Wine stopper tutorial
 

Is there any wine stopper tutorials out there? Thanks Gail

It's easy peasy:

1. Make a large bead on the end of your mandrel so that the hole doesn't go all the way through.

2. After proper annealing, clean out the bead release.

3. Mix your 2 part epoxy according to the instructions.

4. Place some epoxy on the stopper post and some on the stopper bead, close to th hole and let it tack.

5. Put the stopper bead over the post and hold tight for a few seconds. (Clean up any excess epoxy immediately)

6. Let epoxy cure overnight. (some epoxies don't require that much time)

I recommend using a clear epoxy, but any will work if the bead is not transparent. I prefer clears becuse sometimes you will have some excess squeeze out that you can't get completely cleaned up.

Thank you for your help. I will try that. Gail:smile:

I make mine on the end of a mandrel but completely cover the end of it. (think vessel) I build up the bulk with clear (saves $$) and then I encase the clear with whatever base color I want. Then I decorate as wanted. I make sure that the bottom of the bead (facing the mandrel) is straight and even.
When I am done I anneal, clean it out and then I can cut the little mandrel thingy on the winestopper down to whatever size I need and epoxy it on.

I just found it too difficult to make sure that the bead I made was exactly the right size when using the top bead with the winestopper.

Where do you buy the stoppers?

Susan

www.glassgoodies.com

(shameless self promotion)

You website shows these as "sold out". Do you have them in stock?

Susan

Yes, all 3 styles are in stock.

Thank you for all your help. I am going to try this tonight. Gail

I make mine like Brandie does, and I've found if I keep a blank stopper next to my bench, I can do a quick eyeball and get the size pretty close.

I also have a few extra winestopper bases that I was selling in the garage sale for $3.50 each (plus shipping). They're the kind that Brandie used. I still have a few, so pm me if you're interested *smiles*

If you want to get a perfectly sized and spherically shaped bead, try using either a graphite bead mold or a brass dapping tool. I actually use both when I'm making my wine stopper bead tops.

Here are a few that I made recently. Some of them aren't spherical, but several are.

There are also stoppers that have a knob on top that you can make a bead for, and pop it on, and then put the knob back... I've just bought some, and can't wait to try.

What's the name of the epoxy you recommend to use???

Also - if the big bead doesn't fit the end (if the metal part is too long),
I'm assuming that you just use a saw and cut off the excess length from the
metal wine stopper?

I bought a bunch of these (the ones that have a screw off end) and I;m going
bonkers trying to mix and match beads to fit on the end.

I like this style stopper, where do you get them?

Thank you for all your help everyone. Love your stoppers. Gail

What size mandrel do you work off of? I have some of that stlye but haven't had the time to do anything with them. The ends of mine are threaded.

I've been looking for that style. Where did you find it?

... at my stained glass store...:(

I"ll check to see what they're called.
(I dont' THINK I'm mistaken....I hope I'm not...)

They lool exactly like the ones I just got from here:
http://www.woodturnerscatalog.com/cg...n&key=050-0095

I haven't made a bead yet for them. I'm trying to figure out how I'm going to get it in the kiln because I only use the mandrel racks...no fiber blanket.

Amy

Thanks!!
You might have to rig up a rack with some scrap stainless steel.

I made one. I used a rod rest in my kiln, and laid the mandrel on one of the indentations in the rod rest with the stopper end hanging over the back. That might work with a mandrel rack too, depending on the size etc. Another possibility is a tray full of popcorn salt a la Drew Fritts' book.

Here's mine. Picasso & Black over a clear base:
http://img.villagephotos.com/p/2002-3/15236/stop2.jpg

Geez Louise....why didn't I think of that? Brilliant! But now I don't have an excuse for not making them for Christmas!

I make mine alittle differently... I use the threaded type from Shawnette. I use a 5/16" hollow mandrel the same size as the thick part below the threads. I make a base bead near the end of the tube, coil on my glass, melt, blow out, and decorate the surface. Then I clean and epoxy. Pretty much the same as a vessel without handles. They're nice and light so I can go pretty large without making it top heavy on the bottle. My fish and turtle ones have been selling best this year.

where to obtain stopper base?
 

where can you purchase the metal base for the stopper?

I've got some wine stopper bases I'm selling for $2.50 each plus shipping. See my listing in the Garage Sale.

Hey Lauren, where do you get your 5/16" mandrels? I don't see that Wale has them. Been looking through the internet and can't find them.

You can get 5/16" rod at Ace Hardware pretty cheap. They have Stainless tubing, also.

Geez, that was too easy. I was looking at all the glass suppliers.

Hi Nancy! I also have the 5/16" tubing for sale for $6 each. I'll be carrying them along with several other sizes in the shop. I can bring some on Sunday if you like!