The 30 cent bottle stopper

[John Landis]

I used to think woodturners were a pertty frugal bunch. After all, most of our wood we get for free. That's why I can't see buying a bunch of fancy kits, mandrals, etc. just to make a bottle stopper

I make stoppers very simply. I start with a blank a little longer than normal, abut 2.5 to 3". Then I cut a tenon on the base, at 3/8" diameter. I run a 3/8" open end wrench along the tenon to get the diameter exact. The top part is turned as the stopper to your pleasure. I then use a common #7 cork, which I buy at the local hardware store for 30 cents each. Locally the supplier is Midwest Supply and the quality is excellent. (my local True Value store even gives me a 10% discount on a box of 25).

I drill a 3/8" hole in the middle of the cork (this take a bit of practice to get it exactly centered), finish the stopper, add a couple drops of glue in the cork, insert tenon, and that's all there is to it.

Simple and cheap

104899

[Greg Just]

Nice job John. Any problems with the cork tearing out when you drill it?

[Bonnie Campbell]

Cool. I've only done one bottle stopper and it was a cork one too. I used a dowel though instead of turning a tenon. I've heard of the wrench trick before for turning a tenon. But how do you sharpen the wrench to do it? I've a bunch of old wrenches in my shop that I could put to use (other than weighting down a tool box).....

[Bernie Weishapl]

John great looking stoppers. Well done.

[Paul Douglass]

Bonnie, I think he just uses the wrench as a gauge, I could be wrong.

[Billy Tallant]

Nice looking stoppers! I've only been turning pens so far. I've wanted to turn some stoppers for my brother since he makes wine. But I haven't taken time to order anything to make them with. Now I can practice without spending anything but a few corks. Thanks....

[John Landis]

Nice job John. Any problems with the cork tearing out when you drill it?

Greg: I get a little tearout at the top, but it's covered by the bottom of the stopper. The trick is to get it perfectly centered, and I've wasted a few corks doing that.

Bonnie: I've never tried to sharpen the wrench. Maybe I'll try that. But I do use it for more than a gauge. Once I have the tenon down enough for it to fit, I will try to force it back and forth as far as I can, and when I can't get it to move any more, will use a small skew to cut away a little more wood, then use the wrench again. Watch out, though, the head of the wrench can get hot from the friction.