Over the years I have found myself in situations where I have needed to cut a hole in glass bottles or just glass. From craft projects for the kids, to fixing up the garage, to helping my friend make wind chimes out of soda bottles, we’ve laid out our top 3 methods! Here’s how to make a hole in a glass bottle! Remember that all methods will require a bit of patience, so be sure to set aside some time to complete your project!
Method 1
By far the Diamond drill works better! YOU can buy them from a number of different places, we have found eBay to be the cheapest! Be sure to cover the bottom of the bottle with tape, leaving an open circular shape in the desired location. Please continue to use your drill at a very low speed! Be patient! You can also pick up some drilling oil to help with the whole cut. * Water works too!
Method 2
Using a round tapered file and a drill. My husband refers to it as the rat tail file. Anyway, you need to get some turpentine and put some in a little oil can that has one of those spout lids. You’ll use it to apply requests between submissions. This is a slow process, so be sure to use the slowest setting on your drill. Remember to let the friction of the file do the work, don’t try to speed up the process by pushing down firmly.
Method 3
Duct tape and a lighter! I haven’t personally tried this, but my friend swears by it. He makes a lot of glass wind chimes and says this is the only way to do it. It’s easy and almost free! First, he covers the bottom of his bottle with tape. Remove the desired circle, then be sure to moisten the surrounding edges of the tape, along with your fingers. *She suggests having a glass of water handy, so if your fingers get hot you can dip them in the glass. Next, use your lighter and heat the bottom of the bottle, and once it’s very hot, drop it directly into cold water. Sometimes your circle won’t break all the way, but you can finish it off with a file or ball-peen hammer!
All of the above methods will require a bit of patience! There is no fast way! I’ve heard of other methods, but these are the safest for your bottle. Any method that contains alcohol or acetone combined with lighting will cause major stress points or fractures in your bottle. I hope you find this useful and that you have new knowledge on how to make a hole in a glass bottle. Remember that slow and steady always wins the race!