# OK.. Whatcha' get from Santa Clause ???



## Tortuga (May 21, 2004)

*OK.. Whatcha' get from Santa Claus ???*

Great Christmas at our old casa...if ya can kinda blur those four or five hours yesterday afternoon when ALL the clan gathered..It was a BALL, but , honestly, I'm just too old for 9 kids under 10 yrs old scurrying and hollering for any extended periods of time... ..Po' old dawg was trying to hide under or behind ANYTHING she could find...but think she loved it as much as me and Wifey did..

Jay (Son) laid a neat 'flip' video camera on ol' Dad..Really cool..about the size of a pack of cigs..and will record video of remarkable clarity for an hour on one charge and can view on computer, TV, and send in emails..Absolutely the most amazing thing I've ever seen...

But..back to what interests us...he and Caroline also laid a neat Peppermill Kit on me he found at PSI...Works to the mill and a bunch of beautiful laminated blanks and video instructions, etc..The whole she-bang !!.. All I need now is to find someone who has an extra 1 15/16" drill bit about 10" long. LOL...AND another drill bit a little smaller....but I'll get 'er done... Turned down one of the 3" squares just for fun...and I felt a little like GB ...chips EVERYWHERE. ..LOL..even found some chips in my underwear when getting ready for bed last night... Workbench looked almost like it did a year ago when Bill Berry came by to give me my lesson...

If any of you guys got any pointers on turning pepper mills, it would be appreciated. Instructions in kit look do-able..but the the 'expert' on the video made it look like 'brain surgery'...think I'll go the simpler route....but any hints..suggestions..etc..would be appreciated..

Told the 'clan' to help themselves to the pen inventory...NOT too good an idea.. The inventory is now nearly 'zilch'...but they were all tickled to death and now I got an excuse to get back into production...

Hope everyone had as Merry a Christmas as we did..and has a WONDERFUL NEW YEAR to come....

OK...."Hi Ho,Hi Ho..it's off to 'work' I go...LOL

Ol' Wore Out Geezer:rotfl: (first pix...Merry 'Everything' from Us to YOU...second pix..the 'rough-turned' pepper mill blank)


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## Bobby (May 21, 2004)

Sounds like you had a good Christmas Jim. My kids came in shifts. My daughter came first with the grand daughters. We ate till we all almost burst. Had brisket instead of turkey. At her request. That was Saturday. Took all the girls and my SIL out to the shop. They all got to turn something. From Birdhouses to keyrings. I gave my SIL the deer antler deer grunt and boy did he love it. My Son came Christmas day with a friend of his. We did a little turning but only made a couple of Harry Potter wands for his friends nephew and niece. Had smoked turkey Christmas day and boy was it good. My sister and her husband came over for dinner with us. I never got a picture one. Just too darn busy I guess. At one time I had both lathes going and me going from one to the other.


I forgot I got some new clothes and some flashlights and a few tools. Mostly I got to vist with my kids and my grand kids. I told my wife not to get me anything cause that Jet 1642 in the shop was my christmas present.


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## trodery (Sep 13, 2006)

Sounds like ya'll had a great time and looks like you got some cool stuff.

What did I get for Christmas? I'm waiting on the blood test results but Dr's first guess is Thyroiditis...as one of my buddies said "Your neck is swoled up like a buck in a rut". And besides a swoled up neck I threw my back out working in the yard and now I can't hardly walk, and now I'm oficially out of pain pills.  

I'll trade with ya Jim, I'll give you what I got and you can give me all those goodies.


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## Surf Hunter (Sep 28, 2006)

Man Trod, wishing you the best, hope the tests come back ok and you get to feelin better. p.s., Scotch works wonders for pain, but you probably knew that already LOL !
Shannon and I had the day alone and loved it, she got me a new Charbroil offset smoker, now if I can only locate a freaking brisket in California I'll be set. 
My son is due here tomorrow for a visit. Can't wait for that.


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## EndTuition (May 24, 2004)

I got a bunch of gift cards to BPS ! Just about my favorite gift short of spending time with the family. I'm a lucky man cause my son and his family live just a few miles away and we are able to spend most holidays together. I have a 3 year old granddaughter and she just melts my heart in an instant. Life is good. 


Trodery, I feel your pain. I hope you get some sort of relief soon. How is Honya taking it ? Poor dog is going to have to walk up the stairs all by herself till you get better. Seriously, be carefull and get better.


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## Hooked (Oct 15, 2004)

Geez Terry, hope you didn't skrew up your back demo'ing that machine the other day. Hope they can get you recovered quickly.

I got a mess of big Irwin bar clamps, a taper jig for the table saw, a cool leather apron (to hopefully preserve some of my clothes) a few other woodworking goodies. 
A great day at the casa with our daughters and grandson!

And Terry, did you score with your cool gift?


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## Tortuga (May 21, 2004)

NOT lol at yore pain, Trod....I'd offer to go over to my store and get ya some pain pills, but, if ya remember, I got 'relieved' of all them last week..(bastids !!). All I got left is 'sympathy'...

Wouldn't mind coming over to your place with my new camera and snap a few piz of you and your "bull neck"...:spineyes: ..j/k..but thyroiditis can be fixed...and, as posted above...if ya put that dam n dog down and go up the stairs by yoreself, if might not have thrown out your back..:redface: 

As for your 'reward' for your gift to Marilyn....MAAANnnn, iff'n you didn't 'score' offa that one..either you're not trying...or you REALLY hurt.. 

