Wine Stoppers

I like the designs. I just bought my first lathe and pick it up Sunday morning. I think stuff like this would go over great as gifts.

-- Grant...."GO BUCKEYES"

I have never turned before but seeing all these beautiful stoppers, corkscrews, and pens I am considering looking for a lathe myself. Hopefully, the neighbors share the wine that the stopper stops!

-- Scott Wilson - Bear with me, I'm learning!

I’ll ditto Scott’s post. As I see these turning posts I am beginning to realize what I have been missing by not having a lathe.

Thanks for sharing.

-- With God's help all things are possible- even woodworking. Woodworking is not just a hobby, it is an (expletive deleted) expensive hobby.

Maybe you could build up a wine collection Tim if Scott is on the mark. I like the olive wood, haven’t turned it yet but I have heard it is good to work with.

-- Grumpy - "Always look on the bright side of life"- Monty Python

Now I’m intrigued to try turning some olive wood myself.

Question about doing the stoppers – I got a few sets recently, but they didn’t come with instructions and I”m having a heck of a time getting them threaded so I can use the threaded mandrel that came with. If I chuck it in the lathe it works, but only if I cut off the first 1/2 inch or so. (and getting it square to the hole seems like a fools errand.) Should I be using a drill or drill press, or ??? so I can tap and go.

-- I am always doing what I cannot do yet, in order to learn how to do it. - Vincent Van Gogh

I’m having the same issues as you scottb. I picked up some kits in early dec and just haven’t had the cash to get a drill chuck and tap.

hopefully in the next couple weeks!

Your stoppers do look nice timd. what did you use for a finish?

-- ~ www.darrylmasterson.com ~ www.woodworkingdungeon.blogspot.com ~

The mandrel is 1/4 – 20. So if you use a 13/64 drill and #7 tap it will go togeather just fine. It will not come out but a little epoxy will keep it in forever.

-- WOOD/DON (...one has the right to ones opinion but not the right to ones own facts...)

Thanks all.

Each of these stoppers had a different size threaded arbor. I drilled the hole in the blank and then screwed it into the arbor. The arbor automatically “taps” the blank and then you can glue it up on the stopper.

The finish is pretty simple. I use 150-400 grit sandpaper then EEE Ultrashine followed by Shellawax friction polish. I also personally use a beeswax and orange oil treatment I bought at HD, it gives it a little more shine – but you get great finish without it as well.

-- Tim D. - Woodstock, GA

Nice work. Here’s one I made out of Tulipwood.

-- Maplewood, MN

Great job ! The olive wood sounds interesting.

Have you considered doing a step-by-step blog for the rest of us. We just got a lathe and I suspect this could be a good way for us to get started.

Have a great day,

-- Bob Lance, DE

Well, I’m a newbie myself but I’d be glad to blog my process. I’ll make another one soon and take more pics along the way.

-- Tim D. - Woodstock, GA

I’ve drilled first, but the tap seems to spin out some for the depth of the tap before it “takes” i can just push it in and pull it out, if I cut off the first part, then it’ll screw in as intended. Should I be tapping manually? What am I doing wrong?

-- I am always doing what I cannot do yet, in order to learn how to do it. - Vincent Van Gogh

Scott, I had a guy at Rockler tell me today to manually tap the blank before screwing it on the arbor. The stoppers I’ve done so hard have 2 arbor sizes, not sure exact size. The larger of the 2 self taps when you thread the blank on and holds it tight with no wobble.

The smaller one doesn’t seem to hold very well with this method, I was going to try manually tapping it first. If you try this let me know how it works. Thanks.

-- Tim D. - Woodstock, GA

Thanks,

hmmm… how to use the tap I have manually…. think think think

-- I am always doing what I cannot do yet, in order to learn how to do it. - Vincent Van Gogh

Scott… it was suggested to me to head to HD and get a small tap and die set, tap the blank and then thread it onto the arbor. Not sure of this helps or not but best of luck!

-- Tim D. - Woodstock, GA

I’ve seen just the thing, will give it a shot, if my next attempt falls short

-- I am always doing what I cannot do yet, in order to learn how to do it. - Vincent Van Gogh

What is this board coming to?
Last week I got flamed by the ex of a client and this week TimD is getting flamed.

Someone (Deep throat?) had to be cluing these folks in. Search and destroy is not that easy.

Lee

-- No piece is cut too short. It was meant for a smaller project.

Oops! Sorry everyone, I think I know the culprit here… unfortunately LJ isn’t the only avenue they are using to bug me right now… some people will go to any lengths. They were kind enough to send me a PM as well.

Geez! Can I PLEASE get some privacy???

-- Tim D. - Woodstock, GA