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I_wanna_Shed
17th June 2008, 09:25 PM
Hi everyone,

I picked up a few of the wine bottle stopper's From Carroll's at the wood show. I have a silly question though:

How do I mount the blank in the lathe? The shank of the bolt on the stopper is 5mm, so I would start by drilling a 5mm hole in the blank. Then how do I hold the blank to turn it? I've seen a video where someone jams the blank onto a piece of round bar held in the chuck, then turns away - not even with support from a live centre.

Is this the best way? I'm looking forward to doing some turning next to the fireplace tomorrow night!

I can see these bottle stoppers becoming great little gifts.

Thanks for the help,
Nathan.

DJ’s Timber
17th June 2008, 09:38 PM
You'll be needing one of these (http://www.addictivepenkits.com.au/index.php?module=Website&action=ProductDetails&content=436)

wheelinround
17th June 2008, 09:58 PM
I bought one at the show Nathan :doh: stupid idiot I was get ye to your hardware store take bottle stopper with you and buy a bolt with non-threaded area and a nut cut of head of bolt put nut on instant mandrel:D

I_wanna_Shed
18th June 2008, 09:40 PM
Thanks DJ and Wheelin,

I will use both of your suggestions. :) Wheelin, I used your idea and found a bolt with the same diameter as the screw on the bottle stop. This worked very well!

DJ, I will still buy a bottle stop mandrel when I am next out. The bolt worked well, but had a little flex. For the sake of six bucks I will try the mandrel and see if it flexes less. And I'll probably be less inclined to lose a mandrel! :doh:

Ah well, here's my first bottle stop. Its Tassie Myrtle finished with the magnificent Ubeaut EEE followed by the magnificent Shellawax Glow!

I'm just getting into turning so others may see these as simple (which I guess they are - this was 35 mins start to finish with my beginner skills), but because this one is rather plain with a simple pattern on the handle, it shows grain off nicely... similiar to people turning eggs I guess.

Ta da!

Cheers,
Nathan.

Tornatus
18th June 2008, 11:51 PM
Nicely done, Nathan - you're off to a great start. These stoppers are a great way to use small bits of rare and highly figured wood, and they make great presents.

You might like to experiment on bits of scrap hardwood (you can always unscrew the threaded rod from the blank if you get it wrong) and try different shapes - for example, I really like a "flame" shape, which curves the other way from the one you did, with a "bulb" shape at the base curving up to a point at the other end. It can be quite tricky to get the right curve - the flame can easily become a teardrop - but it's good practice, especially if you use a skew chisel.

Have a look at this online tutorial to see what I mean: http://www.woodworkersguide.com/2008/04/04/cocobolo-wine-bottle-stopper-topper/

Also, there's a very good article on Turning a Flame Bottle Stopper by David Wilkins in Issue 15, Fall 2007, Woodturning Design magazine.

Rum Pig
19th June 2008, 08:52 AM
Nice looking bottle stoppers Nathan:2tsup:

I love turning these because they are quick and make great gifts but I have never herd of the mandrel so all I have ever done is mount a scrap peace of timber in the chuck with a hole drilled into it the same diameter as the screw/treaded rod that comes with the stopper then drill a hole in the blank and screw together their is no wobble because they are screwed up tight. Just a thought.:rolleyes:

wheelinround
19th June 2008, 04:34 PM
Looks great Nathan :2tsup::2tsup:

still yet to use the mandrel I bought

and when the Rose engine is done I hope to turn them like this

http://www.ornamentalturners.org/forum/gallery2.php?g2_itemId=2136&g2_imageViewsIndex=1
http://www.ornamentalturners.org/forum/gallery2.php?g2_itemId=2136&g2_imageViewsIndex=1

bowerbird
21st June 2008, 10:18 PM
Interesting reading all these posts, thanks guys!

I haven't made any stoppers yet and I hadn't heard of anything other than a pen mandrel until I read this thread.

Was given some stopper blanks... but they all have a bit of dowel glued in them. Would you suggest that I put the dowel in a scroll chuck or is there a different method please? Then after I have turned the stopper how do I remove the dowel? My guestimate may be by turning out the dowel so I can insert the metal stopper bolt... or whatever it's called! Is that then glued in?

Thanks for your patience with my questions!

Cheers,
BB


Nice looking bottle stoppers Nathan:2tsup:

I love turning these because they are quick and make great gifts but I have never herd of the mandrel so all I have ever done is mount a scrap peace of timber in the chuck with a hole drilled into it the same diameter as the screw/treaded rod that comes with the stopper then drill a hole in the blank and screw together their is no wobble because they are screwed up tight. Just a thought.:rolleyes:

wheelinround
22nd June 2008, 01:09 PM
Interesting reading all these posts, thanks guys!

I haven't made any stoppers yet and I hadn't heard of anything other than a pen mandrel until I read this thread.

Was given some stopper blanks... but they all have a bit of dowel glued in them. Would you suggest that I put the dowel in a scroll chuck or is there a different method please? Then after I have turned the stopper how do I remove the dowel? My guestimate may be by turning out the dowel so I can insert the metal stopper bolt... or whatever it's called! Is that then glued in?

Thanks for your patience with my questions!

Cheers,
BB

The type you have may be for cork stoppers where the dowel is fitted into the cork and glued in as in this type http://www.cws.au.com/cgi/index.cgi/shopfront/view_product_details?category_id=1107144815&product_id=1107452144

Nathan :doh::doh: appears there is more than one size thread I got the mandrel I bought at SWWS from McJings out yesterday and the stoppers I got from Wood-eze mandrel is to small :no:

so out came the bucket of bolts and an old Toyota M8 will fit fine already cut the head off and cleaned it up going to turn a bit of a buffer and glue it on the shank.:2tsup:

bowerbird
23rd June 2008, 08:06 AM
ok thank you wheelin. :) i wondered whether it might be for corks... but good to have it confirmed and now i know the right way to go about it! :rolleyes:
Cheers,
BB


The type you have may be for cork stoppers where the dowel is fitted into the cork and glued in as in this type http://www.cws.au.com/cgi/index.cgi/shopfront/view_product_details?category_id=1107144815&product_id=1107452144