I don't have a drill press and want to try my hand at bottle stoppers. I drill on my lathe currently using the psi dedicated chuck for pen blanks, but I don't think it will accommodate a bottle blank. Looking for suggestions (hopefully cheap) to drill bottle stopper blanks on my lathe. Any suggestions?
Drilling bottle stoppers on lathe
- Thread starter 64Stang
- Start date
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monophoto
Member
Do you have a scroll chuck?
If so, start by putting a blank between centers, rounding it off, and turning a spigot at one end. Then, mount the blank in a scroll chuck. Square off the face, and then cut a recess (1/16-1/18" deep). Using a skew, cut a dimple to locate the center. Then, drill a hole (5/16" more or less). Ideally, that would be done with a Jacobs chuck in the tailstock, but if you don't have a Jacobs chuck, you can use a 5/16" bit held in vice-grips. Finally, tap the hole using a 5/8x16" tap.
Now you have a threaded hole that you can use to mount the blank on the PSI threaded chuck (or on a 3/8" bolt held in your scroll chuck).
If so, start by putting a blank between centers, rounding it off, and turning a spigot at one end. Then, mount the blank in a scroll chuck. Square off the face, and then cut a recess (1/16-1/18" deep). Using a skew, cut a dimple to locate the center. Then, drill a hole (5/16" more or less). Ideally, that would be done with a Jacobs chuck in the tailstock, but if you don't have a Jacobs chuck, you can use a 5/16" bit held in vice-grips. Finally, tap the hole using a 5/8x16" tap.
Now you have a threaded hole that you can use to mount the blank on the PSI threaded chuck (or on a 3/8" bolt held in your scroll chuck).
drill by hand - they don't have to be 100% perfect
I like that idea I should of mentioned that I am planning on getting a PSI Bottle Stopper Lathe Chuck (1" x 8tpi) and a tap.
PaulDoug
Member
Have you checked out Ruth Niles stopper chuck? Stainless Steel Bottle Stoppers |Joyner Pendant Jig } Design Gallery
Highly recommended
Highly recommended
CharlesJohnson
Member
Hot glue/glue block.Often works well for me in turning.