A question for the cork pro @ander - what is the best way to make a clean round hole through the cork?
Are there special shaped drills for cork, or might a punch work?
My best results so far were to start with a small drill and then step up the drill size, but i'm still not satisfied with the smoothness of the inner side...
Are there special shaped drills for cork, or might a punch work?
My best results so far were to start with a small drill and then step up the drill size, but i'm still not satisfied with the smoothness of the inner side...
ander
Well-Known Member
@Used2use Hey thanks for the title but... do you see anything pro im my lathe..?!
The outer surface (that is always very smooth) seems cutted with a sort of "rotating tubular blade"...
so I presume that a "sharped tube" would be an interesting tool to try with... I mean... it looks like cork prefers to be cutted than drilled.
Anyway, the last pieces I drilled came better without step drilling: if I need a final diameter of 10, I drill with a 10 or 9 tip and then I use sandpaper: first a coarse grade if I have to remove more material, and then with a fine one to polish.
EDIT
Cork Borer seems to be the term. Thank you! Made a new discovery...
The outer surface (that is always very smooth) seems cutted with a sort of "rotating tubular blade"...
so I presume that a "sharped tube" would be an interesting tool to try with... I mean... it looks like cork prefers to be cutted than drilled.
Anyway, the last pieces I drilled came better without step drilling: if I need a final diameter of 10, I drill with a 10 or 9 tip and then I use sandpaper: first a coarse grade if I have to remove more material, and then with a fine one to polish.
EDIT
I didn't caught the term at the moment... so, something like that:
Cork Borer seems to be the term. Thank you! Made a new discovery...
Last edited:
Thanks! Well it's pro compared to me 
something like a glass drill might be perfect, have to look for diameters...but the shavings/dust still as to come out while drilling somehow in my mind 
something like a glass drill might be perfect, have to look for diameters...but the shavings/dust still as to come out while drilling somehow in my mind
ander
Well-Known Member
Well, it looks like that with the tool above you don't have this problem. I'm reorganising my "workshop" these days, but I will soon try to sharpen an end of a small tube, mount it on the drill stand and use it as a drill bit.but the shavings/dust still as to come out while drilling somehow in my mind
ander
Well-Known Member
We'll have to wait a bit for the announced update. 2 weeks passed from my first contact with a cork company resident in this island, where cork trees grow (I lived there for a while, in one of my migrations to the south). I was ready with the money since the first moment. Now I think I'm near to finalize the deal. 3-4 days are passing between my mails and their response. For a few hundred top quality cork stoppers... 15 days of negotiations... That's also southern Italy and I LOVE IT! Ahhh... the slow rithms of the south... something like Mexico for you US guys I suppose..!
Cork harvesting
Cork harvesting
Last edited:
natural farmer
Well-Known Member
Is this ok for the trees buddy?We'll have to wait a bit for the announced update. 2 weeks passed from my first contact with a cork company resident in this island, where cork trees grow (I lived there for a while, in one of my migrations to the south). I was ready with the money since the first moment. Now I think I'm near to finalize the deal. 3-4 days are passing between my mails and their response. For a few hundred top quality cork stoppers... 15 days of negotiations... That's also southern Italy and I LOVE IT! Ahhh... the slow rithms of the south... something like Mexico for you US guys I suppose..!
Cork harvesting
ander
Well-Known Member
A fair and understandable concern. One of the reasons why I needed some time to find a good dealer is also this one: top companies only sell top quality corks and so they only use aged trees. The bark of cork oaks regenerate every 10-12 years, so professionality and tradition is required and Sardinians are an elite on that. So don't worry friend, all the production process is made to respect the trees, since a damaged tree will risk to die and so... no cork anymore.
natural farmer
Well-Known Member
That's a beauty buddy!!!New corks have arrived and quality is really at top! The features of this material continue to amaze me...
