How to Make an Antique Bottle Tumbler

Antique bottles can be used in various ways around your home.

Antique bottles come in a variety of shapes, sizes and colors and can posses a unique and nostalgic charm not found on modern bottles. Rather than keeping this elegant gem on a shelf, you may enjoy turning it into a tumbler so that you can use and enjoy it every day. The process is easier than it sounds and requires the use of a wet saw and sand paper.

Things You'll Need

• Dish soap
• Scrub brush
• Wet tile saw
• Masking tape
• Felt tip pen
• Water
• Sand paper

Instructions

1. Soak the antique bottle in a sink filled with warm water and dish soap for about an hour. This allows the inside as well as the outside to become clean. You can also use a skinny scrub-brush that contains a long handle to scrub the inside of the bottle. Rinse it thoroughly with warm water after you have cleaned it.

2. Rent or purchase a wet tile saw. These types of saws can be pricey, so if you are planning to only use it once in a while you may want to opt for renting rather than buying. Many tool stores provide renting options.

3. Mark the place that you want to cut the glass with a piece of masking tape or felt tip pen.

4. Place safety goggles over your eyes and if you choose, wear gloves to prevent any cuts on your hands.

5. Fill the wet saw trough with water. Turn the saw on to high speed and line the mark on the bottle up to the moving blade. The saw will release water as it cuts the glass; the water prevents the glass from becoming too hot while being cut.

6. Turn the bottle in a clockwise motion until the entire circumference is cut. Turn the saw off.

7. Smooth out the cut edge with sandpaper until the entire cut circumference is smooth enough to press against your lips and mouth. Start with a coarse grit sandpaper and finish with a finer grit.

References

• Antique Bottles: Antique Bottle Collector's Haven