Cut Bottles into Glasses - Cutting Wine and Beer Bottles

Cut Bottles into Glasses - Cutting wine and beer bottles to make drinking glasses. Step-by-step tutorial on how I make glasses out of bottles. This is just my process and the way I like to cut bottles into glasses. ** UPDATE** We've also published another new short update video showing a faster way to break the bottles by spinning them in the ice water.
See our latest short video update for a QUICKER WAY TO BREAK THE BOTTLES - After dipping the bottles in the hot water for 5 to 7 seconds, immediately immerse the bottle in the ice water and SPIN the bottle in the ice water (doesn't have to be fast, just a little spinning seems to make the score line cold enough to break). I recently started doing this and am getting perfect breaks and almost complete separation on the first dip into the ice water. I did 15 thick wine bottles yesterday and almost all broke after the first dip into the ice water with spinning. Several bottles completely separated in the ice water while spinning the bottle. None of the bottles broke badly. Just make sure you have lots of ice in your cold water container and that your hot water container is slightly simmering.

How-to repurpose wine and beer bottles by upcycling them into glasses or vases. Step-by-step instructions include everything from scoring the bottles and breaking them to sanding the edges smooth.

This video is kind of fast in order to keep it under 6 minutes. Just pause when you need to read something. Thanks for watching!

Equipment List:

Safety Glasses
Gloves
Tall pot (for simmering water)
Tall plastic pitcher (for ice water)
Pliers
Ear plugs
Respirator
Drill
220 Grit Sand Paper

[Lisa_MS]

Love the fast forward effect!! I wish more folks knew the trick.

[hollysoapmaking]

Thank you, Heather!  
I've actually done several Grey Goose bottles, and they've been my favorite so far (given how thick they are, they look really pretty).  I did make a rather heavy score line on them.  But the most important thing I've found for thick glass is that the temperature difference between the ice water and hot water needs to be significant.  When doing thick glass, I make sure I have lots of ice and the water is super cold.  I also get the hot water slightly simmering.  When I get low on ice, that tends to be when I've had problems breaking the thicker bottles.  Hope this helps. Thanks for viewing my video!  

[robotxarmz]

Always use wet sandpaper if you breath that dust it's un curable damage

[hollysoapmaking]

James, Thanks for watching!  I have changed my procedure since the video was posted (see the info section).  I definitely need to do an update video. I now dip the bottles for 5 seconds in the hot water, then spin them in the cold ice water and they separate immediately.  Takes about 10 seconds total per bottle.  I've found that to be much faster now.  Before coming up with the procedure I use, I went through so many ways of trying to break the bottles.  Leaving them in the hot water for long periods actually caused the bottles to break badly (ie the bottoms would just come off if there was a seam, etc).  Thanks again for watching! :)

[LilMissTravelPants]

This is the best method I've seen so far, really beautiful work thanks!

[indianheadjerry]

Best video on making glasses out of bottles I've seen. Quick and to the point. Thank you!

[kenlewis]

I like the way the bottle sizzled when it went from hot water to cold, great sound effects.

[carlabellot]

This was so incredibly helpful! Thank you for showing and explaining all the steps! Going to try it today - wish me luck!

[nicdinecola]

Great video! You helped me speed up my process greatly!I had an elaborate setup for sanding, using my slow wet grinder, and it would take only slightly less time than hand sanding! So using the higher rpm drill sander is a revelation, thanks!

[sylviagray]

Girl, you got some serious equipment there.  Great job.  Thanks for sharing.

[Schnauzer]

I've tried the candle and ice method and most my bottled craked everywere. I've use your method and so far my results are better than before so thanks a lot for this video. I also appreciate the sanding method. Mine chiped all of my bottles. a real bummer. Now i will try yours today. Yhanks again!

[YulDlima]

Hi Holly. I like your whole setup. Im in new zealand and bottle cutters avail are a wee bit clunky... Good stuff.

[nlaffont]

Is there a way to do this, but keep the label on the bottle? I love so many of my wine labels, would love to keep them on the drinking glass.

[daniaolivapena]

I wonder if I could use this type of bottle as a to put candle wax in ?

[priyareddy]

u r therapeutic. even while doing odd things u make the environment soothing

[anikac]

I like seeing the process all the way through, especially appreciate the tips on fine-tuning. Please extend the duration of time you will allow the text to remain on the screen. I had trouble reading the text completely while also paying attention to what you’ve demonstrated. Maybe give it all a column to the left, White background with black to text? Easier to read. It can stay up while that procedure is taking place and the other 2/3 of the screen. Sometimes, I wished for a little better angle.
Your video is among the ones I liked the best, and I like the way your project turned out. Thanks so much for filling these to me. I wanted to do this for a long time, But didn’t know how to get a great result!

[derrickhill]

Thanks for the excellent tutorial. New sub here.

[manamealane]

This is amazing. Where can I get the scorer tool from?

[troystarlin]

Does anybody know how to keep the labels from falling off when you are using for glass and you are washing them?

[darkhunter]

Приспособа со стеклорезом понравилась =) Я горящей веревкой режу. Но там надо веревку спускать на 5 - 7 мм ниже линии стеклореза, чтоб ровно отрезало