J/K, Buddy...hope all problemos are resolved and ya get back to your smiling, life enjoying, $$$ wasting self by the weekend.... 

OF


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## trodery (Sep 13, 2006)

Yep....Marilyn liked her little sentimental gift, it made her cry. The one she gave to me also brought a couple tears to my eyes...I still haven't looked it over real well, it a small collection of poems, pictures and a little keepsake from our first anniversay. 

I called my doctor awhile ago and he called me in a script for some muscle relaxors, they are not taking all the pain away but it's helping.

I might just have to change my screen name to "BULL NECK"


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## Bobby (May 21, 2004)

Hey "Bull Neck" I just talked to Donnie next door. He said to get well.


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## trodery (Sep 13, 2006)

Tell Donnie I said HOWDY!


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## Hooked (Oct 15, 2004)

btw........Jim, the largest bit I have is 1 1/2".....well, currently anyway. LOL I was eyeing a low end set of Forstners at Woodcraft last week which I think went to 2"...


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## Tortuga (May 21, 2004)

Hooked said:


> btw........Jim, the largest bit I have is 1 1/2".....well, currently anyway. LOL I was eyeing a low end set of Forstners at Woodcraft last week which I think went to 2"...


Thanks, Hooked...stopped by Rockler on the way home, but, of course, they didn't have the size I wanted...and they wanted 30 bucks each for the big ones. No Way...I'll go to Target and pick up a jap grinder for 99 cents and send it to the kids and tell them I made it..LOL....just kidding..they did have a few low end sets but only up to one inch..Think I'll make the hike out to Woodcraft this weekend and see what they got.. Don't need no 100 buck set for three peppermills....


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## Bobby (May 21, 2004)

Jim The 1 1/16 hole through the center can be 1 inch all it holds is the pepper corns. Where the top of the grinder goes you can finish out with 80 grit and get it the right size. 1/16 of a inch is not going to make that much difference and the bits for 1 inch are a lot cheaper than the 1 1/16 inch bits


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## Tortuga (May 21, 2004)

Bobby said:


> Jim The 1 1/16 hole through the center can be 1 inch all it holds is the pepper corns. Where the top of the grinder goes you can finish out with 80 grit and get it the right size. 1/16 of a inch is not going to make that much difference and the bits for 1 inch are a lot cheaper than the 1 1/16 inch bits


Thanks, Bobby...that's kinda what I was thinking...figured I could just work with a small chisel to gimme the width needed for the screws.. Got a 3/4, 1 , and 1 1/2 forstner on hand and think that oughta do it...Gonna give your lathe drilling a shot on these...the press just won't stroke deep enough...any other tips appreciated...


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## Bobby (May 21, 2004)

I don't know what kits you got. Are they the stainless steel ones or the ceramic?


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## Tortuga (May 21, 2004)

Bobby said:


> I don't know what kits you got. Are they the stainless steel ones or the ceramic?


These are the steel units...think they are about 8 inches long. Figured if I couldn't make it all the way thru with the drill, I would try reversing the wood and come at it from the other end. If I don't meet up perfectly in the middle, then only the peppercorns will know..LOL.. Seriously thinking about parting off the top from the bottom after turning and sanding and finishing...and then do my drilling...probably the only way anyhow...seems like that way I would only have to deal with mebbe a 2 inch bore and mebbe a 6 inch in the bottom. Instructions that come with the kits are VERY sketchy...leaves most of it up to your imagination....


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## Hooked (Oct 15, 2004)

A couple of tips I saw on another board for drilling large diameter holes......start with smaller bit and swap often as you drill to get to the desired size and depth. Also, check the temp of the bit and dunk in water if needed to cool the bit. Another thing was to use a hollowing tool to finish the inside diameter if you don't have a large enough bit. This guy was making a travel mug so the hole was about 3" diameter so the hollowing gouge may not be appropriate for the pepper mill.
Show us your progress...........


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## Tortuga (May 21, 2004)

Thanks for the reminder..On large pens I drill with 15/32 then go back in with the 37/64 required..works like a dream....

As far as progress...LOL:wink: this is IT, so far...At least it ain't square anymore.:tongue:


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## Bobby (May 21, 2004)

Too late now but I also drill the all the way through hole before I turn the piece down. Then turn down and the hole is always centered. I use the ceramic kits. They cost a little more but will grind salt and pepper. So you can use the same grinder kit to make a matching set. Also no rust ever. Nothing to rust. I also don't have the little steel ball on top of the grinder. I need to order one of the steel ones just to make so I will know how to do them too LOL


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## 3192 (Dec 30, 2004)

You guys crack me up! LOL!!! It's like being back in my 7th shop class and the kids trying to figure something out! I love it!! In the education world it's called *'Creative Thinking Skills'*.....something the new system seems to have forgotten. A teacher's best day is when little junior has that 'Ahhh hah look in their eyes' when they just figured something out. Just think where we were last year with our projects...all of us have made improvements! Keep up the GREAT work and have FUN with it. gb


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## Slip (Jul 25, 2006)

Got that Jamieson hollowing system in last week. Wasn't exactly for Christmas, but close enough and expensive enough to be a gift. Guess it was a gift from myself to myself. Anyway, I got it set up and watched the video a couple of times but haven't had time yet to actually use it. My son if in town for Christmas for a few days (he is in college in Vermont) and spending as much time as I can while he is here. Hope to start using it soon but deer season if wrapping up and I went last Saturday fishing for Redfish and mopped up. Can hardly wait to give the tools a try. Will post when I get it working.


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