How to Make Lamps and Vases from Bottles

HOW TO MAKE LAMPS AND VASES FROM BOTTLES

HOW TO CUT GLASS WITHOUT A DIAMOND CUTTER:

Method 1: Dip a piece of common string in alcohol or kerosene and squeeze dry or as dry as it will get without dripping. This string should then be placed on the already marked glass and tied tight. Light the string and let it burn off. Immediately, while the glass is still hot, plunge it into cold water. Be sure the container of water is large enough to let the glass go completely under as well as your arm up to the elbow, so as to deaden the vibration when you strike the glass. Strike the glass with your other hand outside the line of cutting using a stick of wood and hitting a sharp stroke. This quick, sharp stroke will break the glass where it has been weakened by the burning string into a clean cut as if done by a regular glass cutter. This method may be used to cut bottles in any shape and to make vases and to perform many such cuttings on glass.

Method 2: Here is a method that rarely fails to break the glass clean in the place you want it broke. First, scratch the glass with the corner of a file or sharp graver. Have a piece of wire bent to the desired shape you want to cut the glass. Heat the wire red hot and lay it upon the scratch. Sink the glass into cold water just deep enough to come on a level with the wire, not quite covering it. The glass will break clean.

HOW TO CUT GLASS WITH SCISSORS: To do this you must place the glass under water completely, then with a pair of ordinary scissors, proceed to cut the glass as you would paper or cloth. This method is, of course, not as smooth as job as the methods described above. The edges will not be as smooth, but for getting a piece of glass down to size and where the edges are not needed to be smooth, this method is satisfactory.

HOW TO DRILL GLASS: Get a piece of steel wire and file to shape of drill. This must be tempered as follows: Heat the end of the drill on a flame until it is dull red, then place it in metallic mercury. This drill, tempered in this manner will bore through glass as easily as through soft metal. When using in glass, always use oil of turpentine with a little camphor added to lubricate the drill. As you drill, be careful not to drill clear through from one side as you will break the glass this way. Drill partly, or almost through, then start from the opposite side and finish the hole. Or, if you cannot do this, as when you are drilling bottles, etc.. fill this bottle with water or place the glass in water.

CAUTION: When you make the drill, do not make the cutting edges so sharp or too acute. The drill will cut slowly but you will have better holes with less breakage.

BONUS: Rainbow colors for bottles, vases, etc: Use floating art colors obtainable from most paint stores. Take a pail and fill it with water and drop a few drops of several different colors on top of the water. Now, take any article you wish colored and dip down through the colors, slowly back and forth. You now have a rainbow colored article. You can color bottles, vases, and many articles this way.