Cork blank

[ianjwebster]

Good morning everyone. I just received all the equipment to cast my own blanks using Alumilite. I live in a wine region of CA and thought I would try to make some cork blanks / pens to sell through the local wineries. I'm thinking of 'shredding' a cork and then inbedding it in a blank. Alternatively I would drill a hole through the cork and then cast in one of those rubber molds.

Does anyone have any experience with using corks?
Do either of the methods suggested sound reasonable?
Any other suggestions?

Thank you

Ian

 

[Jim Burr]

It's gonna float like crazy!! I haven't tried this yet so this is all MHO!!!!!!, but maybe a vertical mold, packed full of cork, then Alumilite and pressure pot. You'd have to add a release agent to the mold since Alumilite doesn't shrink. Also a cap of some kind to keep the mix in mold! I work in the "other" wine region in Ca...Sonoma County and stoppers sell like crazy here!! Let me know how it comes out!

 

[LagniappeRob]

Only semi-related, but I thought you might be interested in this thread:
http://www.penturners.org/forum/f45/sharing-time-only-look-if-you-like-sell-94537/
I know some others are marketing them through wineries.

I've done a bunch of these now too. I use them at shows... and they accomplish 2 things for me. 1) they do sell (nice low end product that's inexpensive material and TIME wise) and 2) they get attention. People stop at the booth to look at them and then start looking at other things too.

 

[boxerman]

Send jgrden and P.M. about cork pens. John has made some very nice cork pens.

 

[ianjwebster]

THank you all - I'll PM jgrden and P.M.
I like the key chain a lot - will order some of those.
I already have a reasonable trade in bottle stops and PotPourri's with 'Grape Vine' theme lids.

 

[Kenny Durrant]

I don't know if they're available but if you can find cork big enough to stabilize you could just make a cork blank that way. I know you can buy plugs big enough to use as inlays and use ca glue to harden them so they can be turned. Good luck.

 

[PaulDoug]

I've made several pens using wine bottle corks. At first I started soaking them with CA as I turned them, turn add a little, more CA. Them I found out they turned better not soaking them in CA as I want. The cork fell out in bigger curds when they were stuck together with CA. I got to where I only applied the CA when I was almost to the desired thickness. THEN someone on this forum wrote about using that sanding mesh, that they use to sand drywall putty with. It worked great.

First picture is the first cork pen I made. The second are pens I made for my neighbors that own a winery. They are cork and wine barrel stave.

 

[PTsideshow]

To make smooth holes in cork, this is a type of cork borer

You can make one out of the size tube you need, or slightly under sized. the end needs only to lightly sharpened on the out side of the tube. You also can chuck them in a drill only be careful when tightening unless you reenforce the end in the drill chuck. You need to have a way of getting the core slug out of the tube easily. I have one that I have cut a slit in the side of the tube to push the slug out. Use a slower speed. It my take some practice to get it to work right.
:clown:

 

[ianjwebster]

They look great - thank you. So you didn't cast them at all - just treated the corks like any other blank?

Ian

 

[ianjwebster]

I'll give that a try - thank you