Inside Finish for Cocobolo Pepper Mill

[James Hotsko]

Hello,

I am getting ready to turn my first pepper mill and will be using cocobolo as I have a good amount of stock to start with.

Understanding that cocobolo can cause allergic reactions in many, and not wanting to taint the pepper inside.....what type of finish is recommended for the inside to seal it and prevent oils from seeping into the pepper? As an additional note, this pepper mill will be primarily used in a tropical location and will be subjected to a wide range of humidity levels....not sure if this would affect the choice in finish.

Also, would any type of finish be needed for an accompanying salt mill turned from curly maple or a maple burl?

Thanks and look forward to any responses.

James

 

[John King]

Shellac

Peppermill inside finish = Zinsser Bulls Eye SealCoat Universal Sanding Sealer, 100% Wax-Free Shellac. Dries quickly. Food safe. Easy application.

 

[James Hotsko]

John,

Sounds like a great option. What do you recommend in terms of method of application?

James

 

[John King]

Cheap Foam Brushes

I use cheap 1" foam brushes that I buy by the dozen at one of the local craft stores - Hobby Lobby or Michaels. With their usual weekly 40% off any one item coupon I can get a dozen at a throw away price. I wet the foam with Shellac and run it up and down the peppercorn chamber while rotating it. This puts a nice even coat of Shellac on the chamber. Set peppermill aside to dry. Toss the foam brush in the trash. - John

 

[Bill Boehme]

Another even cheaper method is to twist a piece of paper towel, dip it in the shellac sanding sealer, and then swab the inside of the peppermill. Toss the paper towel when finished.

 

[John King]

Foam Brushes

Paper towel = cheap alternative. Perhaps this is a true statement. But I can guarantee that you will have shellac all over the peppermill and in places you don't want it if you use a paper towel to coat the peppercorn chamber. - John

PS - I am always amazed at where woodturners choose to save money - sandpaper, paper towels vs foam brushes, etc. We spend hundreds of dollars on lathes and tools. We put in countless hours machining a piece of fine wood to the best of our ability. And then we try to save a few pennies on sandpaper and finishing techniques. Makes no sense to me. - J

 

[allen jay]

inside finish for a pepper mill

why would you want to finish the inside??

 

[John King]

Protecting the Peppercorns

Allen - It's not about "finishing" the inside of the peppermill. It's about "sealing" the peppercorn chamber so that the peppercorns do not absorb anything from the wood that might be harmful to the user. - John

 

[Ron Sardo]

I always like grinding some peppercorns and finish on my eggs in the morning.

It doesn't really matter what finish you use on the inside of a peppermill, the peppercorns will wear it off.

Best not use any finish on the inside... and if you are worried about wood allergies, use a different wood.

 

[Bill Boehme]

^^ The peppermill on my dining table (turned by H. Maxwell Taylor) is mesquite and is unfinished on the interior. Since mesquite seems to be a big player in southwestern haute cuisine these days, I suppose that I am in style (gastronomically speaking -- not clothing fashion) when I grind a bit of Chef Specialties Bouquet Peppercorns onto my corn flakes in the morning.

 

[Ron Sardo]

yumm, mesquite flavored cornflakes with bananas

 

[John King]

Agree to Disagree

I always like grinding some peppercorns and finish on my eggs in the morning.

It doesn't really matter what finish you use on the inside of a peppermill, the peppercorns will wear it off.

Best not use any finish on the inside... and if you are worried about wood allergies, use a different wood.

Ron - Guess we will have to agree to disagree on this one.

I use shellac to seal the peppercorn chamber. It's food safe. So, if a little finds its way to the food, it's not harmful to the peppermill user.

While I have no quantitative data on peppercorn chamber wear by the peppercorns, in my opinion it's very unlikely that the peppercorns will wear the finish off of the peppercorn chamber. Even if such is the case, there is no harm to the peppermill user because the finish is food safe shellac.

I don't select wood for peppermills based on wood allergies. I don't know who might use the peppermill and I don't know what woods they may be sensitive to. So, sealing the peppercorn chamber isolates the wood from the food chain. The outside finish seals the wood and prevents exposure to the wood from handling/using the peppermill. The peppermill should be safe for use by anyone regardless of wood allergies.

Adios and Feliz Navidad from the great state of Texas! - John

 

[Ron Sardo]

Yes shellac is food safe, its even used to coat pills and candy.

My point was peppercorns are abrasive.

Merry Christmas to you and yours John

 

[MichaelMouse]

Reactions to Cocobolo certainly pale in comparison to the typical reaction to pepper and pepper oils. Swelling of mucous membranes, sneezing, dermatitis ....

 

[Dwight Bullock]

contamination free pepper mill

There are many things with which one could coat the inside of a mill to isolate the peppercorns from the wood. What I do is insert a length of plastic tubing the appropriate size and length (cab tubing), to serve as a sleeve type lining between the corns and the inside wall. It is inexpensive and pretty much fool proof as well as easily obtained. I use 1" outside and .031 inside diameter cab tubing, because that size is perfect for the mechanisms the I normally use. Another unique quality; Salt has no effect on cab tubing.
I have been sleeving them for almost four year and I feel much better about the wood critters and other contaminates residing outside of the peppercorn reservoir.
Hope this has been helpful.
Dwight

 

[Dwight Bullock]

Contamination-free pepper mill

As others have stated, there are many things with which one can coat the inside of a pepper mill, for whatever reason. However I find that lining the inside of the reservoir with a sleeve of tubing is very easy, inexpensive and pretty much foolproof. I use (cab tubing) plastic tubing, much like that used in some aquariums. The size and length will be determined by the mill mechanism that you have. My mechanisms call for a 1" hole and the size tubing I use is 1" outside with a .031 wall thickness. It has just the right amount of rigidity and allows a perfect fit at the bottom for the mill works. The pepper touches nothing but parts and the plastic sleeve. I have used this method for almost four years and sleep better knowing that the wood critters and other contaminates reside outside the mill reservoir. And, salt has no effect on the tubing as well.
I hope this has helped you and also others who fight this problem.
Dwight

 

[Steve Sloan]

I'm not sure about these finishes on cocobolo, but I use walnut oil or lemon oil on my peppermills. I apply them using a dowel that I cut a notch into the end and thread/wrap some paper towel in there. I use this same dowel to thread some sandpaper in to make sure there is no roughness left over from the drilling of the center.

Good luck.