This is a tale of extreme boredom, rough and ready improvisation, untalented bodging, tinkering in the garage to avoid doing the dishes and totally not 'as camp as a row tents' scented candles

/1

This started as a good idea, recycle some old bottles into candles they said, it will be a piece of cake they said, go on YouTube they said

/2

Having spent an hour watching various people showing how they can cut bottles in 30 seconds using nothing but a Leatherman, 6" length of 3 amp fuse wire and a steely grin, I set about the task

/3

Being the prepared sort, I even got the candle wax, wicks, rolling glass cutter and essential oils ready (yes, I did say essential oils, stop laughing)

Anyway, 2 hours later

/4

No matter what technique I used, scoring, not scoring, direct heat, water baths, ice cubes and even string dipped in acetone, nothing worked. Unless of course your definition of worked is a shit tonne of broken bottles and no bloody candles

It was time for the power tools

/5

First off, I thought in order to control the dust and get a fine finish, I would immerse the diamond blade underwater. With a diamond blade in the Dremel and flexible shaft in the vice with a quick clamp

/6

Problem, with bottles that did not have a straight side, the blade wasn't big enough

Bugger

/7

So I had to angle the blade and thought I would sand the angled edge down after the cut

/8

It worked OK, bit not great. Because the clamp and vice were gripping a non straight sided flexible shaft (now come, you're better than that), it moved during the immersed cutting operation. Even sanding and polishing didn't improve matters

/9

Let's call it a 3/10, could do better. The problem was a wavering tool, I needed a tool holder (what I have I told you, stop sniggering like children)

/10

Some scrap lengths of plastic would suffice

/11

And for both, the holders would need to be shaped to match the Dremel flexible shaft, you need a really firm grip. Hole saws, step drills, a bit of shaping and even softening the plastic to hold a hex bolt and the job was done

/12

This was then attached to a height adjustable holder and one that could fit inside a water bath (old saucepan). Immerse the whole thing and cut away, relatively low speed though, firm but gentle pressure

/13

Yes, I know it was a bodge, yes I know it was a lash up with cable ties and pallet wood, but it actually worked OK. The tool holder remained rock hard, firm and without any play.

/14

A bit of sanding and polishing finished the edges.

/15

And there we go, a couple of cut bottles with polished edges

/16

Wicks, essential oil and wax later

/17

Two candles, and it only took all weekend. At least the room smells like an orange, which is nice and totally not camp



/END

PS

Anyone want a great big box of broken bottles and assorted chunks of glass?