# upside down peppermills?



## Dvoigt (Nov 4, 2009)

Anyone ever make an upside down pepper mill.  I was talking to a woman at my work and she said that she had a peppermill but she would get little bits of pepper all over the place and she wanted to know if I could make an upside down one.  Anyone ever tried this?  Any considers about doing it (other then the fact that I would have to make a home for the knob on top)

Thanks
Derek


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## Hayseedboy (Nov 4, 2009)

So, just make a coaster for a regular one to sit in and then the coaster catches all the extras.


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## Mark (Nov 4, 2009)

I've not thought out how to make one...

We do have two at home. I will see if I can remember to get the brand for you.

They are store bought. One is sea salt the other is whole pepper corns.
The grinder sits on top of the bottle and there is a lid covering the grinder.
You pop the lid off and grind to your hearts desire. Then pop the lid back on.

If I remember to get the brand, I'll take some pix too.


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## Mark (Nov 4, 2009)

Here are the pix.


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## KenV (Nov 4, 2009)

Jerry Beall has published in his pepper mill book(let) on the topic how to assemble a pepper mill with a cover and holes -- turn it over and grind and the pepper comes out the holes -  Not too difficult.

Copyrights prevent the sharing -- but he sells them on his web page for a few bucks.


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## Mr Vic (Nov 4, 2009)

Derek,  

Why not just design the top as foot and store it upside down and invert to grind. The issue ios when you set it down with a thump the residual ground pepper falls out. I always slap mine aganest my palm to get as much as possible out...don't want to waste any. You could also turn and cap to keep the whatever from falling into the 'bottom up'.

I keep one of the peppers Mark uploaded in my drawer at work.

If you didn't cook it with pepper and garlic . . . don't put it on my plare!!


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## Mark (Nov 4, 2009)

Mr Vic said:


> <snip>
> If you didn't cook it with pepper and garlic . . . don't put it on my plate!!



I'm there.


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## Dvoigt (Nov 4, 2009)

Mr Vic said:


> Why not just design the top as foot and store it upside down and invert to grind.



That was sort of my thought but didn't know if it was really that simple...  All the kits that I have the knob on top, but I don't think that all of them do.


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## TellicoTurning (Nov 4, 2009)

I've made a couple... they're kind of a pain to work on.


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## TellicoTurning (Nov 4, 2009)

Here are a couple of the ones I made.


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## Randy_ (Nov 5, 2009)

I have seen plans and hardware specifically for an upside down pepper grinder.  It was quite a while ago and I don't remember exctly where I saw it.  If you do a careful Internet search you should be able to come up with something.  
 
I have this vague rememberance that was a mechanism made by Crush-Grind; but I would not swear to it.  If I think on it overnight, it might come to me.  As I recall, it looked like a pretty straight forward project.  
 
Nice thing about the Crush-Grind mechanisms is they do not have that little metal knob on the top so you have a much wider range of design choices with their mechanism.


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## byounghusband (Nov 5, 2009)

Randy is right on...  The Crush-Grind mechanism from CSAUSA will absolutely fit the bill.  Since nothing sticks out from the normal top end, all you have to do is basically turn it as designed, but keep the cap flat and it will stand up-side-down....

Go here and look at the picure...  That one could be turned up-side-down and work just fine.

CSAUSA - Crush Grind Mechanism


BTW, these are the only grinder mechanisms that I use....:biggrin:


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## Dvoigt (Nov 5, 2009)

I was looking at those.  Why do they require 4 different hole sizes where some of the other ones only use 2 different ones.  That seems to be alot simpler.   What is the fundamental difference between them?


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## broitblat (Nov 5, 2009)

There aer also shaftless mechanisms (here's one example from PSI: http://www.pennstateind.com/store/PKCRUSHW.html) that don't have the nob to worry about.

I haven't really made any of these, so I don't know if it would be everything you want.

  -Barry


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## ngeb528 (Nov 5, 2009)

I don't think you have to worry about making it so the grinder is on top.  I think all you need to do is turn a cover that will insert into the output area, then it could be set down like normal.  You wouldn't have to worry about the nob on the top.


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## Dvoigt (Nov 6, 2009)

I have heard the "cover" comment a few times.  So basically you would make a plug... like this sketch?


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## ngeb528 (Nov 7, 2009)

Dvoigt said:


> I have heard the "cover" comment a few times. So basically you would make a plug... like this sketch?


 
Just like that.  Then, as long as the cap is flat, you could just set the peppermill down normally.


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