Ideas for Breaking Bottles

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tgotch
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Ideas for Breaking Bottles

Post by tgotch »

I am trying to break wine bottles to get large chunks of glass to do some fusing. I have recently tried to wrap the bottle in a plastic bag, and strike it with a hammer. The result more shattering, with a lot of small pieces, and very few large pieces.

Any ideas of how I can break these bottles and get larger pieces of glass?
Valerie Adams
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Re: Ideas for Breaking Bottles

Post by Valerie Adams »

Looking at your website, it appears you must be using a tile saw to cut bottles. Can't you just chop them up in bigger sizes with your saw?
tgotch
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Re: Ideas for Breaking Bottles

Post by tgotch »

Valerie Adams wrote:Looking at your website, it appears you must be using a tile saw to cut bottles. Can't you just chop them up in bigger sizes with your saw?
I could, but that is a bit time consuming, plus I am looking for more of a "broken" look.
Brock
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Re: Ideas for Breaking Bottles

Post by Brock »

Score. Tap. Break . . .
Laurie Spray
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Re: Ideas for Breaking Bottles

Post by Laurie Spray »

Would it work tomheat it in the kiln then dunk into a bucket of cold water?? Never tried it but might be interesting.........
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Morganica
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Re: Ideas for Breaking Bottles

Post by Morganica »

As Brock said. Make a few random scores on the clean bottle, then stick it in your plastic bag and whack it with the hammer. It'll still break, but the scores will relieve some of the shattering.

You could also try dropping it on a corner of a concrete stair from about 3 feet up. When I do that the bottle always breaks, and there goes the wine...
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Tom Fuhrman
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Re: Ideas for Breaking Bottles

Post by Tom Fuhrman »

also try scoring and then put in a box and hit it with a sharp flame from a torch. It should give you nice larger pieces.
bob proulx
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Re: Ideas for Breaking Bottles

Post by bob proulx »

Tom Fuhrman wrote:also try scoring and then put in a box and hit it with a sharp flame from a torch. It should give you nice larger pieces.
That' how I do it.
Bob
Peter Angel
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Re: Ideas for Breaking Bottles

Post by Peter Angel »

Hitting it with a hammer is applying too much force.

Try putting it in a plastic bag, tying a knot in the plastic bag, and dropping it from a moderate height onto a hard surface eg stand on a chair and drop it on it's side onto concrete.
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Re: Ideas for Breaking Bottles

Post by rosanna gusler »

Torch
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Brock
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Re: Ideas for Breaking Bottles

Post by Brock »

"Hitting it with a hammer is applying too much force."

That might just depend how hard you hit it, doncha think?
Kevin Midgley
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Re: Ideas for Breaking Bottles

Post by Kevin Midgley »

Isn't doncha think the sound of a correctly scored and struck bottle breaking? :lol:
Tammy Macdonald
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Re: Ideas for Breaking Bottles

Post by Tammy Macdonald »

Kevin Midgley wrote:Isn't doncha think the sound of a correctly scored and struck bottle breaking? :lol:
I'd guess the correct spelling would be -- doncha TINK :roll:
Tod
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Re: Ideas for Breaking Bottles

Post by Tod »

For fun & in the name of science, you could also try lighting up your propane torch and hit the bottle with the flame...
Maybe fry it in a pan like we used to do with marbles?
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