This woodturning project is a salt shaker or salturn in hard maple. It was inspired by a demonstration by Terry Gerros from Willamette Valley Woodturners to Cascade Woodturners. The blank is 3″x3″x6″ tall, finished with shellac friction polish,

This salt shaker does not have a removeable opening or removeable top. Nor does it have holes in the top from which salt is shaken. Instead, the bottom is a small funnel. As salt is poured into the funnel it flows thru the single hole into the cavity of the salt shaker. The inside is an inverted funnel that keeps salt inside until shaken. When shaken, salt re-enters the hole on top of the funnel and shakes out to season the food.

People expect to turn it upside down but don’t get salt that way. Then they look for holes in the top and don’t see any. Then they wonder how in the world, this is supposed to be a salt shaker.

The design and turning is simple. The most difficult part is fitting the funnel to the top or outside of the shaker.

To reduce sanding dust, I applied an mineral oil/beeswax mixture before sanding. This could also have been used for a final food safe finish. This idea came from Eli Avisera, an Israeli woodturner. I melted 4 ounces of beeswax in 1 pint of mineral oil in a double boiler. (Please do not risk a fire by applying direct heat to wax.) It makes a soft paste that is easily applied with a paper towel.

I made two.