finish for pestle and mortar

[Kerrowman]

I’m turning a pestle and mortar on the lathe using some Scots pine logs I acquired and was wondering what the hardest surface finish I can produce so grinding can be done at the bottom of the bowl.

To be more precise I’m wondering if buffed cellulose sealer would be harder or softer than cured Danish oil. Pine is not that hard so I need to make up for it in the finish.

Any thoughts on the most appropriate finish would be appreciated.

 

[Adam Pinson]

I make quite a few P&M's but only from Olive wood which is really hard, i can't be sure but it seems to me that whatever finish you use would just grind away pretty quickly due to the soft pine below.... ! Maybe a heavy epoxy resin .... i have a feeling even that would not stand up to salt grinding.... !

 

[Kerrowman]

Makes sense. What finish do you use with the Olive wood?

 

[Richard_C]

Scots pine isn't very hard, Janka scale is below 600 I think, beech as an example is more than twice that.

Epoxy might do it I suppose. I've made a couple of them from sycamore and used ordinary cooking rapeseed/canola oil on the grounds that it's easy to recoat every couple of months without leaving the kitchen. It seems to take a shine well.

Whatever you do, use something foodsafe.

 

[heronviewer]

I agree that Scots pine is not hard enough - there will be a hole after a few years !
I've made a couple out of elm 20 years ago and just finished them with olive oil - still going strong and virtually no wear.

 

[Adam Pinson]

Makes sense. What finish do you use with the Olive wood?

Sometimes Danish oil on the outside and just mineral oil inside,. Or Olive oil inside...

 

[Phil Pascoe]

It's usually recommended to use any vegetable oil except olive as olive is one of the few that can go rancid. Walnut is good. Any surface dressing will wear off anyway. It doesn't matter a jot what you use on the outside. Personally, I wouldn't use anything that needed a finish for a mortar and pestle.

 

[Adam Pinson]

It's usually recommended to use any vegetable oil except olive as olive is one of the few that can go rancid. Walnut is good. Any surface dressing will wear off anyway. It doesn't matter a jot what you use on the outside. Personally, I wouldn't use anything that needed a finish for a mortar and pestle.

They say the Olive oil goes rancid, but i've not experienced that, just a little brings out the beautiful grain.

 

[Nelly111s]

I also make olive wood P&Ms. I use melamine for the pestle and Tung oil for the inside of the mortar. Being an oil it’ll soak in before it cures.

 

[Kerrowman]

I also make olive wood P&Ms. I use melamine for the pestle and Tung oil for the inside of the mortar. Being an oil it’ll soak in before it cures.

When you say melamine is that a material or a liquid finish that hardens. Thanks

 

[scooby]

Melamine can be both but I presume Nelly is referring to melamine lacquer.

https://chestnutproducts.co.uk/product/melamine-lacquer-2/

 

[Orraloon]

Even the hardest woods ware a bit as a mortar and pestle. I had an inkling it would happen so left the chuck recess on the bottom so it can get a freshen up on the lathe when required. Its a eucalypt called ironbark and seriously hard. Anyhow its now just a kitchen ornament and we got a stone one to use. The pic is it new off the lathe but after more than ten years its now aged to chocolate brown. I never made any more of them.
Regards
John

 

[Kerrowman]

That’s lovely. Im hoping a sycamore one with an acrylic lacquer finish on top of shellac sealer will give some good service. Here the piece of wood I’m working with that needs drying and twice turning.