looking for a suggestion on drilling holes for bottle stoppers

allen levine

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new york city burbs
If I use an 11/32 drill bit for either penn state stoppers or niles stoppers on wood, its fine. I get a tight fit to use my bottle stopper chuck.
If I use an 11/32 bit on inlace acrylester its too tight, if I try to force it, the hole chips out.
If I use an 23/64th bit, the hole is too big for inlace acrylester.
I tried to use tape over the chuck screw to make it tighter, doesn't work, so now I have 3 blanks that are unusable, but I haven't disposed of them yet, figured Id fill in the holes eventually with something and then redrill.

whats the solution, something simple Im missing?
 
Ed beat me to the question. I've always used a tap to cut threads in the hole, especially in acrylics or other plastics. (Don't recall what size the tap or the holes are...been a while since I made any bottle stoppers.)
 
I don't have a tap.
I never had a problem with regular acrylics, seems only the inlace acrylester drives me up a wall.

having read ed's response, I think Ill order the niles tap set for future use, have the right size and all.

its been too cold to do much work out there, so I decided to make a couple of dozen bottle stoppers and not make them again for a while, just keeping busy.
 
Unlike wood, Inlace (don't know why you bought that crap!) has no ability to expand or contract. Niles uses a 3/8-20 drill bit/tap so where the 11/32" or 24/64" show up at, well...
 
Unlike wood, Inlace (don't know why you bought that crap!) has no ability to expand or contract. Niles uses a 3/8-20 drill bit/tap so where the 11/32" or 24/64" show up at, well...

well, dad, I didn't know much difference betweens plastics when I first decided to turn acrylic bottle stoppers, so it looked good, I purchased a bunch.
my other problem is that I started making only PSI bottle stoppers, but then purchased 30 niles ss stoppers at last years show, and they require a bit different hole, but Ive been ok with wood other acrylics, using 11/32 on wood, 24/64 on acrylic.

I haven't looked at the niles site, but will get to it. I also cut my blanks short, to get 3 stoppers out of each blank, so when I drilled the hole, I couldn't flip it and turn away the other hole, too shallow.

Its a learning process for me.........and Im learning to ask first because acrylic blanks are expensive, eventually, Ill work on making my own...not ready for that yet....soon though.

I don't have anymore inlace left, maybe a pen blank or two.
 
The stopper chuck sold by PSI has a 3/8" screw and comes with a 23/64" drill bit. That leaves only 1/128" of material for the screw to grab. I emailed them about the issue, but they have so much stock they can't make a change. I use a 5/16" drill bit to drill a hole in a blank, then tap it with a 3/8" tap; that leaves plenty of material for decent threads. That process works in wood and acrylic for me.
 
I do the same as Bill. 5/16" bit and 3/8" tap. Have had some failures on some punky maple, but nothing else ever. If the wood is punky, I now drill it, cut with the tap, soak in a bunch of CA glue and then re-cut with the tap. That will work about 80% of the time for punky wood.
 
well, dad, I didn't know much difference betweens plastics when I first decided to turn acrylic bottle stoppers, so it looked good, I purchased a bunch.
my other problem is that I started making only PSI bottle stoppers, but then purchased 30 niles ss stoppers at last years show, and they require a bit different hole, but Ive been ok with wood other acrylics, using 11/32 on wood, 24/64 on acrylic.

I haven't looked at the niles site, but will get to it. I also cut my blanks short, to get 3 stoppers out of each blank, so when I drilled the hole, I couldn't flip it and turn away the other hole, too shallow.

Its a learning process for me.........and Im learning to ask first because acrylic blanks are expensive, eventually, Ill work on making my own...not ready for that yet....soon though.

I don't have anymore inlace left, maybe a pen blank or two.

Ok son...I told you about inlace at least a year ago. Different stoppers use different threads. If you don't like Ruth's stuff...I'm game. How did you get Niles stoppers?
 
Ok son...I told you about inlace at least a year ago. Different stoppers use different threads. If you don't like Ruth's stuff...I'm game. How did you get Niles stoppers?

I had the inlace acrylester for over 2 years I believe. It was with an order I made a long time ago, just never used it after having a rough time with them.
Mrs. Niles was at the Saratoga Woodworking show last year. I purchased 30 stoppers from her and 20 wood blanks. (all at discounts)
And I remember, her granddaughter rung up my sale.I enjoy using niles products.


ed, its just as easy for me to order online and get it in a few days.
 
I turn all my bottle stoppers on a pin chuck... I use a 3/8" hole on a 3/8" steel rod in a Beale Collet.... works perfectly for me and I'm pretty sure would work for the inlace... (never tried one myself... all my stoppers are wood.

I also buy my stoppers from EZ-POT out of Seattle... I like Ruth Niles stoppers, but they are twice the price I pay... granted they are not American made as Ruth says hers are, but they are all 304 food grade Stainless steel same as Ruth's. I do have to epoxy they screws into the hole as they are slightly smaller than the 3/8" hole... I also use the silicone stoppers from PSI/Packard Woods and have to sand them down slightly to fit in the 3/8 hole... takes about 2 seconds on the belt sander.

I do a weekly show starting in about a month and costs are a factor in making profits.
 
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