It has been an expensive day and I don't want to ruin what I have to show for it...
In a reply yesterday about one of my projects I was reminded I had some American Walnut curing out in the back shed, so first thing this morning before starting work I checked the MC and decided it was about ready. Naturally, just to be sure, I threw a piece between centres and roughed it down, resulting in a piece that was roughly pestle shaped. The grain looked good, so I gave it a quick touch with the skew to give it better form and make the grain more visible. Naturally I couldn't leave it like that, I had to clean it up and give it a nice finish. The day was young after all, and working from home I can start whenever I want.
But what good is a pestle without a mortar to use it in? A quick rummage thru my prepped blanks (didn't have time to dilly-dally, I had paying jobs to finish!) and found a suitably sized piece of West Aussie Lace She-Oak. Now this blank still had the price-tag attached and it cost enough that I couldn't rush through the job... such a nice piece of wood deserved a bit of care and attention. Took my time on turning the form then lavished great care on the finish.
Stood back to admire my work and realised that the finish on the pestle looked a bit second-rate in comparison. That won't do! As it had been spindle turned I decided to make a couple of jam-chucks to fit each end so I could chuck-mount it and refinish. Decided the form also didn't quite meet the mark, so a quick reshape before doing the finish again et voila! A beautiful American Walnut & WA Lace She-oak pestle & mortar. I think I done meself proud.
A look at the clock and... 2PM?!! Is the clock broken? No, the second hands ticking... Hell, I'm going to have to really push it to finish fitting out the MDF (ugh!) cabinet I'm supposed to be working on today. A wistful glance at the lathe and... well I guess I /could/ try and squeeze the damned box into tomorrow's schedule... and I really do need a few more blanks readied and bowls roughed out...
As I said at the start, all in all it has been an expensive day. Not in outlay, in income. But it was honestly worth every minute! :)
Now, having bored you with a blow-by-blow account of my day, I've a couple of questions. I *think* the two woods are sufficiently durable for regular use in the kitchen but I'm not sure. I really don't want to ruin such an "expensive" bit of kit. Comments anyone? I'm wondering if I should drill out the base of the mortar and/or the business end of the pestle and add an inlay of some sort.
Corian maybe? I'm thinking Arctic Snowflake (white flecks through a cream matrix) but, again, I'm not sure whether it is hard enough or even if it's any harder than the timbers I've used. I normally only use corian for effect, not function. Does anybody have any ideas on this?