Ken, I think I'm going to have to actually prep the wood and start turning to completely understand your directions. They are very clear and I do understand, but I'm sure a few practice pieces will make it a lot simplier.
The tenon on the SS Niles stopper on my website is 3/4" but all the production pieces from now on are going to be 1/2". This week I should be getting a large order and will try one using your instuctions.
As to your suggestion about drilling a hole in the stopper base, two reasons I didn't do this (I did think about it); 1) I have a lot of potters, glass blowers and plastic composite workers who want these stopper bases and they prefer a tenon: 2) it's really easier to drill a hole in the wood turning, reverse chuck on a woodworm (I use pieces of wood turned to 3/8" like a jam chuck) and glue the same as you would with a wooden dowel. I found I turned the tops a lot faster; blank in chuck, finish/shape bottom, drill hole, finish rest of shape, part off, reverse chuck, sand tiny nub, done.
When you use the dowels, don't you have to drill a hole in the bottom of the wood? I never used the dowels so I really don't know. As to saving material and labor, it's all done in an automated machine so machining costs would probably be the same. It's a small 2 brothers operation, local, nice guys, I'm not making a lot of profit, we're sort of sharing the profit, they worked their price down to keep me from going to Taiwan or China, plus they made sure the steel and rubber rings were FDA approved for food contact......not that all this has anything to do with our conversation! : )
Thanks, Ruth
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