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CARPE LIGNUM, TORNE LIGNUM
Seize the Wood, Turn the Wood |
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Making a Bottle Stopper
Making a bottle stopper is
quick and easy. It's a great use of small
pieces of exotic wood and it makes an impressive gift.
This first method is for
using the #301, threaded, style bottle stopper base.
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blank (approx. 2"x2"x2.5" long) in your jaw chuck and bring up the tailstock
(tailstock is not always necessary) and round as much as possible to the chuck. |
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I continue to turn the bottom to the finished diameter, cut a 1/8" deep recess the diameter of the stopper (13/16") and cut a dimple as a guide for the drill bit. Recessing the metal stopper eliminates a glue line and, if you do not cut the bottom perfect, there could be gaps where moisture and dirt can accumulate. |
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I like to
use the stub bit as there's less chance of it wandering when
it hits hard grain. Use a 23/64" or 9mm bit and drill
the hole 5/8" deep;
the stud on the stopper is 1/2" so the 1/8" further allows
more glue room. You can see a stub drill bit
on the
"Bottle Stoppers" page. |
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I like to turn a bit of the intended design before inserting the mandrel because most of my turnings are about the same diameter as the neck of the bottle. That's a personal taste, and I like the turning sitting as close to the bottle as possible. I also turn several blanks to this point before removing the chuck. |
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The mandrel can be threaded
into the wood either by hand or by inserting it in the tail
stock and turning both the head stock wheel and the tail stock
by hand for even threading. Mandrel purchasing information
is on the "Bottle Stoppers" page. |
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The wood is removed from the chuck, the chuck removed from the lathe, the mandrel inserted into the head stock spindle and the tail stock brought up for support. Be sure your spindle is clean so the mandrel seats, also the mandrel has a 5/16" thread for a draw bar. |
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Turn final design. By the way, this finished design is a bit different than my original plan in the picture above because there was an crack that needed to be turned out. It is the same wood, the color variation is from lack of photographic skills. |
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Finish sanding and holding a rag with oil on with the lathe running fast. After a few minutes you can just take it to the buffing wheels using the mandrel to hold it. Then simply unthread the mandrel and insert the stainless bottle stopper. |
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Finished!
Notice the stopper base is almost the same diameter as the bottle top. It makes the stopper to appear to be sitting on the bottle. |
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These are mandrels you can make. Round a waste block, drill a 23/64" hole right through, insert a 3/8" x 16 tpi lag or carriage bolt but do not glue yet. Be sure the bolt is running true, then glue it in and turn the "mandrel" to any shape just be sure the bolt protrudes 1/2". |
The process for using the smooth tenon, #302, style stopper is
one of two ways. You can do the exact steps as above but after
you remove the mandrel, run a 3/8" drill bit in the hole to cut
off the threading then glue a #302 stopper into the wood.
The second way is follow the first 2 steps for the #301 stoppers as
described above.
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Use a 3/8" drill bit instead of the 23/64" and leave the wood in the chuck. |
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Turn your design down to where you can sand to a fine finish. |
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Finish turning the top and part off. You should just have a small nub to sand smooth. Put your favorite finish on and glue in a stainless stopper. |
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Finished! |
Go to the "Finished
Designs" page to see a wide variety of imaginative
designs.
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