Beer bottle glasses

Interested to see this as well. I tried the yarn and fire method with a wine bottle last year and didn't get a thing.
I've seen methods like that, with glass cutter, and a couple other ways and want to see what's best. I have a bunch of bottles I'd like to try that with.

 

I've been doing this for almost a year, with varying amounts of success. The Kinkajou cutter works well, but I have also used a G2 glass cutter (http://www.amazon.com/Generation-Green-g2-Bottle-Cutter/dp/B004ZRV3AU). I use boiling water and ice water to separate the bottles after scoring them. I have tried over 20 Stone bottles and have only had one work. They are by far the most temperamental of the bomber bottles I've tried. New Belgium Lips of Faith have worked best for me.

As for sanding, that is definitely an art, but I have gotten much better at it. I work part time as a movie theatre projectionist, and I sand my bottles at work.

If anyone has any empties that they'd be willing to part with, I would pay to have them shipped to me in Colorado. I'd also throw in a finished glass or two!

Here are some pictures of my glasses:

 

I used to work in the QC lab of a glass company that made bottles, and I had to cut slivers from the sides of the bottles for a light refraction test. (I think that's what I was doing - it's been 30+ years since I did that job.) You'll have to have a special tool made to accomplish this, but after scoring the outline of the sliver that I wanted I had an angled metal rod (maybe a 20 degree angle about 2-3 inches from the end) that was about 16" long that had a metal ball (~3/8 inch dia.) welded at the tip nearest the angle. After scoring I just had to insert the ball end of the rod into the bottle and sharply tap the backside of the score. Usually I'd get an accurate break, but it wasn't necessarily a clean break. You'd probably have to use a propane torch to melt the rough edges smooth for drinking.

 

Thanks, Marty! I have a few that have dips, too. The New Belgium Biere de Garde is pretty recognizable, but I still use it. I didn't feel like sanding all the way down. Plus, it goes along with the Lips of Faith beers: you need lips of faith if you're drinking from a glass that isn't even all the way around!

I use a Dremel with sanding discs, starting with 60, then 120, then 240. It's probably overkill, but after the Dremel, I use the following grit sandpaper: 50, 80, 220, 320, 400, 600, 1500. I ruined two of the Woot Stout bottles, but I have one of each of the three versions (what an amazing beer!) that will stay whole. Check out Hopworks Urban Brewery's Galactic Imperial Red; that is one of the coolest bottles I've ever seen. Their Ace of Spades DIPA is really cool, too. When I scored that one, I noticed that there is a skull embossed on the inside of the bottle. A nice little touch that adds more character to the bottle and makes for an even better glass.

I'd be happy to trade cutting and sanding tips with anyone. This has become a great hobby. Marty, l'm interested to see how the wet saw works. I'd like to try that in the future.

 

Seeing you guys talk about this and seeing a thread on another forum convinced me. I'm planning on going to Home Depot anyway tonight, I may pick up a glass cutter. Do you (anyone) recommend or disrecommend any of the styles?
I have an idea on how to make a straight cut, so the next question of course will be in sanding and smoothing the cuts. plain old wet-dry sandpaper works best, you say?

 

Good luck with it! The glasses aren't ideal for getting the full aromas from certain beers, but they are great for repurposing interesting bottles and as conversation pieces.

As for the glass cutter, I've used the Kinkajou (http://www.bottlecutting.com/collections/types?q=Bottle+Cutter) and the G2 (http://www.amazon.com/Generation-Green-g2-Bottle-Cutter/dp/B004ZRV3AU). Both have advantages and disadvantages. Make sure you score the bottles on a flat surface if you use the G2 (I tried scoring some on my deck, and the results were not good). The G2 is less expensive. Regardless of which one you use, practice on bottles you don't mind losing because you probably won't be successful your first few tries. I went through at least 10 bottles before I got one to work. I'm not sure if Home Depot has the G2 or something similar, but I would definitely recommend getting a cutter specifically designed for cutting bottles. When I first started, I tried with a normal glass cutter, and it did not work at all.

I use silicon carbide sand paper. People at Lowe's and Home Depot looked at me like I had 3 heads when I asked if they sold this kind of sand paper. Ace Hardware is where I've found all the sand paper I use. The 50 and 80 grits are about $3 per sheet, but you can cut those to fit your needs. When I first started, I cut 3.5" squares and set them on a hard surface as I ground the bottles down. It works for big, jagged edges, but is pretty tiring. A Dremel work fantastically, but it took a while to find the right speed. If you go too fast with the sanding discs, you will start to tear out little bits of glass, which defeats the purpose of sanding.

It's all about trial and error. You'll find what technique works best for you, but this is how I've had the best results.

 

I bought the G2 bottle cutter, and used the Kinkajou of pouring boiling water then cold water over the score line. It worked perfectly on the first three bottles (N vs. U, Fresh Hop and Broo Doo). Then , I tried cutting my 3 Stone bottles. All three cracked and broke uneven. You guys weren't kidding about the Stone bottles being so hard to cut!

 

As a proud owner of one of these glasses from Argyle324, I can attest to the quality of the cuts and sanding. He does some great work. As good or better than anything produced in a factory by machines.

 

I think this would be best with etched bottles for obvious reasons.

 

It is possible with labeled bottles, but they have to be positioned right and you need to watch yourself when sanding and with how much water hits them when making the break. I've been making and selling candles out of these for a bit. Lots of trial and error! Also, I recommend just sucking it up and getting a bottle cutter (g2 is nice and cheap on Amazon) if you want a smooth, even break line. Otherwise you'll be sanding forever. Also, if you're making a lot, use eye, nose and mouth protection. Tiny shards of glass (as in microscopic) can be incredibly detrimental to your health.

 

I suggest not using paper labeled bottles because the label will fall off after a couple washes. Etched bottles like Stone won't have this issue.

 

I was thinking about some of the label bottles for candles or smaller drinking glasses. I haven't tried it yet, but plan on trying to put some mod podge over the label first before cutting it, think that would protect the label?

 

I'd go with a spray on acrylic. You should always hand wash, but that should seal the ink into the label. The mod podge may smear the inks.

 

Ahh great call. I wasn't thinking about it smearing the ink, but I imagine that is truly possible. I guess it would depend all on the type of label and ink used. I will definitely have to try that. I want to make candles out of some 12 ozer's. Do you use the candle making kit to make the candle itself?

 

I don't have a kit, actually, since I make them for sale. I buy bulk wax chips and make them at home You can get kits easily at any craft store, though!

 

This is the absolute best tutorial on this that I have seen - I haven't tried it myself, yet, but this will certainly be the first thing that I do try:

He gives a lot of valuable information as to why these other methods have such low success rates. If anyone tries this, let us know how it goes!

 

Im a glassblower by trade and Im often asked to make these kinds of things for wedding centerpieces and drinking glasses. I use a 60 dollar wet tile saw. The running water decreases the friction and also changes way the harmonics transmit through the glass so the will crack less. Then just smooth the edge. I use a lapidary wheel but a dremel works just fine. This is for sure more $$$ than the yarn and string method but it's tried a true.

Hope that helps. Especially if your trying to make a bunch. OH and rotate the glass into the blade for a smoother cut.