Parts of the Mill:

The components for a mill, approximately 8" long, are as follows:

• 1 x 7 ½" aluminium drive shaft, and chrome top knob.
• 1 x set inner and outer grinding mechanisms of sintered stainless steel
• 1 x black nylon drive slug (replaces the earlier round metal disc with a square hole)
• 1 x dark coloured stirrup disc (for retaining the mechanism) - this is white for salt mills.
• 2 x small screws (galvanised for pepper/stainless steel for salt)

Example:

For an 8" pepper mill take a piece of suitable hardwood, 8 1/2" long and turn it down to a diameter suitable for your compression chuck whilst between centres. A diameter of 2 1/4" is a very suitable size. Remove from the four prong drive, after checking that the ends are square, transfer the blank to the chuck and make sure that it is running true by bringing up the revolving tailstock and locking it in place.

Internal Dimensions:

Assemble the inner and outer grinding parts onto the shaft and measure the distance from the inside of the shoulder to the bottom of the thread. This will be the internal distance from the top of the mill top "B" to the point "A" upon which the shoulder will be seated. Add to this dimension 1/8", which represents the tenon, which will be formed between the base and the top. You could, in fact, add slightly more because when you finally assemble the mill you will need at least two turns of the thread hidden otherwise you will not be able to tighten the mill.

Mark off about 1 3/4" from the tailstock end for your top and to the left another mark between 1/8" & 1/4" away from the point at which you will part off the body from the top piece, to allow for the tenon which will eventually fit into a matching mortise in the top. This will make sure that the top always sits true on the mill body. Part off, using the first mark nearest the tailstock. You will reduce the diameter at the second mark, later, to fit the recess in the top.

At the same time mark with your pencil a point near the bottom of the mill to show where the 1 1/2" recess must end inside. This is easy to calculate. Just take the length of the stem, 7 1/2", deduct the length of the top (in this case 1 3/4"), leaving 5 3/4", add 1/4" for the tenon at the join of the top to the body, and now mark 6" down the mill body and describe a ring around the outside of the body.

Now, whilst the piece is still held in the chuck, bring the tool rest across the end and with your dividers, describe a circle with a diameter of 1 1/2" end grain. It will be easier if you have cleaned up the face first. Then reduce the speed to around 300 r.p.m. and replace the revolving cone with a Jacob's chuck and fit a 15/16" (24mm) saw tooth bit.

Bring the tail stock with the saw tooth bit up close and slowly bore into the main mill body and continue until you have reached to within about 1" of the bottom.

Reverse the body in the chuck, and, using the pencil mark on the outside as your guide, and using the 1 1/2" saw tooth bit, slowly bore up into the mill body until you coincide with that pencil mark. You will need to pause to check that you do not go too far. If you have not yet met the 15/16" hole, just refit the 15/16" bit and bore in until you do meet up.

At this point you should clear out the debris and do some sanding of the interior. It is a nice finishing touch to speed up the lathe and just widen the base and cut a taper up to where the mill body will eventually sit.

Having made sure that the metal outer part of the mill fits, you can remove the main wooden body and start on the top.

TOP:

Put the top piece into your chuck, remembering to keep the grain running in the right direction so that it matches the main body. Clean up the face and, then, cut a mortise recess 1 1/2" wide and 1/4" deep to take the tenon of the main body (which you will cut later). Then, having moved the tool rest out of the way, drill first a 9mm hole in the centre, to a depth of 5/8"/15mm to receive the drive slug and continue with a 5/16" hole right through to accommodate the drive shaft.

Turners using materials other than wood will need to use their judgment on how to fit the drive slug.

Finally - Shaping the Mill:

To finish the mill, by shaping the body, I suggest you make yourself a conical drive. Turn a concave shaped cone, to fit inside the bottom of the main body, which can be held in a suitable chuck and bring up the tail stock to locate inside the end to which the top will join and then, using a beading tool or parting gouge address the tenon, which you marked off earlier, 1/4" width, and take it down to the 11/2" circle which you also described earlier. Don't do it in one go, stop and withdraw the tailstock and offer up the top to make sure that it fits snugly with no lateral movement. You can always reduce it minimally, after you have finished the shaping, so that it turns easily.

Having done that, join the top and bottom together and turn the mill to your desired shape, and finish off by sanding, sealing and polishing. You can, of course also finish with a suitable finishing oil, such as that produced by Liberon or Chestnut.