Wanting to make a salt and pepper mill

Billm0066

Bill
User
Im looking to turn a couple mills. Has anyone bought a grind mechanism they liked? I hate to go through making them and they dont work well. Woodcraft has a couple and reviews seem fine. I have a pepper mill that works okay but its not great. I want a mechanism that works very well.
 

AllanD

Allan
Corporate Member
I won't be of much help right now but might over the next few weeks if I can find the time to do some turning. I had similar questions back in June (look on second page of this woodturning section). It appeared that the main two mechanisms are CrushGrind and Deluxe I think. I got no answers from the forum so must not be a common project.
So I ordered three of the Crushgrind kits. I have the blanks too but just haven't had time to work on it. I will let you know how it works but won't have a Deluxe to compare it to. Just don't hold up your project because no telling when I will get them done.
 

jlwest

Jeff
Corporate Member
CrushGrind is good. Peugeot is better but I don't think they sell just the mechanism.
 

Roy G

Roy
Senior User
I looked at my pepper grinder and it has "Mr. Dudley" on the bottom. I got the mechanism from Craft Supplies many years ago and it has worked fine ever since. I think it came in different sizes depending on how tall you wanted the final grinder to be.

Roy G
 

JonB

Jon
User
I've gotten mill kits from WoodCraft and Craft Supplies, those are very much the same and both work well. I've also made a pepper mill with a Crushgrind mechanism. There is a difference between the two styles, the Woodcraft and Craft supplies kits will have nut at the top to adjust the grind where the Crushgrind mechanism does not, it's adjusted at the bottom. There is a little more to making a mill with the Crushgrind, the hole drilling is different and there needs to be a notch inside the top. The Woodcraft/ Craft Supplies version is more simple to make, it has an 1/8" hole through the top.
The Crushgrind is the better mechanism but I've made quite a few of the others and only had 1 salt mill come back with a broken grind wheel (it's ceramic in the salt mill).
 

mrmilburt

mike
Senior User
i've done a bunch of the pump-n-grind kits from woodcraft. You have to make jamb chucks to turn them,but its not bad. I put on of mine on a a spare faceplate. O have also done the large lighted electric grinder from woodcraft, but the mechanism is weak so buy two and keep a spare.
 

Elmojo

New User
Mike
Sorry to jump in late, but if you're still pondering, I can add my experience with the CrushGrind mechanisms. Overall, I like them a lot, especially if you plan to use them for anything corrosive, such as salt, since they are ceramic. However, my one complaint is that the shaft tends to be a bit 'flexy' unless you build it really short. What I mean is that when you twist mill to grind your spice of choice, you feel the shaft flex a bit before it actually begins grinding. It doesn't affect the function at all, but detracts a little from the 'quality' feel of the mill, if you get my meaning. Just my 1-1/2 cents. I can't afford to give out 2c of advice any more, 2020 and such. ;)
 

AllanD

Allan
Corporate Member
Thanks Mike. I am embarrassed to say I still have those Crush Grinds in a box above my lathe and haven't had time to make them. Good to know they work well.
 

Willemjm

Willem
Corporate Member
Sorry to jump in late, but if you're still pondering, I can add my experience with the CrushGrind mechanisms. Overall, I like them a lot, especially if you plan to use them for anything corrosive, such as salt, since they are ceramic. However, my one complaint is that the shaft tends to be a bit 'flexy' unless you build it really short. What I mean is that when you twist mill to grind your spice of choice, you feel the shaft flex a bit before it actually begins grinding. It doesn't affect the function at all, but detracts a little from the 'quality' feel of the mill, if you get my meaning. Just my 1-1/2 cents. I can't afford to give out 2c of advice any more, 2020 and such. ;)
I only use the click in Crush Grind mechanisms, no shaft. I order 200 each time and they sell premium price as fast as I make them, when the shop goes quiet. I have never had a return, they are very efficient and the ones I made for myself 10 years ago still work like new.

20787FE6-135E-451D-B7CB-CDC6E9E06E5F.jpeg
 

Jeff

New User
Jeff
Crush 'N Grind



 

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