Turning Your Pepper Mill

Pepper Mill Dimensions

Step 1

Select an appropriate woodturning blank to the size of mechanism, we used  250mm oak blank for the 195mm CrushGrind mechanism.

Measuring wood blank to the size of the mechanism.

Step 2

Cut to size the top and bottom sections, ours was 170mm length for the main body and 80mm for the top section.


Step 3

Mark the centre on one end of each of the blanks using a marking gauge.

Marking the centre on the end of each wood blank

Step 4

Attach the longest blank to the lathe; using a roughing gouge rough down into a cylinder. Repeat for the top section.


Step 5

Attach the main body of the pepper mill to a 4 jaw chuck and onto the lathe, then drill out the main body. We used the Woodcut boring system; in order to use the boring system, you will need to make a 1” hole through the base so the woodcut can bore down through. Repeat for the top section.

Alternatively

If you are not using the woodcut boring system you will need 3 different sized sawtooth bits to bore down through the base working your way down through the main body starting with largest first, 45mm, 38mm and 25mm. Repeat for the top section.


Step 6

Hold top section in the chuck, and drill a top hole with a 20mm sawtooth bit to a depth of 15mm.  


Step 7

To drive the blanks turn a wooden tapered drive dog (as per the drawing). This drive is inserted into the blank to act as a friction drive, using the tailstock to support.

turned components and assembly dogs.

Step 8

Turn the main body of the pepper mill to your chosen design, here you can see the drive dog in action. 

Woodturning the main body to design on the lathe.

Step 9

Sand using abrasive grits, here we're using 100/150/240/400, in this order.

Sanding the main body to design on the lathe.

Step 10

Apply finishing oil.


Step 11

To drive the top blank, turn the second wooden drive dog (as per drawing). The friction fit has to be secure enough to support the blank when the tailstock is not engaged.

Step 12

Following this, use the tailstock to support and turn the top section of the pepper mill to your chosen design.

Woodturning the top section of the pepper mill.

Step 13

Remove the tailstock to complete the turning of the top section, carefully removing the waste area before sanding to a finish. 


Step 14

Sand, again we used grits 100/150/240/400, in this order.

Sanding the top section of the pepper mill on a lathe.

Step 15

Apply finishing oil.


Pepper Mill Assembly:

Start by inserting the CrushGrind pepper mill mechanism into the pre-drilled holes. Using assembly dog's tap the mechanism into the bottom section of the mill. Take the top section of the mill and tap in using the drive plug. Finally, push the two parts together.


Completed pepper mill.