bottle stopper question

[PaulDoug]

I have been making some bottle stoppers and want to make a few more. My problem is getting the blank drilled and taped so the stopper part screws on flush when all is done. You can square pen blanks to the tubes, how do you square the hole in a bottle stopper blank to the blank? I've use drill press and lathe to drill. I've started turning a slight recess in the bottom of the blank so the stopper fits up in to hide where they mate.

 

[LanceD]

I use a belt sander to square the end of the blank and a small square to make sure all is accurate.

 

[jthompson1995]

I leave off the bushing on the mandrel and bottom out the stopper blank after drilling and tapping. Then I use a parting tool to true up the bottom of the blank, undercutting it slightly, before replacing the bushing and turning. It seats very nice against the bushing and kit and the undercutting makes it a tight transition.

 

[Sylvanite]

I mount the stopper blank in a scroll chuck; turn it round (if it isn't already); square up (or even make it slightly concave) and finish the face; and drill (on the lathe) and tap the hole. Then I screw the stopper chuck onto the blank; take it out of the scroll chuck, remount the stopper on the lathe; and turn it. That gives the stopper a square base so the metal part screws in flush.