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 will be satisfactory.
How to Drill Glass
Get a piece of steel wire and file to shape of a 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 art colors on top of 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.
Related Articles
Jewelry From "Ordinary" Treasures
Almost everyone has a box of sparkling old buttons from Grandma's sewing chest to marvel at, or set of dominoes, checkers or mah-jongg pieces rescued from a flea market.
Our Multipage Plastics Report
In order to prepare a foam of given density, thoroughly mix Polylite 8601 with the necessary amount of Catalyst R1 and water.
How to Cash in with Simple Formulas
You can copy any of these Formulas and sell to other Agents, or put them together in packages - under your own name - and sell to Agents.
Six Simple Plastics Formulas
This is the age of plastics! One of the most amazing developments in this age of wonders . . . NEW developments and discoveries are constantly being made in the plastic field. Here is a truly rich field for experimentation.
Flexible Mold Compound
This new mold material is much superior to ordinary gelatin (mold glue) and is very easily made. It does not shrink or dry out like ordinary casting gelatins.
Fishing Bait - 10 Oil-Based Formulas
Mix together 5 parts oil of rhodium and 2 parts oil of cumin.
Acid Test for Gold
If you wish to find out if a piece of jewelry is made of gold, touch it with a glass stopper which has been wetted with nitric acid.
Homemade Kentucky Beer (15 Gallons)
Use 15 gallon plastic garbage can with clip on lid. You need:
How You Can Color Fireplace Flames
If you enjoy sitting around your fireplace and watching colorful flames dance, you'll be happy to know you can color your own flames quite cheaply. Basically, there are three methods of coloring fireplace flames.
"Lenz-Brite" Liquid Eyeglass Cleaner And "Anti-Fog"
This product is a small plastic vial with screw cap, in which a piece of chemically saturated folded felt is packed.