2021 salt and pepper mills....

Those blanks appear to be about 4"x4" (?). Do you always use such a large blank (pepper mills). The reason for my question: I'm not a turner, but I'm trying to make a pepper mill right now. My first one ( a prototype exercise) was/is a 2 1/4" square blank, and actually it seems large enough. This is not a crush grind type...I don't know what that means, but I know this isn't one. Anyway, if I were to make a few for gifts I wouldn't have a source for blanks that large. Maybe I'm doing something wrong. I apologize for the dumb question......
 
Dan, are those going to be the little crank operated mills.... I like to make the 4" crank operated mills with ceramic grinders... they can be used for either salt or pepper... usually get them from PSI or Packardwoods.... I also like the 6" midi crank, but it appears that mechanism has been discontinued.... they were really good sellers for me.
For blanks, I like to start with a 3x3" square... gives me more room to play with the design.... final size is usually between 2 1/2" and 2 3/4". Like you I also sometimes cut up bowl blanks or will do glue ups of 3" wide boards, using as many as I need thicknesswise to create the 3" x 3" blank.
 
OK, my friend used to make the antique mills.... haven't tried one my self... don't really like the looks of them... just me, his were really well done and sold fine...
I do mostly the crush grind, but also like to mix in the little crank operated mills for variety.... I'm having trouble finding the mechanisms now as they both 4" and 6" seem to be discontinued.... the little 3 1/2" with the plate under the crank is more trouble to make.... I've done a few, but didn't like the way they turned out...
 
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