It took me several tries to get this glass cutting down, and my cuts are still jagged. If you're looking for a cleaner cut, try the boiling water method, or perhaps try using a dremel tool.
Materials Needed:
Recycled wine bottles
Cotton String
Acetone
Bucket of COLD water
Matches or lighter
Sand paper
Directions:
Be careful. There is an obvious burn risk with this project. Be sure to wear goggles and gloves. In any case, here's the tutorial.
- Fill bucket with cold water.
- Soak the string in acetone and wrap it around the bottle several times.
- Light the string on fire and rotate the bottle so that all sides are heated evenly.
- When the acetone is about to burn out, place the bottle in the water. It should split where your string was.
- Sand down rough edges.
Thanks for the link!
ReplyDeleteCan I ask how you smooth your edges? this is still a challenge for me.
Hey there. I had a really hard time with this technique in the beginning, and broke almost all of the wine bottles. I started using a direct flame (with a little propane tank), and this improved the technique quite a bit. I've started using sand paper to dull the sharp edges. They're still sharp, but not nearly as much as they were previously.
DeleteI found this comment in response to my post. I appreciate the feedback and insight, so would like to share:
ReplyDeleteLet me break it down to be a little bit easier for everyone with just a tiny bit more upstart cost.
Downsides to this method: Total cost of materials ~$44
Upsides: Much cleaner cut which means less sanding Much better chance of saving the top of the bottle Much safer than using matches or flames Much quicker
Here we go:
1. First buy your scoring device: http://tinyurl.com/bo249me This is your cost essentially. With the glass "cutting" tool you will first score the bottle with essentially a scratch. Try to be as smooth as possible while cutting it. Use even pressure when using the device.
2. Get some hot water. I typically like to get the water up to 180° F
3. Run cool (not cold) tap water under a faucet.
4. Take your scored bottle and first cool it with the tap water along the score.
5. Take the bottle completely out of the running stream and pour a small steady stream of your heated water over the score.
Alternate between step 4 and 5.
What this does and why it is better: You are using smaller extremes of heat and cold thus the glass is less likely to crack along the impurities which glass contains. It may take a bit longer than the fire method (It takes me about 5 minutes to split a bottle) but you will notice that the top half of the bottle is in tact generally. You will have a large amount of saved time overall because sanding is nearly not required. I am able to create glasses to drink from in about 30 minutes of smoothing the top with a very fine glass sanding block. (Caution: glass shards suck, use gloves/mask/eye protection, seriously)
This is a hobby that I got into about a year ago. I found that using bottles that have never been refrigerated work the best, think of extremes of temperature again and the imperfections. When I started my success rate of keeping a quality bottle was about 1 in 4, now I am at about 1 in 2. I toss bottles that are not perfectly or near perfectly separated.
I am sure you would know how to cut a hole into a glass bottle about the size of a nickel a couple of inches from the bottom of the bottle. Can you help me out?
ReplyDeleteCraft lover
Hi there! I'm sorry it took me a while to respond. I was on vacation.
DeleteI haven't cut holes into wine bottles, but from what I can tell, most drill them. Here's one link that may be helpful: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf/Craft_Projects/Home_Decor/Making-a-Wine-Bottle-Lamp.html
Good luck!
Hi there, we have been trying this method for about three weeks. We have yet to be successful :( We have tried every type of string we can find from yarn to twin and we have tried nail polish remover to alcohol!
ReplyDeletewe have scored the bottles not scored the bottles! we have used cold water and ice cubes! We have tried blow dryers. NOTHING is working :(
Do you have any advice? I need to make roughly 100 cut bottles so I can make candles for my wedding favors
thanks
Hi Shauna. Wow, that sounds FRUSTRATING! I had the same issue in the beginning, and sometimes still do. For me it seemed to depend on the bottle. But honestly, the scoring device (referred to in my later comment) resulted in a more consistent success rate. It only costs $44, so it's potentially worth the upfront purchase. How have you been scoring your bottles? Also, once you cut the glass, it's a process sanding them down for actual use...
ReplyDeleteYeah, this didn't work for me. Too many cracks up and down from the string line.
ReplyDeleteThis worked for me! All trial and error. Check out my post here!
ReplyDeletehttp://imake2.blogspot.fr/2013/01/diy-glasses-from-bottles.html
Thanks for sharing! I checked out your tutorial - very nice photos with clear directions. Great job!
DeleteCan this be done with jam jars ? Wanting to take the screw part off the too of the jam jars and reuse them for tealight holders for a wedding
ReplyDeleteGood question. I haven't had any luck when I've tried using pint jars, but perhaps you will have luck with smaller, contained jars.
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