Competitor's

When I check out the competitor’s web sites, I’ll admit I see some beautiful wood working with one basic way of gluing up their blanks, the only difference being types of wood used. They also have a limited number of shapes and sizes. With the aid of a duplicating accessory on their lathe, they can quickly turn out one pepper mill after another, exactly the same size and shape as the one before it.

Using these methods I can go from rough wood and have a pepper mill ready for finish in 1 1/2 to 2 hours. This isn't my idea of creative, artistic woodworking. I even wonder how much of the pepper mill can be called handcrafted considering they are turned using a duplicating device. This is more like production work. I do not turn out production pepper mills.

How mine are constructed

When I glue up a blank for a pepper mill, I use two kinds of segmented construction:

1. The stacking of segmented rings. This is where you take pie shaped pieces glued into a ring then stacked on top of each other.
2. Stave construction: like a wooden barrel then various methods of lamination techniques.

After I have come up with an idea, I first have to decide which form of construction or, combination of the three forms to use to get the desired results. By using multiple gluing methods, my ability to create custom made, handcrafted, one of a Kind pieces of art work. Once I have a blank ready, I have a 21 step procedure to follow to complete a mill. After having an idea for a design, it can take up to a week to figure out the gluing procedure. Then it can take 12 to 20 hours work to glue up the blank.

Once the blank is done, I put it on the lathe and turn it into a cylinder, cut off the top, drill out the body, insert plastic liner and glue the top back onto the body. Now that I have a prepared blank it’s ready to go back on the lathe to be turned into shape.  I never go into this step with a preconceived idea of a shape.  I start turning at the base of the mill and I only turn for 1 or 2 minutes at a time.  As I due this over and over I watch how the pattern is coming out.  The developing pattern helps me decide where to cut next. This method of creating and turning assures that no two mills will be alike.  This also allows me to be much more creative than my competition.

Now that the mill is shaped and all necessary sanding has been done I’m ready for finishing.  This process takes two days. My first 2 or 3 mills have a varathane finish then I realized I could get a better finish with a lacquer. First I start with a lacquer sanding sealer.  I use a minimum of five coats with appropriate sanding in between coats. Then I use a minimum of 5 to 8 coats of brushing lacquer which requires 2 hours dry time between coats. I follow that with a minimum of 5 coats of spraying lacquer. After curing at least 3 days I finish up with a coat of wax.

Pricing

When it comes to pricing for my competitors they only have to consider the peppermills height.  There will be one set price for a 6”-8”-10” and so on. This is because patterns and shapes are the same.

When it comes to pricing my mills, I don’t consider height at all. I can easily have a 6” mill that cost twice as much as a 12” mill.  I have several things to consider, how long it took to come up with a new pattern, which of the three gluing methods I use, how difficult and time consuming the glue up is. Stave and segmented glue ups have to be very accurate and precise and can be very tedious and time consuming to assemble.  Then I have to consider what kind and how many different exotic woods have been used. Then I consider how intricate the shape is. Finally, how much time was spent on the finish.  Some woods have open grain that can add a day or more to the finishing work. This is why I price every mill I make individually.

One of a Kind

My peppermills can be made of only one piece of wood or as many as 300 pieces or more.

Except for one peppermill that I put a stainless steel grinding mechanism in, I use a ceramic mechanism.  Both types can be adjusted from a fine grind to a coarse grind.

To do this on a stainless steel model, hold the pepper mill and turn top knob clockwise for a fine grind and counter clockwise for a course grind.  To fill this model, remove top knob completely, slip off top of mill and fill ¾ of the way up with pepper corns.

To adjust the ceramic model, turn knob on bottom of mill clockwise for a fine grind and counter clockwise for a coarse grind.  To fill this model hold mill firmly in one hand and pull straight up on top.  Fill ¾ of the way up with pepper corns, line up top with steel shaft and firmly push top back on to the pepper mill body.

Most all types of wood darken with age, some more than others.  padauk in particular, will undergo a drastic color change over time.  Displaying your pepper mill out of direct sunlight will help delay this process.  All mills should be displayed out in direct sunlight.

Each one is a piece of artwork that can be handed down as a family heirloom. A One of a kind gift for anyone.  Each piece is numbered and signed.

Even if you don’t buy anything I hope you enjoy looking at them as much as I do.

In the future I will be adding custom works such as cigar humidors, bowls, briefcases, rolling pins and cutting boards.

Requests

If you have a request for custom wood working product (such as a briefcase or humidor) that you see on my site please contact me to put in a custom order.

Please note that I will not make a piece exactly as one you see on this site. Each piece I make will always be unique and one of a kind.