Clear pots

[OrchidTraci]

Sue, those are glass bottles you are talking about, right? Any tips on how to cut and drill holes on the side without breaking them?
BTW, I don't drink but I do have an empty XO bottle and I think it would be nice if I could grow something in it .

Maybe you could call a glass blower to get some tips, or maybe they could do it for a small fee.

[Orchidilerium]

Maybe you could call a glass blower to get some tips, or maybe they could do it for a small fee.

I, being that im a glassblower, have tried this type of recycling arrangement with my bottles and plants... I found that it is much better (safer) to drill holes in the bottle (rather than melt or blow through). The drill bit to be used is a diamond impregnated core drill (pricey) this can be purchased from a stained glass supplier. The most important points of drilling bottles is that;
1. you must keep the glass wet while drilling.
2. you must not get your drill wet.
3. keep the whole arrangement absolutely still while cutting.

To remove the top from the bottle you can use an ordinary glass cutter (2-4$)
I pinch mine in a vise grip and then just spin the bottle freely to mark the circumfrence. The one problem I have there is that you end up with an unattractively sharp edge (which can cut an arial root or two). This can be filed or melted, although it is difficult to do both. I use copper tape intended for stained glass work, I center it on the edge and fold it over on both sides, burnish it down and voila! With time the copper wil patina nicely.

[Sue]

Damn that's a whole lotta work I am not doing. Your recycled glass pots must look really nice though.

Thanks for the info, Drew!

[mostlyclassics]

If you're not into glass blowing/drilling and you're not into enthusiastically emptying "party size" plastic bottles of likker, scout out your local Chinese restaurants.

One near us uses very nice one-quart vinyl containers for their soups. I have a few plants in these.

[OrchidTraci]

I, being that im a glassblower, have tried this type of recycling arrangement with my bottles and plants... I found that it is much better (safer) to drill holes in the bottle (rather than melt or blow through). The drill bit to be used is a diamond impregnated core drill (pricey) this can be purchased from a stained glass supplier. The most important points of drilling bottles is that;
1. you must keep the glass wet while drilling.
2. you must not get your drill wet.
3. keep the whole arrangement absolutely still while cutting.

To remove the top from the bottle you can use an ordinary glass cutter (2-4$)
I pinch mine in a vise grip and then just spin the bottle freely to mark the circumfrence. The one problem I have there is that you end up with an unattractively sharp edge (which can cut an arial root or two). This can be filed or melted, although it is difficult to do both. I use copper tape intended for stained glass work, I center it on the edge and fold it over on both sides, burnish it down and voila! With time the copper wil patina nicely.

What do you do? Do you have a picture gallery of your work?

[MikeWA]

A belt or palm sander works nicely to get rid of the sharp edges. FYI

[Orchidilerium]

What do you do? Do you have a picture gallery of your work?

I used to run a glass jewelry studio in my home... There is no such gallery for reference sorry... I dont really work with the glass anymore. These pots are really involved and they break quite easily.. I now procure plastic deli containers from smart and final, clear 1 quart size, and melt holes in them. They make the perfect semi hydro pots, and you get 25 pots $4.99