Another stopper - critiques?

[Nancy Laird]

Here is my latest attempt (after a couple of really not-very-good ones which shall remain unnoticed by the masses):

64974

64975

64976


This is apple - from Ken Fitzgerald - sanded to 400 then with a white Scotchbrite pad, BLO/shellac/lacquer finish.

I'm sorta proud of this one.

Thanks for looking. (Sorry about the not-so-great pics; don't have my light box built yet.)

Nancy

[Pete Jordan]

I would be sorta proud of it too!

The shape is wonderful and you did the wood justice!

[Steve Schlumpf]

Nice looking stopper Nancy! I like the color of the wood, the form and the finish is outstanding! Very nice work!

[Shane Whitlock]

You have a right to be proud, its a great looking Stopper!

Happy Turning,
Shane Whitlock

[Glenn Hodges]

Very creative with a beautiful finish.

[Curt Fuller]

That's a beauty! I'd be proud too. I really like the little point on top.

[Joseph Peacock]

That looks good Mis.Nancy!!!!;) :D :cool:

[Mark Pruitt]

You did a great job on that, Nancy!

[Bernie Weishapl]

Nancy you should be proud. It is beautiful. That is some nice work.

[Nancy Laird]

Thanks everyone for the kind words. LOML didn't like the little point on top, said that someone could impale themselves on it while pounding the stopper into a bottle. My response? I ignored him. :rolleyes: Anyone who tries to pound that thing into a bottle would be too drunk to care or feel anything anyway. The relatively sober ones would be smarter than that. :D

Nancy

[Chris Barton]

Very nice Nancy! Bottle toppers are very popular and one of my most requested items.

[Keith Burns]

Nancy, you've done youurself proud ! Great stopper ! About time for a bowl I think:)

[Al Wasser]

That little point thing can and will likely get knocked off if the owner throws the stopper in a drawer with all the other bar tools, but overall it looks great

[Benjamin Dahl]

Nancy, very nice stopper. funny comment about the point/drunkeness relationship.
Ben

[Frank Kobilsek]

Nancy

Nice work, As Chris said stoppers are popular. They are the staple of my sales effort.

The little point is a nice design feature but they are prone to be broken off. Little points and tiny 'knobs' were a feature on many of my early stoppers. My friends, that tend to enjoy thier wine too much (in other words, really don't need a stopper) would drop the stopper and snap off the detail. A scratch from a bounce on the patio is OK on the stopper but a fractured area is bad. So I quit with the little finial features.

The area where the bottom of the wood meets the hardware is always a challenge. With the round edge of the top of that specific hardware you need to create a round trasition into it. Focus on that fit or countersink that fit and you'll be please with the result.

I have a tutorial on the Central Illinois Woodturners website if you want to see how I turn stoppers.

I do like the beads decreasing in size as they rise away from the hardware on your pictured stopper. Keep at the stoppers. Your friends and family will love them.

Frank

[Joyce Baldauf]

Nice stopper, Nancy. I've done one so far and while I was pleased with it, it is nowhere near as nice as yours. I guess now I'll have to go back to the drawing board and see if I can do one as nice as yours.

That's the great thing about this forum -- it keeps us striving to improve our work. Thanks for the nudge.

[Nancy Laird]

Nancy, you've done youurself proud ! Great stopper ! About time for a bowl I think:)

Keith, as I told Chris Hartley - baby steps, baby steps. I'm getting there. I promise. My next project will be a small weed pot from a piece of maple that Scott Donley sent me. I already have the form in my mind, just need to get to the lathe more often and get it done. Then I'll tackle a bowl.

Frank, your point about the little finals/knobs getting broken is well-taken. I'll remember that. Fitz pointed me to your tutorial and I have it printed out in my "Bible" notebook and have read it several times. But thanks for the reminder.

Thanks again to everyone for your comments. This is fun!!

Nancy

[Ken LaSota]

Nice job Nancy . The finish also looks great .
Ken

[Tom Sherman]

An excellent stopper Nancy.

[Mike Vickery]

Very nice looking stopper.
Since you are asking for a critique here is my take on the form. I am not crazy about the way you broke the curve on top to make the point. I would be more inclined to either continue the curve all the way to the top or put some kind of transitional element like a bead betwean the top curve and the point. Form is very subjective though so if you like it or whoever buys it likes it that is all that really matters.
As a side note I over heard someone in my club meeting critiqueing one of the stoppers I brought that comes to a point to another member and he was saying that it is a mistake to come to a point on the top since someone can get stuck by it when reaching for the bottle. While I can see his point I kind of like the fact that people have to respect the piece or it might "bite" them. Maybe I am a little sick though and tend to focus on form more than function even on functional pieces like bottle stopper. Just something to think about.