# Bottle openers



## sbarton22 (Dec 24, 2012)

I'm looking for some bright ideas. I would like to make some bottle openers, and it could be turned or otherwise. I've seen and used the typical "turned openers" you would find at craft supplies, penn state, rockler, etc. Those are great.

However, what I am really looking for is something different. I don't know what that might be, but not the standard fare. To me, those openers telegraph the lathe aspect of the final product. I'm looking for something different.

I have been thinking about the flat type with the circle on one end and opener on the other (see below), but I can't quite figure out how get wood to stick to it w/o a bolt or screw. I don't really understand the rivet things that hold a knife together either, so I'm just an idiot on those things.

Any ideas or suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

flat opener


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## gwilki (Dec 24, 2012)

You could start with the opener that you are looking at, grind or cut away much of the "handle" portion, then mount it in a blank by drilling the blank and epoxying it into the blank. You would turn the blank to whatever shape you wanted first, of course, but you would be totally free to do whatever you wanted. You could do some off center design to make a funky shaped handle. The possibilities are endless.


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## plantman (Dec 24, 2012)

Make a mold for your opener and cast your own design around the handle.   Jim S


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## btboone (Dec 24, 2012)

Here's a bottle opener on a ring.  I actually am showing it for the rivets, which could be applied to wood parts with metal outside of them.  I used 1/16" brass rods, available at hobby shops and each plate has 1/16" holes drilled though it.  On the outside plates, I used a 3/32" ball endmill to do open the hole on one side to a cup shape so that the brass could be flared out to fill the cup and be sanded down to flush.  It works well and is solid as a rock.  It would need solid metal on the outside plates, but some inner plates could be replaced by wood and still work.


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## sbarton22 (Dec 24, 2012)

gwilki said:


> You could start with the opener that you are looking at, grind or cut away much of the "handle" portion, then mount it in a blank by drilling the blank and epoxying it into the blank. You would turn the blank to whatever shape you wanted first, of course, but you would be totally free to do whatever you wanted. You could do some off center design to make a funky shaped handle. The possibilities are endless.



This is where I was leaning. I was trying to keep the "additional" work on the metal part to  minimum as about the only tools I have that might work on it would be a grinding wheel and hacksaw. 

I have made some custom wedding cake sets in this manner. I don't mind it for a one off, but if I wanted to make some for selling, I would like to keep the metalwork down to a minimum.

Still is my best choice at the moment. Heck, maybe it will convince me to get a chop saw! :biggrin:


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## sbarton22 (Dec 24, 2012)

plantman said:


> Make a mold for your opener and cast your own design around the handle.   Jim S



I have NO idea where to start there. However, that would solve my problem for sure!


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## sbarton22 (Dec 24, 2012)

btboone said:


> Here's a bottle opener on a ring.  I actually am showing it for the rivets, which could be applied to wood parts with metal outside of them.  I used 1/16" brass rods, available at hobby shops and each plate has 1/16" holes drilled though it.  On the outside plates, I used a 3/32" ball endmill to do open the hole on one side to a cup shape so that the brass could be flared out to fill the cup and be sanded down to flush.  It works well and is solid as a rock.  It would need solid metal on the outside plates, but some inner plates could be replaced by wood and still work.



This is the opposite direction I was thinking...having  metal on the outside...but this is the reason I asked. You've now made me look at the design solution differently. The process you describe seems easy enough. Going to have to give this real thought. Thanks for opening up my perspective on this.

And how are you flaring the brass out? just tapping at it w/ a hammer?


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## btboone (Dec 24, 2012)

Yes.  For the first side, I put the brass in a mill collet and have it stick out about 1/16" or so, grip it tight, then tap it with a small hammer.  This will make a nicely mushroomed end.  I then take the collet out of the mill and hammer the brass into the hole in the sheet using the collet on the other side of the plate as a backer so I don't overstress the hole.  Once the brass is seated well in the first side, it won't move much and works better to stack the laminates tighter.  I put the plates on and cut the brass with some wire cutters about 1/16" from the other end then sand it until it is perpendicular to the surface.  I then put the whole assembled unit on a solid surface like a steel milling vice and hammer the other side until the hole is completely filled.  Use lots of fine taps instead of heavy hits to spread the brass in the cupped hole.  The brass can then be sanded to flush.


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## dogcatcher (Dec 24, 2012)

How about using paint can openers?  





I cut off the paint can end and use the bottle opener end.  Most have a flat shank on them, but it doesn't show when filled in with epoxy.


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## Jgrden (Dec 25, 2012)

This guy never ceases to amaze me.


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## sbarton22 (Dec 26, 2012)

Jgrden said:


> This guy never ceases to amaze me.



which guy?


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## sbarton22 (Dec 26, 2012)

btboone said:


> Yes.  For the first side, I put the brass in a mill collet and have it stick out about 1/16" or so, grip it tight, then tap it with a small hammer.  This will make a nicely mushroomed end.  I then take the collet out of the mill and hammer the brass into the hole in the sheet using the collet on the other side of the plate as a backer so I don't overstress the hole.  Once the brass is seated well in the first side, it won't move much and works better to stack the laminates tighter.  I put the plates on and cut the brass with some wire cutters about 1/16" from the other end then sand it until it is perpendicular to the surface.  I then put the whole assembled unit on a solid surface like a steel milling vice and hammer the other side until the hole is completely filled.  Use lots of fine taps instead of heavy hits to spread the brass in the cupped hole.  The brass can then be sanded to flush.



Wow...that is a really great explanation! I had actually thought that is how you would tap and sand the second end, but I didn't' even think about the first end. The collet trick is pretty slick.

Thanks a lot for sharing that. I'm going to give some serious thought and see if I can make that kind of idea work.


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## sbarton22 (Dec 26, 2012)

dogcatcher said:


> How about using paint can openers?
> 
> I cut off the paint can end and use the bottle opener end.  Most have a flat shank on them, but it doesn't show when filled in with epoxy.



Very nice idea...and so obvious! How could I forget the good ol' church key!

These are great ideas from everyone. Thanks!!


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## nava1uni (Dec 26, 2012)

you should also look at Chefwarekits.com  He sells bottle openers


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## sbarton22 (Dec 26, 2012)

nava1uni said:


> you should also look at Chefwarekits.com  He sells bottle openers



I have not seen those yet. If a fella doesn't attach them with the ferrule, it pretty much fits the bill!


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