Winestopper crash course, help plzzz

[Frank Kobilsek]

Jamie
Here are some stopper instructions I wrote a few years ago. I am a Niles SS fan too.

http://www.centralillinoiswoodturner...ppers%20II.pdf

Frank

[Jamie Straw]

Jamie
Here are some stopper instructions I wrote a few years ago. I am a Niles SS fan too.

http://www.centralillinoiswoodturner...ppers%20II.pdf

Frank

Thanks, Frank, that was very helpful. I may order some blocks from Arizon Silhouette. Nick Cook's articles will help too. BTW, what's a "green weenie"? mentioned to clean spindle tapers.

Re: the HUT polish, I had only seen it in bar form, but now I see it also comes in liquid. Which do you suggest for this project?

[Jamie Straw]

...then spray deft gloss (4 coats) then polish w/micromesh.

Joe, do you happen to have a link to the exact Micromesh product you use. I used to have one of their catalogs, but no longer, and I'm not very familiar with their products.

[Jamie Straw]

Since it's a small solid piece of wood, drying may not affect it as far as moving around, if you turn green wood.

I've been tempted to try gently microwaving some small blocks from really nice maple rounds -- from a tree that fell down on a piece of property we have. Try to get it below the sopping-wet stage, anyway. Seems like that might work if I do it carefully. Once we get through Christmas, I can start using all the free wood!

10-4 on using the tailstock, seems pretty important.

[John King]

Jamie - You can make a bottle stopper mandrel from scrap wood and a 3/8" x 16 tpi carriage bolt. 3/8" x 16 tpi will match bottle stopper cones from Ruth Niles, Crafts Supplies USA and Packard Woodworks. See attached pictures.

I have several mandrels that mount in my scroll chuck. I finish my stoppers on the lathe. Then I remove the mandrel with the bottle stopper still mounted on it and set it aside until the finish dries. I can then mount another mandrel and turn another bottle stopper. The lathe is not tied up while the bottle stopper finish dries.

It's cheap and it works! - John

[Joe Denney]

Jamie,
I use the MM multi-grit packs from 1500-12000. I think I got the last one from Woodcraft, but tons of folks sell them. I prefer the small sheets to the ones attached to the foam pads. I keep mine soaking in water all the time (only use them to wet sand) and the foam pads will separate in short order, while the sheets have stayed in the water for months at a time w/no problems.

Joe