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Permalink Reply by Don Goguen on May 12, 2010 at 11:21am

The best way to cut bottles is with a glass rated diamond blade (lapidary blade). I use one on my 4 1/2" grinder or on my tile saw (better because of the water) for cutting glass.

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Permalink Reply by Jim Mitchell on May 12, 2010 at 11:34am

I have cut them using a small metal cutting chop saw I picked up from Northern tool...

Once you have the glass cut what is the best way to finish the edge?

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Permalink Reply by Tracy Kennedy on May 12, 2010 at 11:48am

I have never made one myself but apon reading up on how to do it I have read differint methods. All the methods Ive read DO NOT guarantee successful results...breakage could occur with any method you choose. Its trial and error and the luck of the draw.....

1 Score the neck deeply with a file or glass cutter . Wrap the the bottle in a bag and whack it with or against a hard object. With any luck you will get a clean or clean enough break. clean up the edges with a file.

2 Using a stone cutting disk on your dremmal tool just slowly cut the neck of the bottle off and clean up the edges

3 Wow this sounds like fun!!! The "Burning Twine" Method...Legend says this is how a lot of the old bluesmen made their slides. Find some old hemp twine, soak it in kerosene, wrap it around the bottleneck and light it on fire. Then after it goes out, plunge it into a bucket of ice water, and, it the theory is correct, it will break off cleanly and presto, you have a great authentic bottleneck slide.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bjUoLVOpD3U
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KwX31_JgpKE

These are just a few suggestions. I would also suggest a google search "How to make a bottle neck slide" There is a wealth of info there....Good Luck!

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Permalink Reply by Tracy Kennedy on May 12, 2010 at 11:50am

I have never made one myself but apon reading up on how to do it I have read differint methods. All the methods Ive read DO NOT guarantee successful results...breakage could occur with any method you choose. Its trial and error and the luck of the draw.....

1 Score the neck deeply with a file or glass cutter . Wrap the the bottle in a bag and whack it with or against a hard object. With any luck you will get a clean or clean enough break. clean up the edges with a file.

2 Using a stone cutting disk on your dremmal tool just slowly cut the neck of the bottle off and clean up the edges

3 Wow this sounds like fun!!! The "Burning Twine" Method...Legend says this is how a lot of the old bluesmen made their slides. Find some old hemp twine, soak it in kerosene, wrap it around the bottleneck and light it on fire. Then after it goes out, plunge it into a bucket of ice water, and, it the theory is correct, it will break off cleanly and presto, you have a great authentic bottleneck slide.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bjUoLVOpD3U
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KwX31_JgpKE

These are just a few suggestions. I would also suggest a google search "How to make a bottle neck slide" There is a wealth of info there....Good Luck!

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Permalink Reply by Tracy Kennedy on May 12, 2010 at 11:51am

Oh, I neglected to ask. Did you actually expect to get a clean and usable break on your first attempt without scoring?
Or did you just feel like busting a bottle to bust a bottle?

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Permalink Reply by Sean Stimac on May 12, 2010 at 12:17pm

Tracy Kennedy said:

Oh, I neglected to ask. Did you actually expect to get a clean and usable break on your first attempt without scoring?
Or did you just feel like busting a bottle to bust a bottle?

HAHA, I just dove right in. After it it shattered to hell I realized duh I didn't score it.

BTW, the kerosene idea is badass. I'm going to do it. I'll have to dig around and see what kinds of flammable liquids I have stashed around here. Thanks.

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Permalink Reply by Roger Martin on May 13, 2010 at 3:55am

I've not tried it either, but Maybe you might consider practicing on cheap low cost bottles of some sort before you go to the good bottles ?

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Permalink Reply by Sean Stimac on May 13, 2010 at 4:11am

Roger Martin said:

I've not tried it either, but Maybe you might consider practicing on cheap low cost bottles of some sort before you go to the good bottles ?

Oh yeah, I'm not using fancy bottles. One bottle was a big bottle of tamari and the other was a wider mouthed soda bottle. I'm a cheap skate, I don't spend money on things that I don't have to, I'd rather make it if I can. These bottles were on my counter getting ready for the recycling, I grabbed them before we tossed them. I don't have kerosene, but I have plenty of zippo fluid and charcoal lighter fluid. I'll give these a try first, if they don't work I'll head on over to Gander Mountain and get some kerosene.

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Permalink Reply by Tracy Kennedy on May 13, 2010 at 4:25am

Theres always your neighbors recycled bin to get bottles out of too

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Permalink Reply by Tracy Kennedy on May 13, 2010 at 4:29am

Theres always your neighbors recycled bin to get bottles out of too

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Permalink Reply by Alan Roberts on May 13, 2010 at 8:12am

OK, here's how to neatly break FLAT glass. 1) score glass with a diamond-edged glass cutter. 2) tap glass on OPPOSITE side with the ball-shaped weighted end.

Cutting glass in the round is trickier because scoring a curved surface is a chore and you can't get inside easily to tap inside.

Years back, Ronco made a bottle cutting tool that was a good idea but a cheap piece of junk. You can get one from Target; the consumer feedback is TERRIBLE. I'll build my own and post the photos in the next few weeks.

I tried the flaming cord method and ended up with a pile of broken glass. A real mess, but strangely satisfying.

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Permalink Reply by Tracy Kennedy on May 13, 2010 at 8:35am

Alan Roberts said:

I tried the flaming cord method and ended up with a pile of broken glass. A real mess, but strangely satisfying.

Sure beats putting it in a a paper bag and whacking it

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