First bottle stoppers

[Old Goat]

Decided to try the bottle stoppers and ordered a 10 pack and also a bottle stopper chuck system. Drill out the first blank and find out the mandrel/tap kit they sent is 3/8 but the stoppers are 8mm. Took an extra day to get the right size and make a mandrel, but here are the first few, Barrel and mushroom are walnut, apple is mahogany, and pear is red oak (both with walnut stems).

 

[BULLWINKLE]

Beautiful work on all of these ! I don't thread mine anymore though. PSI has "threaded inserts". Drill 1/2 inch hole, about 1/2 in down the center of the blank. Epoxy the threaded insert in. After it cures it screws onto the chuck they sell for bottle stoppers for turning. After turning and finishing, it screws onto most of the bottle stoppers that they sell.
Easy, cheap and you can unscrew the turning to wash the stopper or make alternate tops you can change anytime you want. Chuck is about $13. Inserts are about 4 pack for about $7 . No tapping/ threading makes it easier and time saving.

 

[Old Goat]

Beautiful work on all of these ! I don't thread mine anymore though. PSI has "threaded inserts". Drill 1/2 inch hole, about 1/2 in down the center of the blank. Epoxy the threaded insert in. After it cures it screws onto the chuck they sell for bottle stoppers for turning. After turning and finishing, it screws onto most of the bottle stoppers that they sell.
Easy, cheap and you can unscrew the turning to wash the stopper or make alternate tops you can change anytime you want. Chuck is about $13. Inserts are about 4 pack for about $7 . No tapping/ threading makes it easier and time saving.

Yeah, I thought about those but good thing I didn't since the 8 mm thread wouldn't have gone on. Still thinking about them for the next batch.

 

[bigcountry7]

Decided to try the bottle stoppers and ordered a 10 pack and also a bottle stopper chuck system. Drill out the first blank and find out the mandrel/tap kit they sent is 3/8 but the stoppers are 8mm. Took an extra day to get the right size and make a mandrel, but here are the first few, Barrel and mushroom are walnut, apple is mahogany, and pear is red oak (both with walnut stems).

Those are very unique! I like the idea of using the pear and apple shapes

 

[TellicoTurning]

I turn my bottle stoppers on a 3/8" bolt that I cut the head off and put it in my Beale Collet... gives me clearance to work on the bottom and turns true.... I usually just epoxy the stopper into the top if it doesn't thread... I buy my stopper from from a company in Seattle called EZ-POTS.
They are Chinese made, but same SS as PSI and Ruth Niles.... and some of PSI's stoppers are chrome plated that will eventually chip.