# what to use for salt and pepper shaker?



## SodFather (Jan 19, 2012)

One of my clients I do work for was talking to me the other day about woodworking since she knows I dabble in it and I had mentioned I had gotten a lathe recently and I was playing around with it lately. She then returned from her garage and handed me a nice old dry chunk of walnut and said she's to old to do anything with it, so she wanted me to have it. I gladly accepted it and started thinking of what to do with it, it's not too big(around 3x3x10 in). She loves cooking and I thought I would make her a set of shakers as a thank u for the wood and continued use of my company. Im just not sure on what is safe to be in contact with the salt and pepper on the inside or should I just leave it bare?

thanks for any help


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## chemmy (Dec 13, 2011)

SodFather said:


> One of my clients I do work for was talking to me the other day about woodworking since she knows I dabble in it and I had mentioned I had gotten a lathe recently and I was playing around with it lately. She then returned from her garage and handed me a nice old dry chunk of walnut and said she's to old to do anything with it, so she wanted me to have it. I gladly accepted it and started thinking of what to do with it, it's not too big(around 3x3x10 in). She loves cooking and I thought I would make her a set of shakers as a thank u for the wood and continued use of my company. Im just not sure on what is safe to be in contact with the salt and pepper on the inside or should I just leave it bare?
> 
> thanks for any help


Acrylic would be agood choice though really not necessary.ok?


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## firehawkmph (Apr 26, 2008)

Chemmy,
just coat the inside with any kind of finish that dries hard. Lacquer, varnish, polyurethane, etc. Once it dries and doesn't smell anymore, it's safe for food contact. There is a product called 'salad bowl finish'. It's basically thinned out varnish. If you use an aerosol product, you can shoot it right down the bore and soak it in. If you have a canned product, just take an old white tube sock, wet the middle and pull it through a few times till the inside is coated.
Mike Hawkins


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## chemmy (Dec 13, 2011)

firehawkmph said:


> Chemmy,
> just coat the inside with any kind of finish that dries hard. Lacquer, varnish, polyurethane, etc. Once it dries and doesn't smell anymore, it's safe for food contact. There is a product called 'salad bowl finish'. It's basically thinned out varnish. If you use an aerosol product, you can shoot it right down the bore and soak it in. If you have a canned product, just take an old white tube sock, wet the middle and pull it through a few times till the inside is coated.
> Mike Hawkins


Thanks Fire, but if he buys ceramic grinding mechanisms and the salt especialy is of the sea salt big chunk kind, i really dont think there will be a need, but your correct as to any finish once dry and cured will work, Behlens salad bowl finish is good to like you say but any clear will do if necessary i mentioned acrylic because of my salt and pepper grinders being made from them, after 6 years they still look brand new, so i know that will work lol. still dont think he will need it though, i will leave it for him to choose from what we or others say, lol. i dont think the walnut will add anything to or take away from the salt and i have no worries about the pepper. but if there is a wood technician he can fill us in as to any concerns to leaving it bare healthwise.


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## SodFather (Jan 19, 2012)

chemmy said:


> Thanks Fire, but if he buys ceramic grinding mechanisms and the salt especialy is of the sea salt big chunk kind, i really dont think there will be a need, but your correct as to any finish once dry and cured will work, Behlens salad bowl finish is good to like you say but any clear will do if necessary i mentioned acrylic because of my salt and pepper grinders being made from them, after 6 years they still look brand new, so i know that will work lol. still dont think he will need it though, i will leave it for him to choose from what we or others say, lol. i dont think the walnut will add anything to or take away from the salt and i have no worries about the pepper. but if there is a wood technician he can fill us in as to any concerns to leaving it bare healthwise.


Thanks for the replies guys, but with size of wood I was really just thinking a basic shaker set with just holes in top of them for salt/pepper to go thru. Although I'm sure tips apply either way I go. 

Thanks again


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## Beechnut45 (Aug 20, 2013)

*Salt and Pepper Shakers*

I am wanting to pursue a salt and pepper shaker for a local resturant. I know there are requirements for the FDA, so does anyone have any suggestions on what to use on the inside of the shakers so that the ingredient will not touch the wood, and where can I purchase these at or get some made to my specifications?


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## Steve Neul (Sep 2, 2011)

Beechnut45 said:


> I am wanting to pursue a salt and pepper shaker for a local resturant. I know there are requirements for the FDA, so does anyone have any suggestions on what to use on the inside of the shakers so that the ingredient will not touch the wood, and where can I purchase these at or get some made to my specifications?


I don't think it's necessary to put anything on the inside, that the raw wood is good enough but if your intent on putting something inside you might look into inserting a bought shaker into a piece of wood. Another option is any modern finish is food safe so you might just pour some finish inside of the shaker and pour out what will and let it dry for a month. Even an oil based polyurethane would cure in a month. You must also keep in mind that there is a type of paint and varnish remover that is essentially a salt so I'm not sure how long a finish would hold up to the salt. You might have to use a conversion varnish on the inside which is expensive.


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