Mortar and Pestle advice

[Devchef1]

Looking at making a M & P as my next project ,

what is the best wood to make this in ? , considering the battering they get i would imagine a very hard wood is needed.


Looking forward to your comments and advice


Mike 

[thebowlerhattedturner]

Like George said fruit wood is a favourite, I would avoid any thing with a high tannin content and dubious woods like Yew.
Regards
John BHT

[woodndesign]

Hl Mike,

I've got some Olive put back for one, should we, I get along sunny day soon .. Olive is used a lot for commercial retail M&P's.

That's my view.

David

[Devchef1]

Like George said fruit wood is a favourite, I would avoid any thing with a high tannin content and dubious woods like Yew.
Regards
John BHT

John,

Why do you say " dubious woods like yew" only reason I ask is I have been given a large lump of yew along with some crab apple and lilac, crab apple looks like a good choice for M&P

Mike

Mike

[bodrighywood]

Yew is potentially dangerous as it contains toxins as do laburnum and some other woods which can leech out of the wood and so shouldn't be used for anything that is for food.

Pete

[thebowlerhattedturner]

Hi Mike,
          Crab apple is a good one to use as it's a fruit wood, I think you will be lucky to dry Lilac without it splitting many times, I normally use Lilac for lace bobbins and suchlike. Wood with high tannin content tend to turn black and slimy over time, which is why I don't understand why people use it for chopping boards etc.Yew contains Taxane which is known to be bad for you but you could always line it with something, maybe fibre glass mat and resin and then polish it.
Regards
John

[TONY MALIN]

I've used a combination of oak and elm, but I can't remember which bit was which.
No complaints from the user.

[homeofwood]

Hi i use apple or have used sycamore .. these woods seem to be fine.. have attched picture of some ive made.. these also sell quickly if you are going to sell them

[thebowlerhattedturner]

If you use Oak, Ash or Elm these are what I call unhygienic woods. The grain is wide and the pores are rather large so there is more opportunity for food stuffs to be ground into these fissures and may not be completely removed during the cleaning process. Sycamore, Maple and Beech and most of the fruit woods are,IMHO, a better alternative.In the event of a claim against you due to using one of your products the insurance company will want to see that you considered the timber used suitable or fit for purpose. If called as an expert witness in such a case(highly unlikely) I would have to state that I did not consider the first 3 as suitable.
regards
John BHT

[TONY MALIN]

Ah! Well it's a good job I'm only killing off some of the family.