This is a super simple No Turn Bottle Opener project is a great that can be ready for you BBQ this weekend. And its one that you can easily make for a gift at the last minute (ok you do need time for the finish to dry…).

If you are like me since the introduction of craft beer I am always looking for a bottle opener. And while I do have a few commercial ones around they seem too cold and clinical. Hence, I am usually on the lookout for a better alternative. Well, the No Turn Bottle Opener fits the bill and will impress your friends with its simplicity and warmth.

Tools and Materials

For the project you only need a few tools. A saw, a drill with a 5/16” (assuming you use the same hardware I did), and possibly a handplane for rounding the edges – though you could use a file and sandpaper.) I’m using a Ridgid Oscillating Sander and some hand sanding to finish it off.

With respect to materials you will need the opener hardware (link below) and a 6’ to 7” chunk of wood about 1” x 1-1/4”. A locally harvested tree branch is a great source or a piece of firewood.

Layout and Cutting

Your first step is to layout a piece or pieces about 1” to 1-1/4” wide and about 6” to 7” long. Cut one or several depending on how many you want to make. Be careful doing these cuts and make sure you piece is fully supported. And, because you are cutting smaller pieces a handsaw or backsaw would be the best choice for this operation.

Drilling the Hole

First you will need to mark the center of the piece. This is a challenge because you part will probably look like a wonky trapezoid. You will need to eyeball the approximate center and use and awl to mark it for the drill point. The hardware I’m using mic’d at 0.3380 inches. A 5/16” hole will be a perfect fit. Mark your drill with masking tape at a depth about ¼” deeper than the length of the threaded portion of the part. Then drill your hole and test fit the metal opener.

Contouring Edges

At this point you need to contour the edges of the handle to make it a comfortable fit. There are several ways to make this happen, sandpaper and a file is the old school way. A whittling knife works great or you can use a handplane. Or you can use a bench top Oscillating Sander. Mine is a Rigid.

Sanding

The Bottle Opener handle does require some sanding after contouring. The outside usually has rough spots that can be taken off with quickly 150 grit or 220 grit sandpaper in an orbital sander.

You will need to get into areas the Orbital Sander just won’t reach or do a good job on. For this I too 220 grit sandpaper and backed it with Duck Tape to allow easy sanding of the contours. Then I and finish it off with 320 Grit. The tape adds flexibility and keeps the edges of the sandpaper from tearing. Sand out any unevenness left by the contouring. Be sure you sand and chamfer the ends too.

Finishing

With sanding complete, wipe the dust off the handle and grab some stain, varnish, or other finish of your choice. I chose a Boiled Linseed Oil as it looks good and dries fast. A quick wipe on and wipe off then some dry time. I applied three coats with about 30 minutes of drying in between.

Assembly

Ok last step for our No Turn Bottle Opener project. We need to epoxy the opener into the handle. So I used JB Weld 5 Minute Epoxy, you can choose your own. Mix according to the direction – mine was 1:1 and apply it to the threads. You shouldn’t need much as (in my case) it is a tight fit.

Screw the opener into the handle and pay close attention to the orientation of the opener relative to the handle. Try to have a “kind of” square handle so orient the opener for ease of use. Once you’ve got it screwed in and positioned slap on a coat of paste wax as a final layer of protection.

Congratulations

If you tried this project – Wahoo – you are done!! Be sure to show off this project at your next party or BBQ and let EVERYONE know you made it. Oh, and tell them they can have one too for $15!