Diamond Wood
Integration Guide
How to make a salt & pepper mill with a shaftless Diamond Wood Integration mechanism — turned in three parts that lock together without a shaft.
Design freedom, instead of a fixed structure
In this guide we make a salt or pepper mill with a shaftless Diamond Wood Integration mechanism. Its main advantage is design freedom: instead of following the familiar structure of a standard mill, you can create a body that is short, tall, narrow, wide, or more minimalistic — and play with the relationship between the main body, the lower section, and the top cap.
In theory there is almost no limit to the height, because no shaft defines the length. In practice the lower section is limited to about 40 mm or less, but the rest of the form remains open to interpretation.
The challenge is that the work is divided into three parts that must fit together accurately — the body, the lower section, and the top cap. This requires careful measuring and coordination, but it also opens many creative possibilities. This guide focuses on woodturning; the cap could just as well be smaller, made from another material, 3D printed, or CNC-made. There is a lot of room for creativity — this is one clear, practical, and repeatable approach.
Materials & tools
Materials
- —Wood blank, approx. 50 × 50 × 130 mm, preferably slightly oversized
- —Shaftless Diamond Wood Integration mechanism
- —Extra piece of wood for the top cap, approx. 50 × 50 mm
- —Danish Oil for finishing
- —Yorkshire Grit for final polishing (optional)
- —Any suitable abrasive polishing paste also works
Tools
- —Lathe, chuck, and tailstock
- —Forstner bits: 42 mm and 38 mm
- —25 mm drill bit · Parting Tool
- —Dedicated tool for cutting the internal groove
- —Sandpaper: 180, 240, and optionally higher grits
- —Jam Chucks: 42 mm, 25 mm, and a reverse Jam Chuck with a 25 mm hole for the cap
Wall thickness. At the thinnest point of the mill, leave at least 5–6 mm on each side. I prefer to aim for 6 mm.
The build, in twelve steps
Work the diameters before you cut the blank in two — drill first, cut later.
Blanks & mechanism
You can use almost any wood suitable for turning. In this example I used two blanks: Linde (lime) for the light wood and Walnuss (walnut) for the dark. The starting size is about 50 × 50 × 130 mm — leave a little extra material for truing, tenons, and small corrections.
Marking centers & Top/Bottom
Mark the center on both ends of each blank. It is also useful to mark Top and Bottom from the beginning, so the drilling and cutting directions stay clear later. At this stage the blank stays in one piece — do not cut it into two parts yet.
Between centers & first drilling
Mount the blank between the drive center and tailstock, turn it round into a cylinder, and true both ends. Create a tenon on both sides so it can be held safely in the chuck from either direction.
Then place the Bottom side in the chuck with the Top facing out, and drill a 25 mm centered hole to about half the depth of the blank.
Drilling from the bottom side
Turn the blank around and hold the Top in the chuck. Remove the free tenon on the Bottom for a clean, flat drilling surface, then work through the diameters in order:
- 1Drill 42 mm with a Forstner bit to a depth of 20 mm.
- 2Drill 38 mm a further ~39 mm — total ≈ 57–59 mm from the bottom opening.
- 3Continue with the 25 mm drill until it meets the top hole and creates a through hole.
Marking & cutting the lower section
On the bottom side — where the larger holes were drilled — measure 40 mm from the outside and mark the cut line. Cut with a Parting Tool, preserving as much continuity as possible in the grain pattern between the lower section and the main body.
Cutting the internal groove
With the large body section still held in the chuck, measure the depth and position of the mechanism again. Adjust the 38 mm bore if needed, then use the dedicated tool to cut the internal groove where the teeth engage. This groove locks the mechanism and both parts of the mill together — a precise mechanical connection without glue.
Tip. A simple tool can be ground from an old scraper. A less-recommended alternative is careful gluing with two-part epoxy.
Pressing in the mechanism
Press the mechanism in — first into the lower section, then bring in the upper body until the teeth meet the groove and lock. With a good fit, glue is not required: the mechanism is centered and held by the teeth and groove. A Jam Chuck and the tailstock can press it in with control; remove the small ceramic part first so no pressure reaches it.
Protect the parts. Make a wooden pressing bushing that spreads pressure around the outer circumference. Never press only in the center — this protects the ceramic and plastic.
Jam chuck & shaping the outside
Once the mechanism is in place, move to the Jam Chucks — make them from wood softer than the mill; pine works very well. Hold the body between the appropriate Jam Chuck and the tailstock and shape the outside.
Don't go too thin. At the thinnest point leave at least 5–6 mm wall thickness on each side — I aim for 6 mm.
Sanding & finishing the body
Sand the outside with 180 then 240 grit, continuing higher for a finer finish. Here I used Danish Oil followed by Yorkshire Grit for a smooth polish — the Grit is optional.
Alternative — wet sanding: apply Danish Oil, sand with 320 grit, wipe off the excess with a lint-free towel, then apply another coat of oil.
Making the top cap
Use an additional piece of wood, about 50 × 50 mm — here a cross-grain stock. Hold it in the chuck and turn a tenon of about 25 mm to fit the 25 mm hole in the top of the mill. Turn the underside slightly concave so the cap sits cleanly and flush on the body.
Turning the top of the cap
Make a reverse Jam Chuck — a piece of wood with an accurately drilled 25 mm hole. Insert the cap tenon so the cap is held from the inside, then turn the top, shape it, sand it, and apply the finish.
Tip. If the fit isn't perfect, wrap the cap tenon with a little painter's or masking tape for a snug press fit.
Final assembly & check
Assemble all parts and check that everything works smoothly:
- ✓The mechanism sits firmly and does not move.
- ✓The cap goes in and out smoothly.
- ✓The mill turns smoothly.
- ✓No unnecessary friction between the parts.
- ✓The outside lines continue nicely between body and cap.
Key dimensions & clean-work tips
Key dimensions
| Starting blank | 50 × 50 × 130 mm |
| First drilling (Top) | 25 mm · ½ depth |
| Bottom drilling | 42 mm · 20 mm deep |
| Bottom drilling | 38 mm · ~57–59 mm |
| Through hole | 25 mm |
| Lower section cut | 40 mm from bottom |
| Min. wall thickness | 5–6 mm (aim 6) |
Tips for clean work
- ◆Don't cut the blank at the beginning — drill first, cut later.
- ◆Mark Top and Bottom right at the beginning.
- ◆The large-diameter drillings are made only from the bottom side.
- ◆Cut the internal groove while the body is still held in the chuck.
- ◆Jam Chucks come in only after the mechanism is in place.
- ◆Do not press directly on the ceramic when installing the mechanism.
- ◆A slight concavity under the cap helps it sit flush.
Photos of the finished product
Three turned parts, locked together without a shaft — light Linde and dark Walnuss.
From the first unsure moment to a piece you're proud of
DrehPunkt Allgäu-Bodensee is a woodturning workshop in Hergensweiler, Germany, led by Moshe Levy. In small groups, beginners and curious makers learn to work safely, calmly and hands-on at the lathe — with professional guidance and enough time to really understand the process.
The heart of DrehPunkt is simple: guiding people from their first unsure moment at the lathe to a real, self-made wooden piece they can be proud of.
