Thread: Mortar and Pestle

Originally Posted by Coramble

I've been asked if I could make a mortar and pestle. There are plenty of designs in magazines etc. (there's also a couple in our kitchen,) but I'm not sure about what wood to use. Foreign magazines make some recommendations and that's fine for them, but I would like to know if anyone can suggest a locally (Victoria) available timber. Given the way these are used, I don't want wood contributing to the flavours.

On a different note, I am getting into segmented turning and was wondering if there is a seperate forum for this subject.

I've used Willow Myrtle and also Spoted Gum. with good results.
someone told me Olive wood is good also if you can get it.
Cheers Tony.

I would think any AUS hardwood would do the job. The finish would have more influence on tainting the food.

there was a thread on here a while back ( maybe 6 months ago ) some one made one out of river red gum i remember cos i put it on my things to do list .

I used ironbark. Just go the hardest wood you can get as long as it does not have any bad smell to it. For instance camphor is out and I have cut firewood that smelt like doggy doo. Dont know what timber that was.
Regards
John

+1 for ironbark. Another one harder and heavier is swamp mallet (E spathulata).

Hi Coramble,
I like to make them out of Cotoneaster, very Hard very Stable.
When making the Mortar ? I like the make both ends usable.
Has a small shiny green leaf & heaps of small round Berries.
If using Olive, watch out for the splits, as it sometimes does after Turning.
Personally, I would give Red Gum a miss as well, as some Ingredients may look a little Pinkish Red, after being used.
Photinia, Blackwood, Claret Ash should all be OK. I'm not to sure about Apple or Pear, as I don't have a smeller, so I don't know.
Regards,
issatree.
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How big can you find cotoneaster?

Thanks for all the suggestions. I some dry blackwood and semi dry photinia, I'll give them a try. I'll keep my eye out for cotoneaster. I was considering using fiddleback redgum, but think I'll give it a miss.

found the link to the red gum one . you could pm the maker and ask him how it went in use .
https://www.woodworkforums.com/f8/red-gum-118606/

Hi All,
F & E, I have seen Cotoneaster up to 8in. - 200mm., but mostly I use 4in. - 100mm.
Absolutely, 1 of the best Turning Timbers there is.
issatree .
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Whatever you choose make sure the grain is fine and won't retain spices or mush.

From that point of view some of the exotic ash would be ruled out as the fine pale bands are porous.

No finish is going to survive the pounding so avoid timbers high in tannin.

Originally Posted by issatree

Hi All,
F & E, I have seen Cotoneaster up to 8in. - 200mm., but mostly I use 4in. - 100mm.
Absolutely, 1 of the best Turning Timbers there is.
issatree .
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Thanks Issatree, I thought it could not be huge. Agree on it being beautiful, I saved a long bough of the thickest I could find but it is only a couple of inches across.

Hi Again,
There is 1 species of Cotoneaster, F & E, that only has, what one might call Sticks.
Was lucky enough at one time to get some of this Wood, from a School.
Between 1 1/2in thick to 2in. - 50mm. & about 48in. - 1220mm. long. Very good for Walking Sticks.
If you have a Child that Sneezes quite a bit, pounds to peanuts, it is the Cotoneaster that is causing the problem.
That was the reason, that the School got rid of it & 1 other C/E as well.
You can make some great stuff out of 3in. - 75mm. Wood. Makes great String Pull Tops, Dibbers, for the garden, Nostipendi's, Drop Spindles, both Wool Winding Implements.
And so the list goes on, & all from the 1 Tree.
Regards,
issatree.
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Olive wood,I agree!!