Anybody making wood Mortar and Pestle's

[Orlando Roman]

I'm curious if anybody out there is making Mortar and Pestle's AKA spice grinder's.it's really selling here like hot cakes,this week I sold 33 of them and have 24 on order for next week,I don't maind making them, but can't hardly get anytime to relax. I like to do it only as hobbie and it's getting to be a job and I'm looking for way's to speed up the produccion.Already have 5 face plates,3 lathes,that way I could leave one on the lathe, while the sanding sealer dries, then move on to the another lathe,do the samething and then go back finish the first one, then install another.... the third lathe is set up for spindle turning.The hollowing it's a bit hard,I'm using a 1 1/2 flat wood bit to start then move on to round scrapers and side scrapers,the hole is usually 6'' deep by 4'',5'' or 6'' wide.Have any of you use a fostner bit,would a3'' fostner bit be of any help, you think?Any other ideas are very welcome,Orlando.

 

[David Wilkins]

A bowl gouge should be faster, raising prices would reduce the pressure to produce so many.

 

[MichaelMouse]

Only that you could subtitute a long-eared gouge for your side scraper and gain a bit of time, as Dave suggested. Might not have to sand so much, either. I use one ground to a point for plunging and peeling, it's not called a "bowl" gouge, rather a "detail" gouge if names mean much. Point won't skate out to the rim, and you can cut in/out/in/out by simply rolling toward the appropriate side. http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d160/GoodOnesGone/a63b77ab.jpg http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d160/GoodOnesGone/725a28f2.jpg http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d160/GoodOnesGone/5fa71f2e.jpg

A ring or hook tool would make a cleaner bottom than most scrapers, too. It's really a gouge mounted 90 degrees to the shaft. http://www.newwoodworker.com/reviews/termitervu.html Hunter tools are just a closed version, but they're not quite as aggressive, and have fewer catches built in. http://www.woodturningvideosplus.com/hunter-hollowing-tools.html

A good steady will allow you to go to a chuck rather than a faceplate, and good use of a non-destructive hold will allow you to take the piece off and put it back on with no problems centering.

Make what sells if you want money. Life requires survival first, even when pursuing a dream, like that swirled and burled ginger jar for the mantel....

 

[Matt Hutchinson]

I have done a few mortar and pestles, and they have been hollowed completely with a bowl scraper. It works very well, and it actually isn't too slow. I have only gone to a depth of about 3" on these, but i have actually gone about 4.5" over the tool rest with my 3/4" bowl scraper before.....you just have to back off a bit. It can still leave a great finish if you have a light touch.

When doing this, I hold them in a chuck like MM said. I use the Vicmarc system, and the shark jaws do a great job for holding works while it's being hollowed.

I have to totally agree with David about raising prices. There is someone I know who makes beautiful end grain cutting boards, and they were priced so low she got buried under orders. She raised her prices to alleviate the pinch and it didn't hurt business. In fact, she is now raising her prices again. Pretty soon she'll be making pretty darn good money, if she isn't already.

Good luck! 🙂

Hutch

 

[Orlando Roman]

Michael...Does the long ear gouch have to stay round at the bottom or have to be flatened?Can't really see the bottom on the photo,did ground mine to a point but that's the only thing i'm not sure of.Thanks
About the price...hummm! not sure! See,there is quite a few people making them here,some nice other that are not and mine's are the more expensive ones, it's something I would have to think about and the way economy is...not sure!!!But thanks for the hint.😀

 

[Dan Stromberg]

Hi all,

This may be a little silly, but if you don't feel comfortable about raising prices for whatever reason, you can always just limit the number that you make to whatever you feel comfortable with, regardless of the demand. Can you just say "I will make X number per week, first come first served?" I agree with the previous poster who implied that you shouldn't let this overwhelm you -- it's supposed to be fun! 🙂

Dan

 

[Orlando Roman]

Yeap! you are 100% correct,it's just that i'm a softie for wood turning and the more I'm at it, the more i like it.It's the next day that i'm sore...🙄😀

 

[Barry Elder]

I am curious as to what type or types of wood you use for your mortar and pestles? And good luck with your hobby!

 

[Orlando Roman]

Well! The one that I use the most is Swietenia mahagony or dominican mahagony not the african or the subspecies,it's rare every where else but it's plentiful here,very hard to cut but beatiful;Also use cordia alliodora,it's also rare very hard to find but it's plentiful here;tabebuia heterophylla also know as white cedar,white wood and Roble, very easy to work with and my favorite nice grain;taliparti elatum-malvaceae this one is really nice and very dark inside sometimes looks purple,don't have any on my property but this guy is going to get me some,his got 13 acres of just this wood;Tectona grandis-teca,one of the more expensive if not the most expensive wood around,also plentiful and last Guaiacum offinale,c sanctum,this wood will not rot you can cut it now and pick it up in 20 years and is probably still usable,don't use it much, it's very hard to work with.But when you make something out of this, is for ever.There is other woods that I use but not like the ones I mention.:cool2:

 

[MichaelMouse]

Michael...Does the long ear gouch have to stay round at the bottom or have to be flatened?Can't really see the bottom on the photo,did ground mine to a point but that's the only thing i'm not sure of.Thanks

Round, so that it can be rolled into broader bevel contact when you have the room. Initial contact is at the tip, of course, where the included angle is perhaps 60 degrees, rolling to the side grind where it is 10 or 15 degrees less.

It's the roll and tilt which determine aggressiveness. As you can see, the shavings as taken are thick toward the cutting direction, with the taper in the gouge and the angle of presentation allowing them to feather off as the tool is drawn out of the cavity.

 

[Steve Worcester]

Well! The one that I use the most is Swietenia mahagony or dominican mahagony not the african or the subspecies,it's rare every where else but it's plentiful here,very hard to cut but beatiful.....

Maybe just start milling wood, to the size of USPS priority flat rate boxes and start selling wood? I will always buy wood that I can't get here at reasonable rates :cool2:

 

[Orlando Roman]

Maybe just start milling wood, to the size of USPS priority flat rate boxes and start selling wood? I will always buy wood that I can't get here at reasonable rates :cool2:

Very good idea Steve,but just broke to bands on my Craftsman band saw cutting Mahagony, I would need to get the HSS band that Michael recomended me or get something more industrial type, also I probably start whining about not having enough time for my wood turning,ha....😀🙄