Upcycled glassware: repurposing a mini Prosecco bottle
Since I didn’t have a corded drill at the time, I had to use a tool similar to one I relied on in 2017 – a cordless drill. I was looking forward to this project because it allowed me to revisit how things were back then, when the tools I had were very basic. It felt like a journey back in time. This time, the drill was not even an 18-volt model but a 12-volt one, even more compact than the tool I used in the past. I expected the process to be slow, just as it had been years ago, but I did not take into account several improvements in my current setup. What had not changed, however, was the difficulty of securing the drill to the workbench. In the end, everything went much better than I had planned or imagined, largely because I am now more experienced and the tools, although more compact, have evolved significantly over the past eight years.
As always, I first scored the line using my glass-cutting jig and then cracked the bottles along the score by alternating boiling water and cold tap water. Only one bottle was usable after this step, which was expected – I did not believe I would get through the process without any rejects. I still prefer this method over using a rotary tool – I know what to expect, and it produces no dust. Once that was done, it was time to choose the drill. I have an SDS drill that can be used with an adapter for regular bits (and of course with the hammer mode disabled), but its chuck wobbles slightly. Instead, I chose my 12-volt drill with multiple attachments, which allowed me to change the angle of rotation if needed. To secure it to the workbench, I used reusable table ties, making sure they were not too tight – just tight enough. I also used a small fan to blow away any glass dust forming in the shed during the process. That dust could be harmful to my health, and I do not like using a dust mask together with safety glasses and hearing protection – it feels like too much safety equipment on one’s head.
The setup worked well. I could use the drill in first or second gear and adjust the speed with a small clamp. I frequently cleaned both the discs and the sanding drums with an old silicone block. The sanding discs I used were 80, 120, 220, 320, 400, 600, 1000, and 2500 grit. The first disc, the 80-grit one, remained on the pad for about ten minutes because it had to remove most of the material. Each of the remaining discs was used for only two minutes before being cleaned and replaced with the next grit in sequence. From the 220-grit stage onward, I began sanding both the outer edge and the face (top).
The grinding gradually turned into sanding and then polishing once I reached the 2500-grit disc. By that stage, the edge was smooth enough for the final polish. Around this time, I needed to change the battery. I was surprised by how long these new compact 12-volt batteries last. Despite their size, they hold a charge remarkably well. Compared with the workflow I experienced eight years ago, the difference was substantial and entirely positive. I also had a second battery on hand, when the first one ran out and I put it on the charger. It reached a full charge before the second battery was even halfway depleted. That was nothing like the situation eight years ago. Back then, having two batteries was not enough, their runtime was short, and charging took much longer. The drill I used back then was also a brushed model – this new 12-volt one is brushless.
When the face and the chamfered edges were almost finished, I installed my 1-inch sanding drum in the drill and tilted the chuck to about a 45° angle. The selection of sanding sleeves I had was limited to only three grits: 240, 400, and 600. To compensate, I increased the speed when using the final sleeve to mimic a finer grit. This worked well, and as with the sanding discs, the first step took more time than all the following ones combined. That is simply the nature of these projects: sanding the initial, rough edge always takes the most time. I cleaned the sleeves with the same old silicone block I used for the discs, which allows me to reuse them for much longer and saves money on buying new ones.
Once the grinding, sanding, and polishing were complete, it was time for the final polish. I remembered using cerium oxide back in 2017, but it was excessive for my simple projects and quite messy. I have since switched to different polishing compounds that work just as well and do not require water. These compounds are intended for polishing metal and removing scratches from cars, but they suit my needs perfectly. It did not take much time to perform the final polish and buff off the compound residue. I used my buffing wheel, which was the last step required to achieve a flawless glass without spending too much time on scrubbing off the polishing paste.
I removed the labels with white spirit and checked the capacity of the finished glass. Filled to the recommended maximum line, it held 110.4 ml, or about 4 fl. oz (roughly two teaspoons short of that). The original bottle had a 200 ml capacity, so I can safely say I cut it in half. The last step was to give the glass to someone who knew exactly what to do with it. That was the most satisfying part of the entire process: seeing someone smile when receiving the finished piece. I am very happy with how the project turned out and with the time spent on it. It felt like travelling back in time – using methods from the past, just slightly refined. “No man ever steps in the same river twice, for it is not the same river and he is not the same man.” This quote describes my experience with the project perfectly.
