# Bottle stopper finish



## Stuart P (Jan 16, 2014)

New to wood turning and making bottle stoppers.

My issue is finding a good finish.

I tried paste was but when I washed the stopper it fuzzed up.

I am testing wood turners finish and hope that works.

Any suggestions?

Ideally it would be easy to work with and fast.

Thanks.


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## duncsuss (Aug 21, 2009)

One thing to watch out for, finishes that contain shellac aren't very good around alcoholic beverages.

Until I remembered that, I was going to mention Mylands high-build friction polish -- which looks great, but probably wouldn't last well.

The best (IMO) would be a CA finish -- but while it isn't difficult, is not as easy as some others.

_(ps. there's an old joke: "cheap -- fast -- good : pick any two" that might apply here also)_


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## Dave Paine (May 30, 2012)

Wood turners finish should work, just be aware that any water based finish takes longer to fully cure than oil based finish.

Apply a number of coats to build up a decent thickness, then you can sand to get smooth.

I prefer the General Finish Salad Bowl Finish. Personal preference.

Minwax Wipe On Poly will also work. Very thin coat so you need lots of coats to get decent thickness.


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## john lucas (Sep 18, 2007)

I find water based finishes dry faster. Oh well as the saying goes, your experience may vary.  I use either Minwax wipe on Poly or spray lacquer. I can't spray during the winter in my shop so I use the wipe on poly. It does take about 3 coats and you've gotta let them dry so it's not a fast finish. It is however a very durable finish. I put on a coat, let it dry for about 4 hours or so, put on a second coat and let dry over night. Then I steel wool it or sand with 600 grit and put on a 3rd or 4th coat. That's usually enough. 
I have had pretty good success with lacquer thinned about 60/40 with the 40 being lacquer thinner. I can put that on while it's on the lathe. Put it on fairly thick and thin with the stopper running wipe it down If I put right amount of lacquer on and use the right amount of pressure I can sort of friction polish it like you would a french polish. This is a fairly thin coat and not real durable but holds up pretty well. For maximum durability with lacquer I spray on about 4 coats and let the last one dry at least overnight. Then I'll buff them with the Beal Buffing system. Those are saved for my premium stoppers.


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## TomC (Oct 27, 2008)

I've had very good luck with "General Woodturners Finish". easy to apply on the lathe and dries fast.
Tom


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## bandman (Jan 15, 2009)

*Bottle stopper Finish*

I don't like finishing on my lathe because it ties my lathe up for so long. I have taken 5" long bolts with the same thread as my bottle stoppers and imbedded them in a 3' long 2x4 so I can screw the stoppers on the bolts about 6" apart. I then simply spray them all at once and can still turn others down while they are drying. The advantage I have is that I have a dedicated spray room w/exhaust in my shop and I know some may not have this advantage. If I didn't have the spray room I would just take the board with the stoppers out the door a couple of feet and spry them, then bring them back in to dry. It gets cold in Nebraska during the winter months and I used to have to spray outside all the time till I finally built a new house with a new shop six years ago...love my new shop. Lacquer will dry (cure) at any temperature, it just dries slower when it is colder.


Bandman


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## sawdustfactory (Jan 30, 2011)

Try this: http://doctorswoodshop.com/Products/PensPlus.aspx

All Mikes products are easy to use, but this one gives a great finish.


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## EastexToolJunky (Mar 25, 2013)

Call me lazy, but I've always liked Danish oil. The last stoppers I made, I applied it to the piece then burnished it in with paper towel. After 2 applications I set it aside for a few days, then Beale buff. The other upside is it's pretty low cost.


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## djonesax (Mar 3, 2008)

Im no expert but I use Hut Crystal Coat for pens and it works well, it would likely work well on stoppers too. I like to sand my stuff down to 600 grit so its basically already shinny, then I add the finish with a small piece of fabric while the lathe is turning and let it build up a little heat. Might not be the best way to do it but its what I have been doing.


David


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## duncsuss (Aug 21, 2009)

djonesax said:


> Im no expert but I use Hut Crystal Coat for pens and it works well, it would likely work well on stoppers too. I like to sand my stuff down to 600 grit so its basically already shinny, then I add the finish with a small piece of fabric while the lathe is turning and let it build up a little heat. Might not be the best way to do it but its what I have been doing.
> 
> 
> David


Like Myland's friction finish, it's shellac based -- which will be fine until it meets alcohol.


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## nlwilliams (Jan 29, 2014)

Have you tried a beeswax/mineral oil finish? This will give you a nice non-toxic and waterproof finish. When you say you "washed it" how was this done? Also, is the wood actually touching the contents of the bottle it's stopping?


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## Stuart P (Jan 16, 2014)

nlwilliams said:


> Have you tried a beeswax/mineral oil finish? This will give you a nice non-toxic and waterproof finish. When you say you "washed it" how was this done? Also, is the wood actually touching the contents of the bottle it's stopping?


I hand washed it using hot water and dish soap.
The stopper has a stainless steel base that fits in the bottle so the wood should never touch the contents of the bottle.

I have used a hard wax and a paste was as finish but I am not too sure how I would combine bees wax and mineral oil.

thanks for the info and questions.


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## Dave Paine (May 30, 2012)

Stuart P said:


> I have used a hard wax and a paste was as finish but I am not too sure how I would combine bees wax and mineral oil.


There are lots of commercially available combinations of beeswax and mineral oil.

I have not made my own, but I expect it is as easy as putting the beeswax in a container adding the mineral oil, perhaps a little heat and mix away until blended.

I have this product.
http://www.woodcraft.com/Product/2021064/24112/George's-Club-House-Wax-4--oz.aspx

FYI, any wax will wear off with use, some faster than others.


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## Ibangwood (Feb 25, 2010)

Water based cured faster than oil based..


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## nlwilliams (Jan 29, 2014)

Just my opinion but, it's probably not necessary to submerge this in hot soapy water. Use a soapy sponge and just wash the metal stopper. Leave the wood out of water. Everyone has good ideas about the finish and it seems that non-toxic may not be necessary. 

I happen to mix beeswax with many oils for just about everything. In this case the beeswax will repel water and the mineral oil will bring out the natural grain. It's all non-toxic so no worry about fumes. If you want to try this use a double boiler and melt wax in a can or container you won't be using again. When beeswax melts add mineral oil...if beeswax starts to solidify keep in double boiler until everything melts together. Use a wooden chop stick to mix everything before pouring into a glass jar. Let cool completely before covering. Mix ratio 1:3 (beeswax 1 - oil 3)


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