Marian65 Posted January 20, 2014 Report Share Posted January 20, 2014 I would like to make stoppers for stoneware cruets and bottles so that they'll match vs trying to find food quality corks or those plastic pour spout things. I usually glaze fire lids on when I make covered bowls and such, but if I want the bottle necks to be glazed inside, I can't do that. Just thinking about it, I can't decide how I would glaze fire the stoppers. The lower portion of the stoppers will be bare and the part that shows will be glazed. Since they will be tallish and thin and probably not balanced, they can't be stood up on the shelf all by themselves. Do any of you wonderful, experienced pottery folks have any advice for me? I use cone 6 clay and glazes in an electric kiln. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pres Posted January 20, 2014 Report Share Posted January 20, 2014 I would make a stopper with a half turn groove in the bottle and on the stopper. These can be thrown into the stopper, then remove part of material from stopper and from bottle to make a fit that when turned stops up the bottle and locks into place. Smooth both pieces well, and leave unglazed. Fire on the pot. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marian65 Posted January 20, 2014 Author Report Share Posted January 20, 2014 Thanks. I've never seen that done and I can't visualize making the two parts match that well. I'll do some hunting online to see whether there is a video that will show me. Sounds like a great idea. I had intended to make something in the shape of a wine bottle stopper that would just sit in the jar opening, but couldn't figure out how to fire it. The grooves would be wonderful and much better. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Babs Posted January 20, 2014 Report Share Posted January 20, 2014 As in making teapot lids etc. leave the touching surfaces ofthe bottle and stopper unglazed and fire in situ. Or carve out depressions in a soft fire brick and place the stoppers into the depressions for firing. If the stoppers are hollow forms, makr a hole in t he bottom of the stopper and as above but instead of a depressionin the brick, press sichrome wire in to the brick and place the stopperonto the wire, thus secured by the wire. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pres Posted January 20, 2014 Report Share Posted January 20, 2014 Ok, I'll try to make this easy. Do you know how to push down a galley, or ledge for a lid on a pot? If so, on the bottle push down a ridge, I would use my thumb nail, or a rib. Smooth it up. On the bottle stopper, I would throw off the hump, close the thin cylinder and shape the top. then use a rib to shape the stopper part carefully. To put in the last ridge, use a rib with a notch cut out of it to finish shaping the stopper. When both pieces are leather hard, trim off part of the stopper ridge, and a corresponding section of the bottle ridge. Does this make sense? best, Pres Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cathgill Posted January 20, 2014 Report Share Posted January 20, 2014 this is hard to visualize and images of it? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marian65 Posted January 20, 2014 Author Report Share Posted January 20, 2014 I spent most of last night working out in my mind about tabs and galleries. For my purposes, I don't need to do that method and I think the bottles I will make will be too small and the galleries would be too fragile. Thanks, Pres, for the further explanation this morning. I think I understand it. I will follow Babs's lead, but make a holder with holes to place over some horizontal kiln posts. Now that I've given some concentrated thought to the situation, there are a few ways I can go about getting the result I want. I appreciate you both for jump starting my brain! Cathgill, I've sketched a rough idea of the gallery and tab that I think would work, but I don't want to post it. I will scan it and send it to you directly just to help you "see" what I'm thinking if you'd like. I've been trying to think what works like that that most people would be familiar with. My husband suggested the way taillight and headlight bulbs fit into their socket, but only someone who is familiar with changing those bulbs would get it. It's a little bit similar to bayonet clips, but not so much that you could translate the idea if you're not familiar with that, either. I won't be making soap dispensers or foamers or anything big, so just a plain ol' stopper will work just fine for vinegar and oil cruets and other small bottles. I can't center more than about 3.5 pounds anymore, anyway, so everything I make on the wheel has to be within that limit and my cruets will be more for serving than for storing long-term. I can hand build just about anything, so I might use the "tab and gap" (my term) for bigger lids some time. Since my issue is resolved, I'll withdraw further postings at this point with gratitude and appreciation for your help. I'll think up some other dilemma soon! Marian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Babs Posted January 21, 2014 Report Share Posted January 21, 2014 I spent most of last night working out in my mind about tabs and galleries. For my purposes, I don't need to do that method and I think the bottles I will make will be too small and the galleries would be too fragile. Thanks, Pres, for the further explanation this morning. I think I understand it. I will follow Babs's lead, but make a holder with holes to place over some horizontal kiln posts. Now that I've given some concentrated thought to the situation, there are a few ways I can go about getting the result I want. I appreciate you both for jump starting my brain! Cathgill, I've sketched a rough idea of the gallery and tab that I think would work, but I don't want to post it. I will scan it and send it to you directly just to help you "see" what I'm thinking if you'd like. I've been trying to think what works like that that most people would be familiar with. My husband suggested the way taillight and headlight bulbs fit into their socket, but only someone who is familiar with changing those bulbs would get it. It's a little bit similar to bayonet clips, but not so much that you could translate the idea if you're not familiar with that, either. I won't be making soap dispensers or foamers or anything big, so just a plain ol' stopper will work just fine for vinegar and oil cruets and other small bottles. I can't center more than about 3.5 pounds anymore, anyway, so everything I make on the wheel has to be within that limit and my cruets will be more for serving than for storing long-term. I can hand build just about anything, so I might use the "tab and gap" (my term) for bigger lids some time. Since my issue is resolved, I'll withdraw further postings at this point with gratitude and appreciation for your help. I'll think up some other dilemma soon! Marian Ok But don't glaze the stopper and bottle where the stopper is going to sit unless you have calculated the thickness of the fired glaze. Also, obvious, until you haven't, don't glaze the bottom of the stoppers coming in contact with the brick! Good luck. Still prefer to fire the stoppers in the bottles with touching surfaces unglazed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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