I’ve been saving glass bottles and jars to recycle into utensil containers, paint rinse cups, vases, candle holders, windchimes and whatever else. At this point i could break half of them and still have plenty. I have a glass bottle cutter and the stuff to sand down the cut rims afterward. (I read somewhere that the sanded rims are fragile and it’s best to heat the glass rim with a propane torch, but i dunno if i’m up for that.)

I’m thinking about how to turn these plain containers into nicer items, ideally so i can keep saving my bottles and recycling them into gifts. I’ve read about engraving glass with a rotary tool (which i own, with plenty of diamond bits, and i’ve engraved on metal), and the only other thing i know of would be using armor etch, but i’d have to hand cut the stencils and it sounds tedious and messy.

I don’t know how concerned i should be about the glass shattering as i am engraving. I have glass cutting oil, or do i need to rig up some kind of tub with a water drip to engrave in? I know glass dust is a problem, too. I’ve waited until summer to start this project so i can work outside, at least until i get the feel for it.

Has anyone engraved on glass or done a similar decorative project with recycled bottles and jars? Or just a project with cut down containers? How’d it go? What did you make?