Cutting and polishing wine bottles

**CurGaNeLLi** · 01-07-2009, 02:48 PM

im working on a project that i need to cut the wine bottles in half and then some how polish the edge... i have a wet saw to cut the bottles with, but im looking for a way to polish the cut edges... ive never worked with wine bottles before. can i put them in the kiln and flame polish them? if so what temp should i bring them up to and how long do they take to cool down...

**sertaiz** · 01-07-2009, 03:00 PM

id just grind/buff them a bit, no need for heat

**FredLight** · 01-07-2009, 03:44 PM

that's true, just polish with 400,600 and fluffy wheel with cerium oxide.

But, if you want to use the kiln and the hand torch and maybe a graphite plate..
Try 980 f for starters and they can cool relatively quickly but I would not crash cool them.

**CurGaNeLLi** · 01-07-2009, 03:51 PM

where would i get the stuff i need to sand and polish them...

**michaeL25** · 01-07-2009, 03:51 PM

If you flame polish glass which was cut with a saw it will develop an opaque scuzz finish. It won't be sharp, but it also won't be very attractive. If you want to flame polish, you'd want to get a clean break using a score and snap type technique.

**CurGaNeLLi** · 01-07-2009, 04:07 PM

well it looks like im going the wet saw and grinding route, im trying to get everything together i need to do the sanding and buffing. im just not sure what the best tools for this are.

**Greymatter Glass** · 01-07-2009, 04:31 PM

sand paper 220/400/600 grit silicon carbide

Denim or 100% cotton T-shirt material + cerium oxide and a bit of water (make a thick paste) for the final. Stretch it over a thick sheet of something ultra-smooth. Glass works well.

For an ultra finish shine you can rub it directly on a glass sheet (glass to glass w/ a bit of cerium)

I would NOT use a buffing wheel, too much heat and rotational mass - easy way to cut yourself or break the glass, or both.

You could also take it to a glazers shop, they may be able to help ya.

**Greymatter Glass** · 01-07-2009, 04:32 PM

You can also use loose grit and float glass... just keep everything moving, the float glass will grind too.

**michaeL25** · 01-07-2009, 04:46 PM

you need a lapidary wheel for the grinding/polishing part. if you have a clean cut from a wet saw you should start with 600 grid diamond, then 1200 grit then a polishing pad to bring out the shine. I only have a felt type polish pad, but i would imaging you would want something more like a shag carpet to smooth down the edges a little and use cerilium power as recommended by fred.

your best bet it likely to find a good used unit, but i got my little 8 inch lap wheel from ameritool. it's on the cheep side, but it does the job.

**Greymatter Glass** · 01-07-2009, 05:21 PM

You don't HAVE to have a lap wheel, it just makes things a whole lot less messy and easier.

You can throw loose grit on a sheet of lexan plastic and go to town, you'll just have to move your arms, instead of holding the bottle flat against a moving surface. It will take longer, but only costs like $5 to set up.

wet/dry sand paper will also work, but it's pretty sloppy, and the paper will wear out quickly (ideally you're using emery cloth, but even that wears out quickly compared to diamond flat laps)