First Bottlestopper
- Thread starter lhowell
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PapaTim
Member
Looks like a good start. The shape looks easy to grasp for inserting and removing. I like the blank you used, not my kind of color scheme but I think it'll be popular. Starting with acrylic is a tough way to go. I've used it for stoppers but enjoy turning wood much more. Probably because the acrylic I've used for the stoppers is acrylester - rather tough and somewhat brittle.
Looks good - I'be made a few acrylic & Corian stoppers, but I generally prefer wood. I can knock out about 3 wood stoppers in the time it takes me to make 1 from acrylic & the material is much cheaper.
I'm not sure what you mean by the end being unstable - do you mean that the threaded piece is a little loose? I drill my holes a little undersized from what is generally called for (I usually use a 9/32" bit) then tap it before threading the blank on a mandrel. With Corian or acrylic, I use a 5/16" bit but still cut threads with a tap.
If the finished hole is a little large, you can always use epoxy to hold the stopper in tightly.
I'm not sure what you mean by the end being unstable - do you mean that the threaded piece is a little loose? I drill my holes a little undersized from what is generally called for (I usually use a 9/32" bit) then tap it before threading the blank on a mandrel. With Corian or acrylic, I use a 5/16" bit but still cut threads with a tap.
If the finished hole is a little large, you can always use epoxy to hold the stopper in tightly.
TellicoTurning
Member
I turn all of my bottle stoppers on a pin chuck... I have a 3/8" rod that I've cut to length, and fitted into a collet in my Beals collet.... then filed a flat on one side and cut a small nail to fit on the flat... drill a 3/8" hole in the blank to the depth of the flat, push it on and twist the blank until the nail catches... no problems with in stability, the bottom of the stopper is away from the mandrel and available to turn to shape. I do suggest cutting several nails... I usually lose one per session... I can turn 3-4 stoppers per hour using this method..... I do have to epoxy the stopper in place, but have always done that anyway.
This method works for both the stainless steel and the silicone stoppers on the maple dowels... I do have to do a quick spin on my belt sander for the dowels to fit in the hole sometimes.
This method works for both the stainless steel and the silicone stoppers on the maple dowels... I do have to do a quick spin on my belt sander for the dowels to fit in the hole sometimes.
Edgar, I did not leave material at the end of the "ball" and took the live center off so that I could continue shaping the top round and it became very unstable when I did that. Next time, I will leave enough material to keep the live center engaged longed before parting off the remaining material
Thanks everyone for the feedback! I agree, about the wood versus acrylic but have to make what the client wants! Unfortunately, I was unable to keep my first Bottlestopper. I did keep my first pen though!
Rockytime
Member
I really like the blank and finish. You done good.
If you are threading the blank onto a stopper mandrel, it sounds like the threads aren't gripping well enough. Either using my technique for mandrel turning or Chuck's pin chuck technique should solve that problem.
I usually use my mandrel saver in the tail stock to steady the blank while I'm turning it round, but once it's round, I move the tail stock away for all my shaping and never have a stability problem.
I like to use a mandrel saver rather than a pointy live center to avoid making a hole in the top end while I'm turning the blank round. That minimizes the amount of material that has to be taken off the top.
I usually use my mandrel saver in the tail stock to steady the blank while I'm turning it round, but once it's round, I move the tail stock away for all my shaping and never have a stability problem.
I like to use a mandrel saver rather than a pointy live center to avoid making a hole in the top end while I'm turning the blank round. That minimizes the amount of material that has to be taken off the top.
I actually did end up taking my live center out and putting my mandrel saver back in and it helped tremendously! I had to use some superglue on the threads of the bottle stopper chuck as well. Thanks everyone for the suggestions! I've had a lady contact me about turning a custom color bottle stopper to give as a wedding present. She wants the colors of the stopper to be the same as the wedding colors (Tiffany Blue and White)! I'll post it once it's done! Also bought some of the multi colored plywood looking blanks from PSI I am hoping to turn here soon!