# Wine Bottle Balancer



## Ken Johnson (Nov 8, 2007)

Does anybody have a cool set of plans for a wine bottle balancer?


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## TexasTimbers (Oct 17, 2006)

Ken I made a bunch of those last year right around this time for Christmas. I had a hard drive crash since then so I don't have any pictures to show you. I have a few left over with some slight defects (in finishing only) I could measure for you.

I made a wide variety of sizes and angles and species. My camera has been AWOL now for about two weeks or I'd snap some pics for you. 

Rob on this forum - gave me the idea last year. i think he might have some pictures posted in the archives.


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## edp (May 25, 2007)

*The best approach*

I have found for this project is to first determine what size of wood panel you will be using. Generally determined by the size of the shorts you have lying about. Drill the appropriate size hole in one end (square to the board face) and then play with the angle cut on the bottom until the bottle balances. Once you achieve this, cut the rest of your blanks.


Ed


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## Daveb (May 3, 2007)

This idea intrigued me and I found these instructions on the net:
http://www.wineintro.com/products/racks/balance.html
Dave


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## TexasTimbers (Oct 17, 2006)

I had the bottles themselves pointing at all different angles too. You must remember that not all wine bottles have the same neck sizes, lengths, centers of gravity etc. There are roughly 3 size classes that you can coverand catch about 95% of all wine bottles. 

I am grabbibg these numbers out of air based on my own experience. They are simple to make but remember nothing is quick and easy in woodworking. The finish takes alot longer than making the holders - I used lacquer because it was forgiving, quick to recoat, and has a flawless finish.

I would rip to width my blank stock. Plane it, cut them to length on the miter, run them over the round over bit in the router table, drill the holes then round those with a smaller round over with a bearing bit, and then sand. I preferred the softer look of the rounded holes as opposed to the simple holes with a hard edge.

Finish to suit and serve with food. Wine compliments of course.


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## Messman (Sep 9, 2007)

Is this what you are looking for?


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## Ken Johnson (Nov 8, 2007)

Very nice, Chris!


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## wreinmicheal (Jan 6, 2010)

Ken Johnson said:


> Does anybody have a cool set of plans for a wine bottle balancer?


 HI...Ken
After looking at your thread on the drunken fish, went out to the shop looking around. Back in the mid 90's my daughter had a bath & kitchen assor. store, and asked me to make up a bunch of wine bottle holders. Got almost done with a few, when she closed store. So set them off to a corner and never finished them. Here is the model and jig I used to make them, the hole is made with a 1 3/8" forestner bit. The bottom and top are cut at 45 degrees, the hole at 49 degrees, the distance from long point of bottom to center of hole is 6 3/4". The top really doesn't matter, just that the bottom is 45. 
The jig is made to fit on DP (and cut-outs in side allow it to be aligned to bit and clamped down). After I drilled out a bunch , I unclamped the jig and mounted a 1" drum in DP with 220 grit paper and popped each one on the jig and free handed it to just clean up the fuzz in hole. in the second pic. ( of the jig ) the bottom of the bottle holder is at top. You need to adapt a jig to what ever size blank you're using, however the distance from bottom to center of hole is an important measurement to balance a full bottle of wine, plus the angle of hole and this distance allows bottle to lay level.


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