The Art of Bottle Cutting

Alderson Arts & Crafts REVIEW of the 3 bottle cutting kits

Generation 2 (G2) Bottle Cutter

The difference between the kits is simply how they are designed. The G2 is designed as a pendulum-type structure that anchors into the opening of the bottle at the neck and then the cutter is positioned by adjusting along a slide until the right height is achieved. Then the cutter is rotated around the bottle. The process is smooth and almost effortless.

Our Verdict: Great cutter for those on a budget but does require some assembly. Easy to use and effective.

$39.95

Armour Bottle and Jar Cutter

The perfect way to put the fun back into recycling all those glass bottles and jars that seem to accumulate around the house, while transforming them into useful items such as hanging planters, terrariums, bowls, and candle holders. The Armour Bottle and Jar Cutter features an exclusive floating head design that allows you to cut bottles and jars of various shapes and sizes. Kit Contains: Adjustable Bottle Cutter, two cutting wheels, glass taper, adjustment wedge, five glass sanding sheets for finishing the cut edges, and a full colour bottle cutting instruction guide in English, Spanish and French.

Our Verdict: The most versatile bottle cutter. Robust and easy to use out of the box and can cut Square Bottles.

$79.95

Ephrem's Bottle Cutter

The Ephrem bottle cutter is a flat design with an expandable platform that is used to adjust the cutting height on the bottle or jar. The vessel sits on rollers and is spun manually over the glass scorer. It is very easy to use and also very stable. Once the glass is scored heat is applied along the score via a candle and then the glass is cooled using ice. The combination of heat and cold fractures the glass cleanly along the score line and the jar or bottle separates into pieces. The edges are then polished and smoothed. The result is either a finished product or a finished piece to a larger project.

Our Verdict: The most robust of all the bottle cutters with a sturdy metal frame. Will last for years.

$69.95

An Environmentally Friendly Craft!

G2 stands for Generation Green, which is a large part of the philosophies behind bottle art. The Green movement is about finding innovative ways to use what we have rather than creating something that is brand new. These tools allow people to find alternative purposes for supplies (Bottles, jars, etc.) which helps to protect the environment while keeping everyday items out of the landfill.

The G2 is the most economical and environmentally friendly and is capable of cutting bottles and jars that are under five gallons. This allows the artist to utilize a wise selection of glass objects for their creations. It also features a removable glass cutter which is handy for those times when you need to cut a straight line or a flat object. The G2 also is equipped with a cutting head that contains six durable blades which means that this tool lasts longer. It is also made out of recycled aluminum, which makes this a green purchase. To further emphasise the green nature of this tool, the manufacturer sells replacement parts as needed. No need to throw this product away when it wears down, just replace the worn parts and continue you on with your projects. This makes the G2 a win, win situation for both you and the environment.

Watch these three video demonstrations of the different bottle cutters available

G2 Bottle Cutter - $39.95

Armour Bottle & Jar Cutter - $79.95

Ephrems Bottle Cutter - $69.95

Bottle art is both an enjoyable hobby and a creative outlet that produces some amazing works of art that are both beautiful and practical. Considering the green anthem reduce, reuse, and recycle, bottle cutting allows you to focus on the middle portion by finding a new use for a resource that would otherwise be thrown out or recycled.

Consider some of the popular projects that can be created by using a bottle cutter and old wine bottles. Mobiles and wind chimes are perhaps the easiest projects to create. More intricate projects might include turning a bottle or jar into a lamp. The reality is that you are only limited by your imagination. Larger bottles can be cut, and hinged to create keep-sake containers, aquariums, terrariums, vases, and almost anything else the mind can think up.

Easy to Make Projects:

There is an assortment of flower vases that can be made from all types of bottles and even some jars. These range from single bud vase, to floating vase, to very large vases that can hold a lot of flowers.

There are a number of kitchen tools that can be created, as well. An example would be a funnel made from the top of a wine bottle. It is a very handy tool that allows dry ingredients such as flour to be funnelled into a smaller container. There are containers that can be created by using the top half of a bottle that work perfect for holding wooden spoons, etc.

The bottom of bottles makes perfect little votive holders. Perhaps one of the simplest designs is to cut the bottom third off of a bottle and then the top third off a bottle of the same color, but that is wider than the original bottle an make a candle lamp. Simply put the candle in the smaller bottle and place the larger bottle over the top of the smaller bottle.

For further information and instructional videos please search under the individual brand names. All 3 bottle cutters produce good results with the G2 being the most economical, the Ephrem bottle cutter the strongest built and probably the easiest to use, with the medium priced newcomer Armour bottle & Jar cutter capable of cutting square bottles and jars.

© 2014 Aldax Enterprises Pty Ltd