There are lots of ways to cut bottles, I’ve tried all of them that I can find and think of, my favorite is still the tile saw. There are pro’s and con’s to using a tile saw, it’s a tool that is great for somethings, not so much for others.
Things to consider:
- It’s FAST! I can cut upwards of 50 bottles an hour with a saw.
- Works great for bottles with surface texture or raised patterns.
- Fairly accurate with practice.
- Leaves a raggedy edge that is really best either cut off, or ground smooth before fusing. I usually cut them off.
- Is pretty darn messy.
- Needs safety gear. I STRONGLY recommend a respirator, safety glasses or face shield and a combination of ear-plugs and gun muffs.
I started with an 8″ tile saw, so I rolled the bottle into the saw blade as I cut. If you have a larger saw, you can pull the blade through the bottle, I still recommend a slight roll, it will keep your cut smooth and keep the last little bit from breaking.
Upgrading to a 10″ saw changed everything for me, so if you are trying to decide if you should upgrade, it’s worth renting a 10″ saw for a weekend, or trying out a friends.
Once you get the neck and the bottom cut from the bottle, you’ll have a cylinder of glass that is the start point for lots of other projects.