Salt & Pepper Screw Tops

[Jackie]

Were can I find the glass screw top and the metal screw top for salt and pepper shakers. I don't think this is hand made so someone must sell the part. Any ideas would be appreciated.
I also received a small bottle - the size of a pendant - this had a screw top and a metal stopper.

where oh where?????

[Tink]

I have been looking for the small ones for ages. Not to mention pointers or techniques for threading the mouth of a bottle.

[Jackie]

Where do you buy the "threaded" mouth of a salt or pepper shaker? I think that is how you do it - you make the bottle and attach a pre-made threaded mouth. I'm assuming this comes with the silver male top for the female glass threaded mouth that is attached. I hope that makes sens. Someone must know. Glasscraft, Arrow Springs???? Anybody????

[prairieson]

I have no idea regarding soft glass, but I have seen scientific blowers use a "thread mold" made of graphite to create threads.

Another thing that comes to mind would be to establish the neck of the object so that the cap would loosely slip over it. Then wrap a "stringer" spiral to create the threaded ridge on the neck, and gently heat it to fuse it to the neck. It should only take a little practice to get the spiral right.

[Tink]

Originally Posted by prairieson

It should only take a little practice to get the spiral right.

Ok hotshot. You go first. ROFL!

I love youuuuuuuuuuuuuu!

[menty666]

You might get a sacrificial cap to use to use to twist the shape into the glass with before it's completely hardened. That way you know the threads will be a pretty good fit.

I do that with a bottle stopper to test the shape of tops to make sure they fit right before I throw them into the kiln. I just keep it in a vice next to me; it's scorched a little but it does the job.

[gwacie]

Have you checked woodturner suppliers? They might have something that would work.

[menty666]

I'm still looking, but here are some. Not the ones I like, but it's a start

https://www.storesonline.com/site/984915/product/ASM12

I'm still looking for the smaller ones that fit over the old style glass ribbed shakers we had as kids.

[menty666]

Here are some more. There's no picture, but I *think* they're the pretty generic ones

http://www.instawares.com/salt-peppe...-clo-k.0.7.htm

[squid]

pottery supply places should have them also.

[Lea Zinke]

I've been looking for these forever too! There's a glassblower from CA (I think) that has S&P shakers in lots of galleries and they're so perfect that I'm thinking she uses pre-made toppers and attaches to a blown bottom. But, so far, I've not been able to google a good answer!!!! Hopefully, someone out here knows!!!

[Tink]

http://www.beau-coup.com/saltandpeppershakers.htm

These are the ones I love.

I have been looking for just the right caps off and on for six years. I get discouraged and give up. Feh. I actually have some small caps here (not exactly what I wanted, but better than nothing) that I found near the beginning of my search. Maybe I'll give it a try and see what happens.

[Just Nancy]

You had to go and show those didn't you Tink.

Those are wonderful.

[Tink]

I can't believe how inexpensive they are.

ETA: Just want to clarify by "inexpensive", I mean "If that's all they're charging then 1) the caps are available somewhere and they don't cost much and 2) it must not be a huge, difficult, monumental task to thread the top of the glass.

[menty666]

Another thought on making the threads, you could probably use a cap as a blow mold then just open the end.

[Tink]

Hmmmm.... Yeah! Or maybe even SAW the end off!

[menty666]

I'm not sure there'd be enough length to actually saw without shattering (though I don't play with a wire saw so who knows). But in theory if you were blow part of the bubble into the cap, boro likely wouldn't stick as easily as 104 might. You could then reheat just the tip, pop a hole and tease it open with a tungsten pick. Given it's going to be under the cap the cosmetics of it don't have to be as exacting as the rest of it.

Of course there's a potential for melting your cap as well, but if you give the glass a second to skin up the cap might survive a couple of uses.

Makes me want to get a set of cheapies from somewhere and give it a try LOL.

Ugh, haven't been in the shop in about 2 weeks now *sigh*

[sislonski]

Theres always these.

http://www.leevalley.com/hardware/pa...t=3,48759&ap=1
http://www.rufkahrs.com/hardw4/saltpep.html

[gwacie]

Right Shari, I was thinking of the bottom plugs that are on your second link (that sounds so wrong). Of course the pretty transparents would not be as pretty with a bottom rubber plug but when filled you wouldn't see it and that way you could just glue the caps on permanently as filling would be from the bottom side.

[FlameFilly]

Here's some:

http://www.instawares.com/replacemen...-1002t.0.7.htm

They have others also. I was thinking restaurant supply places might carry them.

[Jackie]

I just looked at soome of the S&P shakers I've collected. I think they are from beau-coup, not sure. I bought them from a gallery and I've received them as gifts. They look pre-made and attached. But maybe it is a thread mold. Definitely boro! Come on "Prairieson" with your connections you've got to know where to find these. For you it would only take a little while to get the spiral right. For me I'd have enough trouble making the spiral let alone getting it right!