Olive wood for salt and pepper shakers?

[esheffield]

Just wondering if there are any concerns using olive wood for salt and pepper shakers (actually a pepper mill). I assume the wood itself is probably safe, but are there any other problems? Salt damaging the wood? Peppercorns picking up unwanted flavors? Etc?

These would be my first items of this type. Is there a reference online to help identify woods which are good for various food applications and which should be avoided?

Thanks!

 

[ed4copies]

Eddie,

One of my first peppermills was olive (10"). Even made it into a magazine for sale. 3 months later it developed a one-quarter inch wide crack, all the way up the 10". I have NOT made peppermills from Olive since.

IT WAS beautiful, tho'

 

[Firefyter-emt]

FYI. When I make someting like this, I use thin CA to seal the inside. []

 

[woodbutcher]

Olivewood may be ok if you rough turn it first. I love the stuff. As mentioned though it will sometimes split.

 

[esheffield]

Thanks for the comments! Maybe I'll use something else since this is a first try at these things. I have an old cedar log that my FIL gave me. How would cedar work for this?

 

[Rojo22]

Be careful with the cedar, some people are very allergic to the wood, and an unsuspecting person may have issues related to contamination. Sealing the wood would help, but some people have very bad reactions.

 

[TellicoTurning]

Eddie,
I would suggest you seal the insde of any pepper mill... most woods probably would be okay, but I use a lot of spalted wood and always seal the inside. I like the plex finish.. I use a 1" foam brush and make sure I cover the entire cavity.