# Barb's wine glass bottle balancer



## Gaffboat (Mar 11, 2012)

@OutoftheWoodwork

I really liked Barb's wine glass shaped bottle holders and decided to make some myself. (If you're going to steal ideas, always steal the best.)

I thought I might make more than one so that means it was time to make a pattern that could be used over and over. I started by drawing the glass shape on the computer and then printing it out on legal size paper. The finished holder is 12" tall by 4" wide.

I drew a center line on a piece of 1/2" mdf and traced around the pattern, flipped it and drew the second side. That way I knew I was at least starting with a design that was symmetrical. 

I cutout the template on the bandsaw and then sanded to the line. I drilled a 1/8" hole at the center point for the wine bottle hole so I could use an awl to mark the center on the wood blank.

I traced around the template on a piece of 3/4" stock and marked the hole center with an awl. Then it was off the bandsaw to cut out the blank leaving about an 1/8" outside the line.

Next I attached the template to the blank with double-sided tape and trimmed the blank to final size with a pattern bit on the router table. After removing the template I used a 3/16" round-over bit to ease the edges. A forstner bit was used to drill the hole for the bottle.

I used a cutoff from making the template to make a simple sled to hold the finished blank so the bottom angle could be trimmed on the mitersaw. A lot of trial and error determined that the proper angle was 39º. (That's why the prototype in the photo is bit shorter than the template. :'()

I know some folks rely on only the bottom angle to balance the bottle but I found that the balance with the 3/4" stock was a bit tenuous so I added a small foot to the back to give a bigger footprint for solid balance.

Now that I have a successful prototype, it's time to make a few out of better wood. I have attached the pattern as a pdf if you'd like to try your hand at making one. If you make one, remember to thank Barb for a great idea. :yes4:


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## Stick486 (Jan 4, 2013)

thanks Oliver...


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## Shop guy (Nov 22, 2012)

Another great work from Oliver.


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## Mike (Nov 22, 2004)

A shot of the jigs for drilling and cutting out the bottles. Barb improved the design for the next batch.


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## Garyk (Dec 29, 2011)

Nice work to both of you.

I learned early on to ALWAYS make a pattern or jig because you never end up making just one. My better half has lots of friends !!


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## OutoftheWoodwork (Oct 4, 2012)

Wow, Oliver, Thanks... you flatter me. I'm truly flattered. I can't take complete credit, though. I found a picture of one on line that I wasn't very impressed with, and thought "I can improve that..." and thus my first balancer was born. Then, as I posted, my friend saw the prototype, and these two were the 2nd generation.


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## furboo (Oct 12, 2015)

Thanks Oliver! Very nice. One more item on my to-do list


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## OutoftheWoodwork (Oct 4, 2012)

Hey Oliver I just dl your pattern. (First chance I've had, and forgot. Showing Ken your newest post I had to show him this one, jolting my memory.) IMHO your angle at the bottom is your problem for balancing. It should be 42. Using this degree, I have no problem with the balancing. Using an extra piece on the back (imo) defeats the single piece of wood balancing. Takes away from the "magic" per - say.


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## Ratbob (Apr 6, 2015)

It seems like both hole placement and foot angle will affect the balance when supporting a bottle, as would bottle size and shape. Before I start making more firewood, do you have any tips on determining the hole location?


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## DesertRatTom (Jul 3, 2012)

Nice improvement Oliver. Thanks for the pdf pattern, that was generous of you.


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## OutoftheWoodwork (Oct 4, 2012)

Ratbob said:


> It seems like both hole placement and foot angle will affect the balance when supporting a bottle, as would bottle size and shape. Before I start making more firewood, do you have any tips on determining the hole location?


Hey Jeff. Here's the original I used for my first try. I took this and ran with it. This calls for 40 degree angle, but 42 worked for me.


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## Ratbob (Apr 6, 2015)

Thanks Barb! After thinking on this a bit, it seems like I should be able to pick a spot for the hole that's aesthetically pleasing, then tilt the board with the bottle in place to find the angle of the balance point. Once the angle is measured, just cut the complimentary angle in the foot.


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## OutoftheWoodwork (Oct 4, 2012)

Ratbob said:


> Thanks Barb! After thinking on this a bit, it seems like I should be able to pick a spot for the hole that's aesthetically pleasing, then tilt the board with the bottle in place to find the angle of the balance point. Once the angle is measured, just cut the complimentary angle in the foot.


I found that if the hole isn't centered, it won't balance. I've taken this pattern, placed it over the shape I wanted to make one in, (on the laptop in Paint or Publisher) and with the proper angle at the bottom, at the height this pattern calls for from the bottom of the shape, and the hole is horizontally centered, it worked. I have a shoe shaped one that I'm working on, and as long as I follow the three rules, it should work.


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## Ratbob (Apr 6, 2015)

I agree Barb, the hole must be centered in the width of the board, and if you follow the dimensions for the drawing in post #11 it should be repeatable. Where this falls apart is when you add a lot of mass 'above' the hole. It's all about getting the center of mass directly over the foot. That's not an easy thing to calculate, but the process I outlined in post #12 should get you there with your sanity intact.

Your idea about patterning a shoe sounds great! That should work fine with your original dimensions as long as it's not a clown shoe.


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## Ratbob (Apr 6, 2015)

So - I took a 4" wide piece of 3/4 ply, drilled a 1 1/2" hole 8 1/2" up from the bottom (centered in width). The point where the board and bottle would almost balance on edge was 59 deg. I cut a 31 degree angle on the bottom and it stood easily! Hypothesis proven, aint science great!


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## Gaffboat (Mar 11, 2012)

*More testing*

I decided to experiment to see is there is one "magic" angle and found out (as I suspected) the proper angle is a function of where the hole center is placed from the bottom and how much material is above the hole. I used a piece of 1 x 3 pine for my test. Here's what I found. The first dimension is the distance from the center of the hole to the bottom and the second is the angle needed to balance the bottle:

7.75" - 35º
7.25" - 38º
6.75" - 40º
6.25" - 42º
6.00" - 43º

Next I started shortening the board from the top and after about 1/2" the balance became more tenuous. 

My conclusion is that whatever shape and size you use will require some experimentation to find the correct angle. Once you do, you can make a bunch of 'em. :yes4:


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## OutoftheWoodwork (Oct 4, 2012)

wtg Oliver! Wish I could do all that! Okay.. I think I got all that. A mathematician I AIN'T :lol: I'm a "figure it out as I go" person :lol:


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## DaninVan (Jan 1, 2012)

Gary wrote, "My better half has lots of friends !!"

I misread that as "My *bottle* half has lots of friends."

Oops...too much info.


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## Stick486 (Jan 4, 2013)

DaninVan said:


> I misread that as "My *bottle* half has lots of friends."
> 
> Oops...too much info.


so you finally decided to share your stash...


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## Ratbob (Apr 6, 2015)

DaninVan said:


> Gary wrote, "My better half has lots of friends !!"
> 
> I misread that as "My *bottle* half has lots of friends."
> 
> Oops...too much info.


That's all right Dan, for my first few months on this forum I found myself wondering why you were 'In Vain'!


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## Stick486 (Jan 4, 2013)

Ratbob said:


> I found myself wondering why you were 'In Vain'!


word...


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## OutoftheWoodwork (Oct 4, 2012)

ratbob said:


> that's all right dan, for my first few months on this forum i found myself wondering why you were 'in vain'!


rofl


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