Bottle Stopper / Collet Chuck Question

[Noah Barfield]

Hi all,

A buddy of mine was given a box full of wooden cubes with small dowels sticking out the middle by a fellow turner. We figured they were for bottle stoppers and I've read how you can use a collet chuck to grab the wooden dowel. Once you've shaped the bottle stopper, what's next? How do you get the wooden dowel out? How do you drill it to receive the threaded section of the bottle stopper hardware?

Thanks,

Noah

[Dennis Ford]

I bet those were designed to be cork stoppers. You can purchase corks with a 3/8" hole drilled for the dowel, just glue the cork onto the dowel.

[Noah Barfield]

That makes sense--thanks! I'll let my friend know.

[James Combs]

They may have also been sized/designed for silicone stoppers (http://www.woodturnerscatalog.com/store/Projects___Bottle_Stoppers___Silicone_Bottle_Stopp ers___silic_bot_stop?Args=). Same scenario as the cork ones except these are made from silicone rubber.

[Jim Burr]

I know that Ruth Niles has some made for that, but I'd go with Dennis...saw them off and use threaded stoppers maybe? JD has a point to, and the silicone stoppers, although less attractive, work better.

[Noah Barfield]

Speaking of Ruth Niles, I see on her web page that she has a short bit for $8.95. However, it's not in the size that I need for my CSUSA spindle (I need an 11/32nd). When I go on Amazon, I find that the short bits cost an arm and a leg. Does anyone have a source for cheaper short bits? I figure I could get a more precise hole with a shorter bit (less chance of the bit tip wandering off course).

[Michael Mills]

I think if you do a search for "jobber" drill bits you will find them from about 2-3/4 to about 4-1/2 length in that diameter.
http://tool.wttool.com/search?p=Q&lbc=wttool&uid=581795624&ts=custom&w=jobber%20bits%2011%2f32&method=and&isort=score&view=grid&cnt=48
WT is about 4 1/2 total length for <$2. Assumes you not need a fancy metal and High Speed is good enough.