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Stopper-turners, do you recess?

Jamie Straw

Jamie Straw

Joined
May 28, 2015
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Location
Bainbridge Island, WA
About to start some wine stoppers, and I just noticed that Ruth Niles recommends recessing the stopper in the end of the wood to prevent gaps between the wood and stopper due to wood movement. I did not do this on the stoppers I made years ago, and since I gave them all away I don't know if there was a problem down the road. I have one left, kinda dorky so I didn't gift it, a very small one with no movement problem. Do you guys/gals recess the stoppers? Have you seen problems?
 
I recess my stoppers slightly. I like the look.
 
I put a concave surface on the wood or plastic or whatever material so that the the two parts can be tightened together without a gap. I do this with handles for pizza wheels and ice cream scoops as well. So far this has worked well. Making a recess would imply that there is a step at the interface which is something that I would like to avoid if possible.
 
I've always left the bottom of my stoppers perfectly flat. Ruth is far more knowledgeable about stoppers than I am however. I have sold all of mine (probably 3 or 4 hundred over the years) and the only ones I've seen were given as gifts and they still seem to be fine.
 
I use a concave surface too.

A concave makes a tight fit with a cork, a bottle top, or a faceplate.

Matching two flat surfaces will work but it is easier to make a slight concave than it is to make something dead flat
And wood cannot be counted upon to remain dead flat

All
 
I turn the bottom flat and put a bevel on the bottom edge of the stopper to merge the two at the join.
Many , Many ways to make the Niles stoppers.
Personally I don't like the overhanging stopper look.
To me there are too many bottle top styles that require a wider overhang to accommodate them all.
 
I've done it both ways, and end up alwasy inletting the end of the wood for the stopper. To me, it looks much better. It takes almost no time to do with a forstner bit in a drill chuck, as you then switch bits and drill the hole for your mandrel.
 
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