Thread: Morter and pestle.

Not often you see something done in merbau, got plenty of offcuts 100x100 left over from the deck under the house for a one-day-something-thing.

Neat !!!

...and TL, daring not to make the same mistake of months ago on a different thread , it is a very nice ladies hand in the pic

TL, I'm not used to see this kind of turnings of you, but this is really neat, and useful
Good grip on the pestle, as I can see. Is it your hand, it's important for Ed to know
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There appears to be an increased demand for these now. Some want to "get back to the basocs" I guess. Make mine from rock maple.

Nice one

Looks great TL! Is there any chance of again combining ceramics with turned timber on these? Is porcelain the clay body used for the ceramic versions, or something more robust?

Cheers

The stone ones from Asian grocers may provide a useful model for a larger version.

Originally Posted by Andy Mac

Looks great TL! Is there any chance of again combining ceramics with turned timber on these? Is porcelain the clay body used for the ceramic versions, or something more robust?

Cheers

Hmm! I guess I could make the bowl bit from ceramic.

Yes that is my hand.

Yes I think the mortar is traditionally made from porcelain or ceramic (although they would have been stone in early times).

What you don't want is something that will break down as you grind because you don't want bits of the mortar and pestle in whatever you are grinding.

Also wood will absorb some of whatever is ground in it.

I saw a neat one once that had a ceramic mortar and the pestle had a ceramic head with a turned handle.

Originally Posted by silentC

I saw a neat one once that had a ceramic mortar and the pestle had a ceramic head with a turned handle.

I have one that I bought ages ago that has a ceramic bowl and wooden pestle. I don't use it cos the shape is wrong and its not easy to use. All the stuff ends up on the sides and not where you can squish it. I don't like the sound of ceramic on ceramic. Finger nails on the blackboard, only amplified. I like making useful things. There are all these different things to consider. (I reckon a "functional" section is missing from the National Turning Exhibition. They have that in pottery comps, cos there are all different things to consider when something has to work as well as look good. )

I don't like the sound of ceramic on ceramic.

I don't think it's uncommon. I haven't done a survey of them but I'm sure that a lot of the ones I've seen (including in science class at school) had the mortar and pestle both made from some sort of ceramic or stone.

I guess if you make one item from a softer material, it will wear away faster - although I think the ones used in Asian countries for example have a clay mortar and a wooden pestle.

The grinding surfaces are usually roughened up. I read that you can grind sand in it to give it the rough surface - but that would depend on the material I suppose.

Nice one tea lady. Good thing about turning is you can spin up the odd useful item for around the house.I cant see any problem with wood for the job as long as it is hard. The big African 2 person operated ones are wood and they grind grain in them. I have a big stone one in the kitchen but it is a ''fingernails on blackboard'' feeling using it. It should not wear any more than a chopping board so not like anyone has to eat a lot of wood with every meal. Old fence posts are a good source of really hard timber. I did this one about aWhat is the hardest wood you have turned - Woodwork Forums year ago. Copied from the stone job. Has not been used yet so will become someone's christmas gift.
Regards
John

The issue with wood is that it absorbs whatever you grind in it. Not a problem if you always grind the same thing (ie. pepper, grain) but if you grind chilli and then something else, the something else is going to taste of chilli.

Anyway, just something to consider if you want to make them to sell. Not trying to be a wet blanket.

The Asian stone job I use doesn't screech.

But it's horses for courses. Pounding spice seeds I'd use stone or ceramic; mushing up pesto would be fine with hard wood.