How to Carve Wooden Bottle Stoppers
- 1). Cut a block of wood to the approximate width and height you want for the bottle stopper. Use a hard wood such as cherry wood or oak for the best results.
- 2). Place the wood block into a vise clamp. Leave the part of the wood that will meet with the bottle facing upward. Tighten the vise clamp until the wood cannot move.
- 3). Trace a circle on the upward-facing side of the wood block using a compass. Ensure the circumference of the circle measures at least the measurement of the widest section of your final shape. For example, if you wish to make a globe that measures 2 inches for your stopper, your circle needs to be at least 2 inches in diameter.
- 4). Drill a hole into the center of the upward-facing side of the wood block. Make the hole the same diameter as your bottle's opening. This hole will house the silicone stopper that squeezes down into the bottle to keep the liquid fresh.
- 5). Remove the wood block from the vise. Shake the block to remove loose splinters and sawdust from within the drill hole.
- 6). Cut the wood block into a cylinder, with your stopper hole at one end, using a table saw (angle the blade to 45 degrees to cut the cylinder). Only cut off any wood on the outside of your widest section's measurement.
- 7). Place the wood block between the rotating metal bars of a wood lathe. Center the wood block on the metal rods or you will carve a lopsided wooden stopper. Tighten down the sides of the lathe so they hold the wood block securely.
- 8). Adjust the "rest" of the lathe near the wood block (within half an inch of the wood block). The rest is the adjustable arm of the lathe where you set your carving tools as the lathe rotates. This keeps the carving tool from slipping as you work.
- 9). Rotate the wood block using your hand to ensure it does not catch on any part of the machine. Do not test this by turning on the lathe or you may tear off a large chunk of the wood block. If it catches on the rest or any other part of the machine, move that piece of the machine away until you can freely rotate the wood block all the way around.
- 10
Don a pair of gloves and goggles to protect your eyes and skin from flying debris. Turn the lathe to a speed of 2,000 revolutions per minute. - 11
Lay a chisel against the rest and hold down the top with your finger. Slowly move the tip of the chisel toward the wood until it starts taking off small chips of wood. - 12
Press the chisel closer to the wood if you want to create a groove in the block. If you want to round off the block without creating a groove, hold the chisel close enough to take off small amounts of wood and move it back and forth until the desired section of the wood block is round. - 13
Run a piece of 100-grit sandpaper over the rotating block of wood once you have the desired shape. Take off the major burn marks and splinters with the 100-grit and switch to 120-grit sandpaper to give it a soft finish. Clean away the sawdust with a piece of tack cloth. - 14
Dip a disposable cloth into wood stain. Hold the cloth against the rotating wood. As the lathe rotates, it will color the wood block. Leave the wood block to dry on the lathe before you attempt to handle it. - 15
Fill the inside of the drilled hole with nontoxic wood glue. Insert the silicone stopper into the drilled hole at the bottom of the wood block. Clean away excess glue with a cotton swab.
