Wooden bottle stopper problem.

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Skye

Skye

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Ok, I had a piece of softer wood, drilled the hole, inserted the threaded mandrel that came with the stopper kits. Turned it to shape, but towards the end it started spinning in place. Apparently the drilled hole is almost the same size as the mandrel, so it stripped the hole in the wood out. Ruined the stopper.

My question is how do I avoid this? Make my own mandrel out of something with a smaller diameter?
 
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I've had that problem before as well. I use the Berea stoppers and normally uses a 6mm bit. In softer woods, I use a smaller diameter bit. On really soft woods, I usually drill, then fill the hole with thin CA, and let it sit until hard then redrill with that small bit again. Turn fast and take light cuts. I haven't stripped the threads since starting this method.
 
When you redrill, how do you do it? You wouldent want to put the stopper in any sort of vice.

These are the ones you get from Woodcraft. Think it's the same ones, I'm not sure.
 
Yup, same mandrel. I think it was a 7/32 bit, but I'd have to look it up for sure.
That's all done before turning. I have managed to save a stripped stopper by epoxying the chrome stopper on. A small blob of epoxy into the stripped hole, wait a minute for it to start tacking up then spin the chrome end into it. Once it fully cured, I couldn't pull it off, but I'm still holding onto that one as a mistake.
 
Skye,
I am a big fan of bottom-tapping the hole to fit the threads and using a small block of wood between your tailstock and the stopper blank for support. Remove the block of wood only when you are ready to work on the end. Light cut are a must. Big catches are bad. DAMHIKT [B)]... Once the stopper spins on the mandrel, you will have a tough time as you discovered.

Follow Martyb's suggestion of using thin CA to reinforce the first hole you drill and then drill again. Then run the bottom tap. I have a chart for Tap sizes according to drill sizes if you wnat me to send it to you....
 
For softer woods, I will generally drill with an undersized drill bit. That doesn't help rescue this one, however. I have had an occasional need to rescue a blank that came loose and have found several approaches that have worked for me:

1: Wrap the madrel with tape to form a tighter fit.
2: Glue a dowel in the hole and re-drill
3: Press fit a dowel in the hole and hold the dowel in a chuck

I haven't tried it, but you might also be able to coat the inside of the hole with glue to form a tighter fit.
 
One thing I've done to fix this "after it happened" was drill the stripped hole out a little bigger and glue in a piece of oak dowel rod. Then redrill, tap the hole and screw in the stopper.
 
Sounds like allot of trouble, is the blank worth saving?

If not, move on to the next blank.

If so, try wrapping paper around the mandrel and re-insert the blank. Sometimes you get luckly
 
Skye

I have a few of these every once in a while too....Is the kit the one that the screw rod can be removed from the actual chrome stopper? The kits I use from woodcraft and rockler have a threaded rod that can be removed from the chrome part. I usually take the threaded rod out of the bottom of the chrome part, and then super glue the threaded rod into the overrounded hole. Be very careful not to bodge up the threads on the rod. If it is REALLY rounded out, I have placed a good bit of super glue in the hole and super glued the rod in using a clothes pin to hold it in square. After it dries, I can then usually just screw the chrome piece on the end of the threaded rod.

Three gotchas:
One: Not leaving enough threaded rod out for the chrome piece (the opposite is true as well, not leaving enough in for a solid fit)

Two: Getting super glue on the threads (and or the clothes pin)

Three: Not gluing the rod in square......Leaves gaps on one side or the other.....
 
skye, the kit come with a 23/64 bit. works fine for the really hard stuff, but stuff that is softer oftens spins out like you had happen. i always drill first with a 11/32. if that blank will screw on use that. if it's too tight drill again with the 23/64.
 
Two sizes of holes 3/8 by 16 and 1/4 by 20. The smaller is on the more recent ones from Az Sil. I use a #7 drill and then tap the threads to 1/4 by 20. Soft wood, that is time for thin CA followed by accelerator and a retapping to spruce up the threads.

Ruth Niles sells stainless bottle stoppers with 3/8 by 16 threads or plain studs. Stainless is more durable than plated brass....
 
Skye,they make 2 different sizes bottle stopper threads as for as I know of. The one I use has a 3/8†thread and I use a 5/16†drill bit and a 3/8†standard thread tap in maple and walnut blanks. Like you said the bit they want you to use IMO is to big but if you use a smaller bit you will probable need a tap. I would try the ca glue that was mentioned, If you have the stopper finished just epoxy the stud into the blank.
Bob
 
I'll give it a shot. It's got a recess in the top to put a coin in, so I cant afford any out-of-round'ness. I think it's screwed but if I feel a sudden abundance of patience, I'll give it a shot [;)]
 
Skye, Rockler sells threaded inserts that will fit into your wallered out hole. The ID (inside diameter) of the insert is the same as your stopper bottom outside diameter. I will usually insert these in all my stoppers prior to putting on the threaded mandrel. I have NEVER had one strip out. I use to always have the same problem you did on the stopper you are refering too. But, since I started using the inserts no problems. Hope this helps.
 
Interesting, I didnt know that. Anything that makes it more foolproof once it leaves my hands is a good thing.
 
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