Hub City Turners is the name for a group of wood turners that gather to share ideas and friendships. From time to time the president issues a ‘President’s Challenge’. In the most recent challenge members were given a bottle stopper and encouraged to create a top for the stopper.

Covid-19 reared its pointy crowned head just as I was contemplating making a top for the challenge. My first thought was how much this looked like the base for a spin top that could double as a bottle stopper. I turned this 4″ aluminum spin top and attached the stopper.

As you will see in this video it was a spectacular failure as a spin-top. A smaller wooden base did resurrect the ‘spin-top’ idea.

I turned a wooden bottle and dyed it blue to test it out as a stopper.

Covid isolation was now firmly entrenched so a whole Quarantine Kit seemed in order. Why not a viral bottle stopper?

And perhaps a Roulette Wheel to entertain while in isolation.

A Walnut box to hold the whole kit was the final piece of the project. Walnut is a lovely wood to work with and responds well to wood bleach to alter the tone to a lovely cream color. The lettering is carved into the wood and coated with an acrylic medium to prevent the bleach from bleeding into the lettering.

The front of the lid dips down so the contents can be removed more easily. Two small magnets hold the lid secure.

The hinges were made using an overlapping box making joint and a jig to drill the holes allowing the insertion of the brass rod.