help with bottlestoppers

[sgimbel]

I'm making some old PSI bottlestoppers with a 3/8" rod and cork. I'm holding the rod with a 4 way chuck supported by the tail stock. The tail stock puts an indentation in the end of the wood. How do I avoid that? I need the tail stock to support the flimsey 3/8" rod in order to turn it. Without it I get wobble. Any ideas?

 

[lorbay]

Use a cup centre and take the point out.
Lin.

 

[ed4copies]

Use a cup centre and take the point out.
Lin.

GREAT answer.

Alternatively, put a block of wood over the point of your tailstock center and glue it there with CA. While you have pressure, it will stay in place. A sharp rap against the side and it will come off.

 

[sgimbel]

Good answers Thanks.

 

[monophoto]

Use double-sided tape to attach a small block of MDF to the end of the first stopper blank, and hold it in place with the live center in the tail stock. Turn it round at the the same time you round off the blank, and allow the tail-stock live center to embed itself in the MDF. Turn the sides of the stopper, and then remove the MDF to finish the end.

Before doing the next stopper, glue a small bit of sandpaper to the smooth face of the MDF 'puck' (the face opposite the indentation made by the tail stock live center). For subsequent stoppers, simply place the MDF against the end of the blank, and hold it in place with the tailstock. The sandpaper will keep the MDF from spinning against the blank.

 

[kludge77]

I had a lot of trouble with bottle stoppers till I bought a 3/8 mandrel. Now I simply drill a hole in a blank, screw it on the mandrel and turn. No more worries.

Once done I cut a 2" piece of 3/8 birch dowel and glue it in. Shove on a $.50 cork and done!

For me, it made stopper turning a joy.