Pepper mill finish

[duncanh]

I'm just about to complete my first pepper mill and was wondering what people tend to use for the finishing the outside. Obviously it needs to hard wearing as it will get a lot of handling.
I tend to favour oils for ease of application and the final appearance - I don't want anything too glossy.

Duncan

 

[TEP]

Hi Duncan.

If your against a hard gloss then oil seems the obvious finish, personally I prefer oil to other finishes. One other you could consider is Melamine, say two coats, cut back with wire wool to take off the gloss then a coat of paste wax. As with oil it can always be re-waxed in the future if needed.

 

[Bodrighy]

Just a thought..... pepper mills live in kitchens, kitchens have food in them....some oil finishes don't mix too well with food. What finish is used on the ones that you buy? I have a really old mill made of box that doesn't have any finish though it may have had when it was first made. If it is a hard dense wood maybe no finish would be needed? Just a thought

Pete

 

[TEP]

IMO If the item is only oil finished on the outside I don't think there would be any cross contamination with food. UAKB. Most of the mills you buy today are finished in a spray lacquer clear/coloured, and if they chip the coloured ones can look very unsightly.

Pete, your old mill if it is old enough would probably have been buffed with a compound on a wheel, then buffed again on a wax wheel. Doing this leaves no evidence of a finish, yet leaves an amazing shine, and it lasts.

Would have suggested buffing Duncan, but left it out when you said you didn't want a high gloss finish.

 

[duncanh]

Thanks for the ideas. I think I'll try the buffing to see how if looks. If I don't like it I can always sand it back and apply something else.

Duncan

 

[Terry Smart]

Hi

I'd suggest a coat of Sanding Sealer (any except Shellac) followed by a coat or two of Acrylic Satin Lacquer. This will be a non-glossy but very hardwearing finish.

Let me know if you need any other info on these products.

 

[duncanh]

Thanks Terry.
I decided to try the buffing and wax idea on the top.
I then tried your suggestion on the bottom but in the end I preferred the glossy wax finish so applied wax over the lacquer. I'll try to get a photo some time as the final design is quite unusual.

Duncan

 

[Paul.J]

Duncan wrote
the final design is quite unusual.
Look forward to seeing it Duncan
Paul.J.

 

[duncanh]

Here it is...

click for a larger version

next to the broken juggling club that it was loosely based on.
The handle is beech, the body is some kind of mahogany I think and the knob at the top is unidentified. Unfortunately I discovered a crack in the base of the mahogany section as I was finishing off. This is only a prototype though so I used it anyway.

The design was a bit of a challenge as the Crushgrind mechanism that I used only has a shaft of 19.5cm and the finished grinder had to be full size at 53cm to keep the proportions correct with the a base wide enough to fit the mechanism inside it.

click for a larger version

The colours in the second pic are a better match to the finished grinder.

The body/base was is made up of 2 pieces so that I could hollow it out to reduce the weight (and allow more space for the pepper)
Next time I think I'll use contrasting woods in the body to represent the decorations often applied to juggling clubs. That would allow me to hollow out the body without needing the centre join that I have now.

Thanks for the finishing suggestions

Duncan

 

[Bodrighy]

I Like it. Also as I have a son who juggles and is into cooking it gives me a good idea for a Christmas present. Like you solution the shaft problem. Very neat

Pete

 

[duncanh]

Glad you like it.
Feel free to use the idea, but I'm hoping that I'll be able to sell some to juggling friends so please don't sell any.

Out of interest does your son attend juggling conventions? I'm heading off to Suffolk tomorrow for a 10 day one.

Duncan

 

[Bodrighy]

He lives down on the Lizard and doesn't have a car so doesn't get the chance. He probably would given the chance he is mad keen. Had to stop juggling some things, plates etc, when his 5 year odl daughter tried to copy him.
EDIT: Sorry, that was rude of me, I should have asked first. My apologies

P.S. Promise I won't make any to sell.
Pete

 

[Paul.J]

Very good Duncan
This turning is never ending with things to try.
Just a bit of imagination :shock:
Paul.J.

 

[duncanh]

Thanks Paul
I'm constantly having ideas for things to turn and have a sketch book at hand most of the time for when inspiration strikes.
The only problem I have at the moment is getting enough time at the lathe as I've been suffering bad headaches for several months and the drugs that I'm on tend to make me drowsy

Pete - I'm not sure where exactly the Lizard is as I don't really know that end of the country. There is (or at least was) a juggling club somewhere near Truro and the jugglers there are very friendly and often drive to various conventions round the country so there may be lifts available. I was in Bodmin last year for the main British event - first time I've been down there and the countryside was lovely

Duncan

 

[Paul.J]

Duncanh wrote
I've been suffering bad headaches for several months
Not been nosey Duncan,but these headaches aren't down to the woods your turning are they.
Some woods i've worked with in the past,mainly red woods, have made me feel really bad,including headaches.
Paul.J.

 

[Bodrighy]

Pete - I'm not sure where exactly the Lizard is as I don't really know that end of the country. There is (or at least was) a juggling club somewhere near Truro and the jugglers there are very friendly and often drive to various conventions round the country so there may be lifts available. I was in Bodmin last year for the main British event - first time I've been down there and the countryside was lovely

Duncan

Keep going down through Cornwall till you fall off the end, that's the Lizard. About 10 miles from Alf's palace actually. My son is coming up over the bank holiday so I'll let him know about the club.

Pete

 

[duncanh]

Thanks for the suggestion Paul but I've suffered from them on and off since I was a teenager and I've only been turning for about 3 years.
When I do feel up to turning (maximum of about 45 minute sessions) it gives me something to concentrate on so I feel ok whilst doing it (maybe it's because I'm using a more artistic part of the brain?). Once I stop though the headaches often return.
Unfortunately they tend to be made worse by long computer use and my job is computer programming:-(

It's so frustrating seeing my shed/workshop 15m away at the bottom of the garden and knowing I may not be in there for a couple of weeks.

Duncan

 

[duncanh]

Just got back from the event and I'm pleased to say that the pepper mill was a huge success and generated lots of interest. I've had orders for 6 I just need to come up with a price (and then start making them!)

Duncan

 

[Paul.J]

Nice one Duncan.
Nice to get a result.
I couldn't sell a toffee. :roll:
Paul.J.