Bottle stoppers are one of my favorite things to make. Any 2x2" piece of wood can be made into something both beautiful and useful. These three bottle stoppers were made together after the holidays using two of my favorite woods.
The first is made from Argentinean Lignum Vitae with a chrome stopper. Argentinean Lignum Vitae was one of the first woods I ever turned and it quickly became a favorite. In the store I was immediately drawn in by its unique green coloring. Stock pieces can range anywhere from a light olive to a darker army green (and look almost kelly green with the wax coating!). ALV is a dense oily wood that turns silky smooth and only requires a few coats of mineral oil for a fantastic finish.
The next two stoppers are made from Marblewood. One has a mineral oil finish while the other has a tru oil finish. I like using Marblewood specifically for bottle stoppers. There is something about it that reminds me of wine corks. Marblewood is a caramel colored wood with dark chocolate veins, patterned similarly to stone marble. The wood turns fairly easy but is very textured before sanding. Both the mineral and tru oil finishes bring out the contrasting colors of the wood nicely.
The mineral oil has a more matte finish and leaves the piece with a warmer feel.
In contrast the tru oil gives a glossier hard finish that is water resistant.
All three of these bottle stoppers are available for purchase, just check out our e-store in the sidebar to the right. Thanks for stopping by.
-Shane
