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Bottle Stoppers

C

CoryO

Joined
May 14, 2004
Messages
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Location
Fridley, MN USA
I'm gearing up for Christmas gift making season and am looking at turning 25-30 bottle stoppers. I've noticed that there are substantial savings to be made if purchasing in bulk from Penn State or Arizona Silhouette compared with Craft Supplies.

Is the quality equal between the different suppliers? Anybody have a particular preference between suppliers, and if so, why?

Thanks,
Cory
 
Cork, silicone, chrome?

I bought a bunch of Stainles Steel stoppers from someone at AAW Symposium but I would have a to dig a little to remember who it was. They really have been nice to make up and the SS won't carrode like the chrome ones will after time. High quality corks can be bought from Nick Cook cheaper than anyone else I have seen.
 
Ruth Niles sells the stainless steel stoppers. Her web site is http://www.torne-lignum.com/
I used to use the chrome however I discovered the chrome will bubble if used over a long time to stopper a bottle of red wine. Since I sold them I didn't want to take a chance on it happening to a customer. Until Ruth came out with her stoppers I had changed to the silicone. The stainless make a better looking product IMHO plus they feel better when handled. There was no way I was ging to use the cork because it wouldn't last.
 
I bought some of Ruth's threaded SS stoppers recently and made the first few this week end. I have not "glued" the tops on as I thought maybe it is better to leave them unglued so that the stoppers can be removed and cleaned if necessary. Any comments or thoughts on this?
 
Cory
The chrome with wide rubber sealing surface are all the same in quality. Arizona Silhoutte is cheapest at 100 piece. To prevent the 'white rust' wax the chrome before assembly. It helps a great deal. Any paste wax works but Renasaince wax is best.

Woodwish is right about Nick Cook's cork stoppers, good value and maybe most important they fit. THe higher priced flur corks are too big to really fit nice in most wine bottles.

Cagey - I can't wait to work my supply of chrome stoppers done so I can switch to Ruth's new stainless steel units, Again they fit bottles better. They are twice the price but I think they will sell. Your question about glueing the turned stopper to the hardware. If the threads feel tight I don't glue. If the threads were poor and you just can't tighten the hardware in the blank put a dab on the threads. I have a wino friend who has dropped her stopper on her patio and broke the pretty part. I just replaced the top and it didn't cost me new hardware.

Cory - Stoppers are a very enjoyable item to turn and affordable to give as gifts. If you plan to hit the craft show circuit they are my best seller.

Frank
 
Barbara is right, it was Ruth Niles that I got them from. They aren't as bright and shiny as the chrome, and to be honest the brass and titanium black ones are very nice also. BUT- down the line if the SS holds up like they say it will it will be great. I have just about used all the SS ones so I need to order some. I bought the ones without threads and have used 5-min epoxy to hold on the wood, so far it has worked great. IMHO avoid using CA to do this, it won't hold up.

I find bottle stoppers to be a nice diversion from bowls and such. They are fairly quick and easy, but still have a lot of areas for creativity. I have sold a bunch also but it has to be the right show or market. I make a lot of cheap ones with nice wood and corks, and then use my best wood and other enhancements on the metal ones. I used to buy a lot of cabachons to glue on the ends but lately I have been fusing dichroic glass cabachons myself.

If you really want to see some nice bottle stoppers search Yahoo Groups for the Bottle Stopper Group. I lurk around there some and have seen some very nice stoppers that go way beyond my imagination. 😉

Here is some of the new dichroic glass cabachons next to a bottle stopper with a jasper cabechon, plain chrome instead of SS, and a scrap of burl I picked up somewhere.
 

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I sell my cork stoppers for $12 and my Ruth Niles stoppers for $20. Around here that's about as high as I can go. I'm sure the bigger cites would let you go higher. I too am a fan of Ruth's stoppers. I need to order some more I'm just kind of broke right now.
 
Gretch
Cork I sell for $15 and Chrome $30. Cork are made from scraps, maple, cherry etc etc. Cork units may get a burnt band but little other decoration and I only sand to 600. Chrome I only use purchased stabilized blanks or nice burls, most are inlaid with minerals or brass. Chrome are sanded about half way up the micromesh scale and then laquer sealed, EEE polished, friction polished and Ren waxed. Cork units I can knock out 5 or 6 and hour while I might get 1 1/2 units per hour on the chrome ones. I have one wholesale buyer that sells the chrome ones for $40 retail. Mine are the cheapest stoppers in his store (very trendy wine shop).

Frank
 
I get $12 and up for cork depending on whether the wood is just scrap or something better. SS and/or chrome are $20 and up wood, $25 and up for fancy wood (& burls) or with decorations. The newest ones I made have the dichroic glass ends I made myself on burls with SS, sold several for $32.

We have a local winery that also has a nice gift shop that sells a lot of them for me and another guy in town. The wine they make is really nasty in my taste but it's a toursit town so they can sell anything it seems. :cool2:
 
Pricing

So, what is the percent split most folks use?

I am not sure about doing it yet but have thought about trying to put stoppers and other items in a few stores around.

In general, what cut do most people arrange and specifically what do you do with your stoppers?
 
Commissions for consignment sales run between 30% and 50% depending on the "class" of the shop, and average 40%. What ever you do, be sure to have a good contract between you and the shop. Here's a link to a model consignment contract:
Contract Document
 
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