# Acrylic resin or ????



## Chuck B (Apr 5, 2009)

Maybe you can steer me in the right direction. I need to make some bottle stoppers, i want to use a dark wood like Bubinga or ? I want to cut a recess in the top the whole width. I was thinking of going either 1/8" to 3/16" deep & inside of it I want to use those stick on letters from a hobby shop. 

1st question is what would look better just stick the letters to the wood or put something inside of it (like colored paper) then add the letters to that?

2nd question is I want to cover it with a clear resin like material but about this I'm completely lost. Would you use a pen casting resin or is there some other stuff you would use? depending on how it looks I will only be making a few of them so I don't want to spend a whole lot of money initially. If it comes out well I'll be trying to add a range of different things to the top of the stoppers.

Thanks for the help 

Chuck


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## jackrichington (Apr 5, 2009)

couyld use med or thick CA


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## jttheclockman (Apr 5, 2009)

Alot of different ways you can go here. Depends on if you want to buy metal initials or if you are good at casting. I suggest the man to answer your questions is the one person who specializes in these type things. Yo Yo Spin, Ed Davidson.  Check his web site out and be prepared to spend some time. He does all kinds of bottlestoppers. If it were me I would do a 2 part casting. One with a color base and then set the letters and the second layer be clear. Drill a hole in th top of the stopper using a fostner bit and pour each layer. When set and dry finish turning the stopper and polish the resin. Good luck.


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## randyrls (Apr 5, 2009)

recon said:


> Maybe you can steer me in the right direction. I need to make some bottle stoppers, i want to use a dark wood like Bubinga or ? I want to cut a recess in the top the whole width. I was thinking of going either 1/8" to 3/16" deep & inside of it I want to use those stick on letters from a hobby shop.
> 
> Chuck



Chuck;   Check out the topics for embedding labels under acrylic.  That is effectively what you are doing.


I would use some "pick guard" material as a background and have the text engraved at a local trophy shop.  The trophy shop will have the material too.  They use them for signs.  The material has a top layer one color and the bottom layer a different color.  When engraved, the bottom layer shows thru.  This is fine work but doable; maybe a laser engraver is needed.  Fill the engraving if needed.

Hope this helps.


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## Chuck B (Apr 5, 2009)

Thank you very much for the help

Chuck


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## YoYoSpin (Apr 6, 2009)

I use to make a lot of these type stopper blocks - called them "captured cabochons". Stopped making then about three years ago. Anyway, the process I used follows:

1) Drill and tap a hole in one end to accept an Arizona Silhouette stopper mandrel or some other mandrel contraption.
2) Chuck the piece in your lathe with the mandrel, and drill a 1" diameter hole (counter-bore) in the opposite side using a forstner bit.
3) Un-chuck the piece.
4) Using heavy duty photo grade printer paper, a 1" diameter gasket punch, and self-healing mat, cut out your pre-printed pattern, drawing or whatever from the photo paper. Note that regular paper will absorb poly resin and look wet/discolored. 
5) Use a tiny drop of yellow glue to attach the cutout to the bottom of your turning piece's hole bottom.
6) After the glue dries, fill the hole with polyester resin and let it fully cure. Be sure that no bubbles are captured in the resin. Also, be aware that oily woods like cocobolo will not bond with poly resin.
7) Re-chuck the piece and turn a cool design.


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## broitblat (Apr 6, 2009)

Funny thing on the timing...  

I just posted a picture in another thread of a stopper that was drilled and cast (as described/inspired by Ed Davidson).  It's pretty straightforward, but a little PR goes a long way (I mixed up 1 ounce, filled 6 stoppers and still had 1/2 left over).

  -Barry


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