' Bindu Studio Bottle Cutting 101 '

Instruction Guide: How to a Cut Glass Bottle

/ With the Bindu Studio Bottle Cutter

Note: Cutting a glass bottle is not difficult. Just like cutting a flat piece of glass is not difficult.
However there is a learning curve.

Work Smart - Wear Eye Protection

1: Scoring the Bottle

We do not 'cut glass' but score it, creating a minute fissure and then separate it at that point.
Our objective is to score and separate the bottle so that the resulting cut edge has a good quality surface,
as free as possible of nicks and chips.

Start with a Clean Bottle

Be sure there is no label, glue, dirt or contaminates at the point where the cutting wheel
will come in contact with the bottle.

At Bindu Studio we soak our bottles in water to loosen the labels and the glue. Then with the use of a
single edge razor blade, mounted in a razor scraper, the labels come off fairly easily.
After the label and glue have been removed use a scrub pad and a little detergent to finish the job.

You can score a bottle with the label still attached, or even a dirty bottle, just be sure it is clean at the
point where the scoring wheel will come in contact with the bottle.
 Position the Bottle on the Tool

We suggest you start with a standard circular wine bottle.

It is easiest to adjust the Bindu Studio Bottle Cutter when it is sitting flat on the surface
of the work table. Adjustments can be done by hand, no tools necessary.

Length Adjustment

Set the back stop at the rear of the tool. Support the rear of the bottle with the rear base at a location
where the rollers can rotate around the bottle without any obstructions.
Set the front base with turret, at the point that corresponds to the location that the bottle is to be scored
when it is resting on the tool.

Width Adjustment

To increase or decrease the width support, loosen the top knurled nut on the lift, then remove the bottom
screw, pivot the lift and replace the screw. Most bottles will fit the middle lift width position.

Turret Adjustment

Loosen the turret screw and rotate the turret body so that a cutting wheel will come in full contact with the
bottle. Care should be taken when adjusting the turret. Do not over loosen -as the six small cutting wheels
are free floating on the turret body axle pins.

This position as seen above with the bottle cutter and the bottle facing the operator from the side is the
best position to use when scoring a bottle. It allows both hands easy access to the top of the bottle for
easy rotation and maintaining proper pressure throughout the full 360 degrees.

Rotate the Bottle to Create a Score Line

A) The glass surface along the line of the cut must be clean.
B) The small scoring wheel must roll freely and be in direct contact with the glass.

Put a drop of cutting fluid on the cutting wheel. This will help in the scoring process
and lubricate the cutting wheel axle.
You can use light machine oil, kerosene or a 50/50 mix.
Be sure the bottle cutter is on a non-slip surface. Stand in a comfortable work position with good stability.
 Rotate the bottle 360 degrees with a light even downward pressure. Keep an even speed and keep the
back of the bottle against the back stop.

The best score is free of glass chips and barely visible when looking at the glass surface.
When the score becomes a white gritty line or if chips and glass dust are created then too much pressure
was applied. The resulting score is a gouge, not a fissure.

Some practice is required to get the feel and the proper pressure without crushing the glass.
It is essential to maintain the proper force uniformly throughout the full length of the score. If the pressure
varies then the depth of the fissure will vary and affect the quality of the separation.

This requires practice but the technique is easily learned.

Do not rescore over a score line. A score line can only be made once.

You now have a score line around the bottle at the point where it is to be separated.

2: Separating the Bottle

Heating the Score Line

Rotate the score line of the bottle directly over the flame of a candle for approximately 25 - 35 seconds.
The bottle should make approximately 3 revolutions.

Cooling the Score Line

Now rotate the bottles score line under cold running tap water for the same amount of time.

Do not force the bottle apart, let it separate on its own. Be sure to give the bottle the full amount of time
under the running tap water. It will almost always separate under the water, not over the flame.

You are after an even distribution of heating and cooling around the score line. If it does not separate on
the first try repeat the process.
A slight amount of flexing or a small pull apart is okay.

Adapt the timing of the heating and cooling to wall thickness, bottle circumference and bottle shape.

*There are other techniques to separate a bottle, heat and cool a score line.

Example: Submerse your scored bottle in a container of hot water, not quite boiling, and then in a
container of ice cold water. Repeat if necessary.

The separation process is a craft of its own. You will improve with experience and knowledge.

3: Cleaning the Cut Edge

At Bindu Studio we use silicon carbide sandpaper to clean and smooth the cut edge of our glass bottles.

It is an economical, cost effective and versatile option. Available in sheet, disc and belt form,
with grit sizes ranging from 80 to 400.

You can use it wet, which increases the longevity of the paper, improves performance
and keeps the dust down.
 We Recommend a Dust Mask When Sanding

Generally we start with a 80 or 100 grit paper to remove all the uneven properties of the cut surface.
Then finish up with a 180 or 220 grit. If you are after a more polished edge you would then
proceed to a 400 grit etc.

Sandpaper is large enough to cover the entire surface of a cut bottle this allows you to sand the complete
surface simultaneously, thus keeping it uniformly flat.

* The use of an electric sander will make cleaning the cut edge much quicker and easier.

- General Notes

Not every bottle will separate cleanly. Some will be unusable. It is a good idea to have more bottles on
hand than your project requires. Broken bottles are recyclable.

If the bottle is not separating cleanly, then the scoring process or the separation, heating and cooling
process needs to be improved.
If the bottle is showing fracture lines when separating, then you are applying to much pressure when
scoring, or you are over heating when separating.

Thinner walled bottles can be difficult. Do not apply to much pressure when scoring.
Thicker walled bottles may require more time in the heating and cooling process.

The Bindu Studio Bottle Cutter is adaptable.

The bases, lifts and stops can be interchanged. The lifts / turret can go on either of the bases.
The rollers and turret can go on either side of the lifts, etc.
Feel free to move the parts around to fit the bottle and the circumstances.

- Advanced Techniques
Odd shaped bottles square, oval, etc. require concentration and good eye-hand coordination. Some
bottles will not always rotate in the support cradle, but ride on top of the rollers.
Keep the score line continuous and the bottle against the Back Stop. Practice, some skill is required.

The separation of some odd shaped bottles might not be as clean as with a standard circular bottle.
Therefore more cleaning of the cut edge may be required.

Not every bottle can be scored. Sharp corners, acute slopes, severe shapes, raised lettering, etc.

When scoring a bottle on the sloping neck area it may be helpful to shim the bottom turret lift screws,
-washers will work, adjusting the angle of the lift / turret to match the slope of the bottle.

When scoring a bottle on a sloped surface, and the washer faced turret screw is interfering,
contacting the bottle', replace it with the standard turret screw. Included.

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