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Cutting rings from bottles

Posted: Mon Mar 01, 2004 8:56 am
by Denise S
My mom wants to cut rings of about 1 1/2" from wine bottles and slump them in her ceramic kiln to make windchimes. She tried a bottle cutter and says too many rings break and it's way to slow. (Mom's not computer literate enough to ask the board- she gets on CNN, email, that's about it--plus, she's in Phoenix and I'm in Florida)

I suggested she try a tile saw. Think that would work? The idea is to cut the rings and lay them flat and slump, or just melt the heck out of them. They look pretty strung up. Somebody figures it out years ago, because I have a set of those chimes.

Oh, also, she wants to know what cone to fire at. I have NO idea. Any help? Maybe a cone-temp chart is around somewhere?

thanks so much!!

Posted: Mon Mar 01, 2004 1:03 pm
by rosanna gusler
somewhere between 013 and 015 will melt them. a tile saw works great. i rotate the bottle into the blade to cut rings. put your cut rings directly into a pan of soapy water so the ground glass will not stick and dry. wash and fire. use eye protection shards tend to fly when cutting bottles. rosanna

Posted: Mon Mar 01, 2004 1:30 pm
by Kathie Karancz
Hey Rosanna:
What would those temps work out in my glass kiln??
Do you have a schedule??
Thanks :-k

Posted: Mon Mar 01, 2004 2:15 pm
by rosanna gusler
i melt float and bottle glass around 1530f. that is full flat fuse. it varies as to how flat do you want it. also using borax on the top cut edge makes for a prettier melt. rosanna

Tile Saw

Posted: Mon Mar 01, 2004 6:23 pm
by Scotty
Hi All, Been staring at the tile saws in Home Depot every time I walk in. Should I just by one of them & do I need a special blade for cutting glass instead of tile? Thanks You'All.

Posted: Mon Mar 01, 2004 7:12 pm
by Judy Schnabel
Scotty,

I bought the el-cheapo tile saw from Home Depot about two months ago and am totally happy with it. I don't plan to do production work with it so I figured I didn't need the top of the line. I've cut pattern bars and trimmed 1/4" float glass with it and have had no problems.

Judy

Posted: Mon Mar 01, 2004 7:26 pm
by bkrgrl@aol.com
We slump wine bottles all the time in a ceramic kiln-cone 016 and yes there is a conversion chart for cones to temperatures. I typed in cone/temperature conversion chart on a search engine and got one. Can't remember the site,but not hard to find-good luck Gayle

Posted: Mon Mar 01, 2004 7:28 pm
by charlie