| Begin
your bottle stopper by cutting the blank and squaring
up the ends. Having the ends flat and square to the
side will matter when drilling them and then when
fitting them on the mandrel. The blanks can be any
size, but make sure they are larger in diameter than
the mandrel to give you plenty of options in shaping
them. 1 ½” square x 2” long is
a good blank, but you’re welcome to make them
larger or longer for more options. |
 |
| Mark
one end of the blank for drilling. The easiest way
to find center is to mark opposite corners to form
an “X” in the center. |
 |
| Using
a vise or a clamp, drill the stopper blank. For most
woods, a 11/32” drill bit is standard, but on
extra dense woods like cocobolo I will use a 23/64”
bit. The reason for this is to allow just a hair more
room when threading the blank on the mandrel. Too
tight and the turned stopper handle won’t come
off the mandrel. |
 |
| Here
is the blank mounted on the mandrel. The mandrel is
held in a Jacobs chuck and then the blank is threaded
onto the mandrel. For extra security, the tailstock
is brought up just enough that it spins with the blank
and keeps the chuck from coming loose. |
 |
| Using
a roughing gouge, turn the blank down to a round cylinder.
Speed is a matter of preference; make sure you’re
comfortable and safe. I have the lathe set at about
1200 rpm when turning stopper handles due to the small
diameter. |
 |
| Once
you have a cylinder, switch to a spindle gouge (or
if you prefer, a skew chisel) and turn the details
and elements of the handle. Add beads, coves, anything
you like to create the handle. I find a bird’s
beak or some beads at the bottom (nearest the mandrel)
help disguise the join between the stopper and the
handle, creating a more pleasing join. |
 |
| Once
the main portion of the handle is turned, begin taking
away the waste at the tailstock end to a small nib
and part off. |
 |
| Once
the stopper handle is free of the waste wood and no
tailstock marks are present, sand the handle. Depending
on your proficiency, you can start at 180 or 220 grit
and work up. To ensure good quality, I sand from 150-600
to give the handle a smooth natural finish. |
 |
| Once
sanded, use your favorite finish to buff and shine
your stopper. I use Mylands shellac-based friction
polish to finish my stoppers. Other popular finishes
are lacquer, waxes, and French polish |
 |
| Remove
the handle from the mandrel and mount on the stopper.
Your bottle stopper project is complete! |
 |
The parts mentioned in the article are available
through many fine retailers including Craft Supplies
USA. (http://www.woodturnerscatalog.com):
|
| Item |
CSUSA
Part Number |
| Deluxe
Bottle Stopper |
050-1060 |
| Assorted
Bottle Stopper Blanks (pkg of 10) |
201-6399 |
| Deluxe
Bottle Stopper Mandrel |
050-1061 |
| 11/32”
drill bit |
955-0503 |
| Drilling
Handscrew Clamp |
241-8000 |
| Recommended
Tools |
|
| Sorby
¾” Roughing Gouge |
161-4466 |
| Sorby
½” Fingernail Spindle Gouge |
161-1150 |
|
|
