Woodworker's Journal 2008-32-6, страница 30

Coming-of-Age Opener

By Betty Scarpino

Nicely grained wood and a couple of pieces of hardware combine to make a quick, easy and infinitely customizable gift.

images for the turning process, is about 7" long by 1%" square.

Of course, the handle of these bottle openers can be made in any size and length you want. A few years ago, I made a 14"-long one for a friend. I was defying him to not lose it! (I also drilled a hole in the cud and looped a length of leather through it so he could hang it near his refrigerator.)

Drill the Hole

Before you turn the body of the handle, drill a hole in one end. In order to ensure that the brass part fits at 90° to the handle, make sure your stock is square so that it sits at 90° on the table of your drill press. Draw an "X" on each end, and punch a hole in each center with an aw].

The hole needs to be 7/32" diameter and at least 1" deep. I usually drill somewhat deeper, just to make sure 1 end up with enough depth after the object is turned. Use a wood clamp to hold the wood securely and horizontally while drilling.

Another way of drilling the hole would be to put the 7/32" bit into a Jacobs chuck that is mounted in your lathe's tailstock. Put the wood blank into a four-jaw scroll chuck, attached to the headstock. Drill the hole by advancing the tailstock while the lathe is running at a slow speed. (Of course, you could turn the entire handle mounted this way after the hole is drilled. Just make sure you have a long enough length to allow for holding it in the chuck.)

Woodturning continues on page 32...

30 December 2008 Woodworker's Journal

y son Dan will turn 21 years old soon. I'm not going to buy him that Honda Ridgeline he'd like, so I decided to do the next best thing: make him his very own bottle opener in his college team colors. What more could a young man want?!

Supplies You Will Need

This bottle opener project can be created in less than a day, but first it requires the purchase of a metal bottle opener gadget. These can be obtained from Craft Supplies' Woodturners Catalog (800-551-8876 or at www.woodturnerscatalog.com). If you don't already have one, you will also need a 7/32" drill bit, available from this same catalog.

Wood Selection

Select a solid piece of hardwood, with strength lo the grain and preferably with a nice grain pattern. 1 hereby give you permission to shop for lumber! For Dan's opener, I used a chunk of ash, 6" long by 2" square (see the full-page sidebar on page 34 for the finishing technique I used). The maple handle, also shown in the photo on page 32, is shorter in length but about the same diameter. The walnut opener, shown in the