I'm on a really busy phase and I will produce a deeper report of my progresses as soon as possible. So, for now, just a taste:
OmniCork XL
ander
Well-Known Member
As the CORKY VC project tries to expand to something really reliable, the real issues obviously come out. As expected the "magic" ability of cork stem to hold the VC tip by itself is not a constant: first prototype still works pretty well, second and third have problems due to the natural cavities of cork. So... new prototype has a 10mm long SS316 tube of diameter 10mm on the top to hold the tip, and it works but the interior diameter of 8mm seems somewhat loose... in fact, VC "M" tube measure 7.something inside. Anyway it looks like the dryness of the o-rings increases the issue, and some olive oil helps. The "omni" feature is born from a mistake: I've cutted the cork 5mm shorter and found the condenser too long after assembly... but soon discovered that sliding the mp will result in a really handy omni-like regulation. Loved the star on the carb hole from the first time; still convinced that it makes a big difference...
So for the moment, I insist. And the conclusive "floating test" approaches...
ander
Well-Known Member
Ha ha. Complications... complications...
Why rubber? Cork does not need o-rings. No o-rings means no steel tube. No steel tube means a lighter and thinner shape. As often happens, simplicity is the way. So I'm back to the first prototype, but with the plus of a rude omni feature and an improved hold-the-tip magic... I feel we are close..!
And it finally fit the CorkyCase...
Why rubber? Cork does not need o-rings. No o-rings means no steel tube. No steel tube means a lighter and thinner shape. As often happens, simplicity is the way. So I'm back to the first prototype, but with the plus of a rude omni feature and an improved hold-the-tip magic... I feel we are close..!
And it finally fit the CorkyCase...
Last edited:
GreenHopper
20 going on 60
ander
Well-Known Member
I use olive oil. For durability and also because it helps with the not exactly good smell that cork has.
GreenHopper
20 going on 60
Cool, is the smell that noticeable and does it wear off?
Maybe pre soaking the cork might help reduce it further?
ander
Well-Known Member
In fact no, the smell is not heavy and by my experience with time, use and oil (or whatever natural lubricant) tends to decrease. I never felt the need of a deeper treatment; I wash it with hot water and start using it. The last corks I've received have been treated with hydrogen peroxide, so they are sanitized and odorless; after drilling and shaping some smell gets back but nothing annoying.Cool, is the smell that noticeable and does it wear off?
Maybe pre soaking the cork might help reduce it further?
GreenHopper
20 going on 60
Sounds perfect, I think cork is a stunning material and it sounds like you've managed to work it into an awesome VC stem.
ander
Well-Known Member
My corks smell pretty good...
. But tastes apart... non-toxic is the only thing that matters I guess, since cork is porous, and in my case the MP is in cork too. Love the DynaVap recipe: Hemp oil + bees wax.Well cork comes in many forms and qualities, and some zones are weaker... surely not an homogeneous and a somewhat delicate material. And sometimes only when the work is done (drilling, shaping) you know if the piece is good. I used vinylic glue with good results, in the lower part of the corky VC casing for example, that was kinda loose. But when heat or airflow are involved in the problem, I simply trash the defective/damaged piece and make another one.
ander
Well-Known Member
Hi Kozzmozz,
for EU, here is where I took them. There are not many companies that are ready to satisfy small requests and this is one. Take some time to look into dimensions and be sure to grab the Top Flor quality. If you do want (or don't want) the external hydrogen peroxide treatment (bleached look), be sure to specify it.
Well... no reasons to hide it anymore I guess... so yes! I'm planning it. But I need some time to upgrade some of my tools and do some more tests... a matter of weeks I presume and I'll be ready to ask for the "accessory maker" permission and start a new thread for the... CorkyVap! Or OmniCork..? Well... whatever, Corky it will be...And if that fails, do you aim to start selling these?
All under the Dynavap blessing, obviously...
Last edited:
Kozzmozz
Infinite realities, infinite possibilities
a matter of weeks I presume and I'll be ready to ask for the "accessory maker" permission and start a new thread for the... CorkyVap! Or OmniCork..? Well... whatever, Corky it will be...
All under the Dynavap blessing, obviously...
Awesome! And thanks for the link, a 100 pieces are still a bit much, will try some cork I have laying around first.
But to be honest, I will keep a close eye out on your progress and presuming you are EU based as well, I might be an early customer!
Keep it up!
Cheers
