Pestle and Mortar

[Drew]

Hi,
just thought I would let you see what I have done lately as it's been a long time since I posted anything.
This is a piece that I did for my club competition which was for a pestle and mortar. I'm very pleased to say that I came first in the novice category.
The chopping board is spalted beech, the mortar and base of the pestle is oak and the lid is elm and beech. The overall size is 14 x 11 x 2.5"

Drew

 

[woodfarmer]

That is really good, I like it a lot.

 

[monkeybiter]

You clearly misrepresented yourself, that's not the work of a novice, it's very impressive and, I would think, quite saleable, FWIW.

 

[Mark Hancock]

Very nicely done, but I would question the use of oak as a suitable wood for the pestle and mortar. Yes it needs to be a hard timber but I would have thought a more close grain one more suitable.

 

[Phil Pascoe]

I've an olive wood one that is fine for herbs, but not much use for anything else. I use one quite regularly and honestly can't see any point in wooden ones when granite ones are not all that expensive.
Nicely done, but made to be pretty rather than to be used - I wouldn't use spalted beech to put food on as it is quite soft and porous.

 

[Dalboy]

A worthy winner and a nice design, well done

 

[gregmcateer]

That looks very nice.

I like the idea of incorporating it into a chopping board. Is it removable or secured into the board?

Although I agree about spalted wood not being the best idea for food use, it does look attractive.

Phil.p, Fair point about granite pestle and mortars, but I would imagine most turners could make a wooden one, whereas turning stone may be a challenge!

 

[Drew]

Thanks for the feedback guys.
A couple of points:
Monkeybiter in my club if I had misrepresented myself I would be told in no uncertain terms. We progress through novice to intermediate by coming first three times and so on.
The chopping board while spalted is not punky at all. I specifically checked before I made the piece.
I agree about the oak grain being open but you have to work with what you have.
gregmcateer the mortar isn't removeable if I had made it that way there might have been trouble with ground stuff going down the sides and if it had been a tight fit the first time it got damp it might have jammed so I thought I was best gluing it in.

Thanks again for the positive feedback.

 

[Stanleymonkey]

I like it - never thought of having a bowl incorporated into a board. I'm not a turner myself - but it looks like something enjoyable to produce. (Was it?)

 

[Drew]

Stanleymonkey it was thoroughly enjoyable from the first idea, working out how I was going to do it and finally getting down to getting my backside in gear and making it. Getting first place was the cherry on top.

 

[Robbo3]

Nicely designed & nicely made.

As I often say - the professionals know what they want to make then source a suitable timber to make it with, whereas we amateurs get an idea & tend to use whatever wood we happen to have available at the time.

 

[stewart]

That looks great - I love the combination of board and pestle and mortar. Lovely finish.