New to bottle stoppers

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MikeDe

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Joined
Sep 23, 2009
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31
Location
Navarre, Florida (northwest)
I wonder if someone or everyone can steer me properly on what to get to get started making stoppers. I realize that they're fairly easy to make but I just went to only 2 different sites looking for what I needed and came away with my head spinning. Are these kits different between companies and therefor between sites that sell them? Different threads? And so on. Will one chuck hold all? Or is it a chuck/mandrel? (Lost, ain't I?)
Should I just pick one place that sells them and simply stick with them?
Now you see my confusion and I'd appreciate a little straightening out. Maybe I'm simply making too much out of it.

Thanks,
MikeDe
 
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My vote would be for the PSI bottle stopper mandrel. It threads on, so you don't have to worry about it coming loose like an MT2 might.

Ruth Niles SS stoppers are very nice, but I've been hooked on the PSI mini stainless stoppers myself. They are smaller than most.

Then you should also pick up a 3/8-16 tap and the appropriate drill with it. I'm pretty sure most all kits use that thread size. I know that the PSI and Ruth Niles stoppers do.
 
Any stopper design will work as long as it is stainless IMHO. PSi and Niles stoppers are 3.8 threads and the CSUSA ones may be but I am unsure. They all have different size bases so one mandrel will not fit all. Arizona Silhouette came out with a stopper mandrel a bit back (I lost mine :( ) that had an interchangable size bushing so that you could use the same mandrel for two sizes stoppers by only changing out the bushings. This would work really well IMHO because then you could make a new bushing for the Niles stoppers or even the PSI ones. 4 busings, one mandrel, and every company stopper will be covered.

Sorry to go off track there, but it really is in the way you like to view the art you make and the way that you think the stoppers sit in the bottle.
 
........Then, what I am gathering, based on those two responses, is that I should indeed choose one place to get what I need and stick with them? Then I won't have to worry about one thing not working with another. At least until I get my feet good and wet making stoppers and learn lots more about them.
Would you say that's a good assessment??

MikeDe
 
I prefer the PSI mandrel that screws onto the headstock. I have used other mandrels, but like the PSI mandrel better. I have used it to make Niles, Berea, and PSI stoppers. I now use only the Niles stoppers.
 
You can also make them using dowels, corks and silicone stoppers. Start with something easy and if you like making them then you can expand your ability to make different types. The least expensive are the dowel and cork. Check out CSUSA. I personally have made all of the different types, and prefer Ruth's stopper. I have a PSI mandrel and have just made different size spacers out of washers to match the diameter of the different kind of stoppers, cost a lot less that way and opens up lots of design opportunities.
 
A couple tips I've learned in the past month of turning stoppers: If you don't have the psi mandrel but do have a collet chuck system your pretty much ready to go. I have both, but ran into a stopper from woodcraft that was 1/4 X 20 thread. I simply found a long bolt (or all thread from the hardware store) and cut the head off of it. Using the collet chuck, I mounted the bolt into the chuck and then I simply set the depth of the bolt out far enough to thread the wood onto. Every other stopper I've used (from PSI, CSUSA, and woodcraft) has been 3/8 X 16 thread. I've found that drilling them 1 or 2/64" smaller and using a bottoming (flat on the end) tap makes life MUCH easier. You will find that some woods do not tap very well (cocobolo and some of the Dymondwoods), so go in half a turn and then reverse, in another and then back out.
 
Bottle stoppers are nice, but most threads have not mentioned some pitfalls. What they are calling a mandrel is really just a threaded stud that you thread your blank on. The other headstock end is the same size as the stopper diameter. A couple of pitfalls are that when turning the end, it is very easy to get a catch and throw the whole thing into a oblong spin. Watch that very closely! Secondly, soft woods like cedar or poplar are easy to strip out on the threads, and usually will. It will still spin, but without threads. You can cram a little wood strip in the hole and rethread it tight and then turn it back to center. These usually work better to use a 3/8" dowel and cork for the bottom. The hole by this time is too big for the chrome stopper.
 
Just to add my two cents. Seeing that some stoppers are different sizes and #of thread I make my own mandrels from bolts purchased at Home Depot. Don't know the tech name of the bolt but the ones that are not threaded completly. I cut the top off and "wham mo" a mandrel. They all fit into my one chuck. Just wanted to contribute.
 
Just a note on using a Machine Bolt as your mandrel. the shank or unthreaded portion is not all that accurately finished. When making the mandrel hold it by the threaded portion in the chuck then use sandpaper to smooth out the shank. than when you turn it around and grip the shank you will have a truer running mandrel. Don't damage the threads while holding them in the chuck. stainless steel bolts are better on the accuracy issue as well but they cost more.
 
Word of caution.. If using a collet chuck, do NOT completely forget about the 60 degree live center still in the tailstock when removing something that is tight in the collet. I'll let you know it hurts like crazy so you don't have to find out for yourself.
 
Am cranking out about 10 to 15 bottle stoppers a nite the first thing I would say is watch Eds video(yoyo spin) Second get the mandral for the 3/8 treading from azs or csusa pr and acrylics take the tapping well with wood I have started useing a 3/8 brass insert to avoid any problems, it works really well and has elmited any issue of tear out and hole widing on the mandral. Last but not least if your going to sell make sure you use a high quality stainless steel stopper have not had one come back with an issue however have had several cork and plated ones come back with chipping and staining issues becuse if the customer aint happy there not buyin and I aint makeing money so I aint happy
 
My vote would be to go with the Arizona Silhouette.
They also have a great holding handle when you are buffing the finsihed piece.
You could probably make one just as easy - but it was not that much to pay vs time making it myself.
I recently started turning stoppers - I use the #2 MT and have both size bushing for regular and mini stoppers
Very simple
Insert MT onto head stock
Screw blank on
Turn
Good Luck
 
I started out with the PSI stoppers using their thread on mandrel. It is very easy to use and very secure on the lathe. I then ordered a bunch of stoppers from Berea Hardwoods, assuming that the threads etc were universal. Not so.... I ended up having to order new drill bits, a mandrel and a new chuck before I could turn any of them.
 
turners elbow

Wolfcoast said:
Word of caution.. If using a collet chuck, do NOT completely forget about the 60 degree live center still in the tailstock when removing something that is tight in the collet. I'll let you know it hurts like crazy so you don't have to find out for yourself.
Click to expand...

"thats called turners elbow!"
 
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