SamThePenMan
Member
A few weeks ago I made my first bottle stopper/pour spout as a wedding gift for my cousin and her husband. I made it from a piece of olivewood I found in the "bargain bin" at woodcraft. I think it turned out rather nicely if I don't say so myself. 
I tried making the top of it sort of resemble a wedding bell. It was sort of an accident actually on the first one so I went for it on the final one.
As it was my first, and considering I haven't turned in a while I thought I'd practice on whatever I had laying around. Here is the progression from the first one to the final one.
On the 1st one (cedar) I got a little carried away and wasn't paying attention to the depth and cut right through it. The 2nd (cedar) and 3rd (no idea what this one is) ones were ok, but thought they seemed a little long. The 4th one is made out of a piece of oak from a tree branch that I cut back. It was resting on the roof of the shed, and I think when the cable guys ran a new line they pushed down on it which punched a hole in the shed roof. Nothing was ruined by my little drill press had some rust spots on it, and my miter saw has some corrosion which I need to wire brush off.
Anyway I digress...
So I thought I'd use a piece of the branch for practice. It was turning out rather nicely, until I wasn't paying attention and had a catch. Also, I wasn't thinking and the night before I drilled the hole for the plastic cap, and fit it on a scrap piece of wood, turned it round and left it to set overnight....yeah lol.
Of course when I tried to take it off the tenon it wouldn't budge. I guess the moisture was absorbed and the made the tenon swell up to a press fit. Not a big deal other than this was the day before I was heading out to the wedding so I had to make a new jig to hold the final blank. Plus being as that it had a catch it wasn't going to be good for anything anyway.
Being as that I didn't have time to mess with something for a nice finish I just used my hut wax bars and ancient hut friction polish (got them when I got my lathe at least 10 years ago). Hopefully it'll hold up for a while. I figured being as that it's not a pen it won't got handled as much, though not sure how it'll react if any alcohol gets on it.
I plan on making more in the future, as gifts for family, and possibly to sell as well. It's a nice change from making pens.
I tried making the top of it sort of resemble a wedding bell. It was sort of an accident actually on the first one so I went for it on the final one.
As it was my first, and considering I haven't turned in a while I thought I'd practice on whatever I had laying around. Here is the progression from the first one to the final one.
On the 1st one (cedar) I got a little carried away and wasn't paying attention to the depth and cut right through it. The 2nd (cedar) and 3rd (no idea what this one is) ones were ok, but thought they seemed a little long. The 4th one is made out of a piece of oak from a tree branch that I cut back. It was resting on the roof of the shed, and I think when the cable guys ran a new line they pushed down on it which punched a hole in the shed roof. Nothing was ruined by my little drill press had some rust spots on it, and my miter saw has some corrosion which I need to wire brush off.
Anyway I digress...
So I thought I'd use a piece of the branch for practice. It was turning out rather nicely, until I wasn't paying attention and had a catch. Also, I wasn't thinking and the night before I drilled the hole for the plastic cap, and fit it on a scrap piece of wood, turned it round and left it to set overnight....yeah lol.
Of course when I tried to take it off the tenon it wouldn't budge. I guess the moisture was absorbed and the made the tenon swell up to a press fit. Not a big deal other than this was the day before I was heading out to the wedding so I had to make a new jig to hold the final blank. Plus being as that it had a catch it wasn't going to be good for anything anyway.
Being as that I didn't have time to mess with something for a nice finish I just used my hut wax bars and ancient hut friction polish (got them when I got my lathe at least 10 years ago). Hopefully it'll hold up for a while. I figured being as that it's not a pen it won't got handled as much, though not sure how it'll react if any alcohol gets on it.
I plan on making more in the future, as gifts for family, and possibly to sell as well. It's a nice change from making pens.