This is a DIY approach to making bottles/jars and glassware at a fraction of the cost for
purchased items. I made these from 1/4" clear Lucite rods.
They cost about 10 cents per
foot so in 1:12 scale; a wine bottle will cost less then one cent and wine glasses much less
than that.
NEEDED:
-1/4" variable speed drill
-Mini bar clamp
-1/4" clear Lucite rod (cut into "blanks" of 1&1/2")
-Scraping instruments (more about them later)
-Any fine abrasive such a Soft Scrub, Glass wax, Automobile compound or even
toothpaste
-rags (soft, such as terrycloth)
-Mini needle files
-Riffler files
-File brush (to clear Lucite from file)
-Calipers (both inside and outside)
-Ruler
-Razor saw
-Large C clamp
CAUTIONS:
Lucite will melt when too much heat is generated.
The scraping edge of the scrapers must be nick free (any nick or groove will result in the
area being scraped to have a ridge or valley which will prove very, very difficult when
the "haze" is to be removed). Do not be tempted to use sandpaper (it generates too much
heat and is difficult to control in the scraped area).
Have the variable speed drill rotating at no more than a few hundred RPM or too much
heat will be generated.
PROCEDURE:
I secured the variable speed drill to the work table, on its side, with the C clamp.
Cut off a 1 - 1/2" length of clear Lucite rod with the razor saw. I did not have to go
completely thru the rod; I simply cut about 1/8 into the rod and it snapped cleanly at the
cut line. I chucked about 1/2" into the 1/4" variable speed drill chuck.
I placed the mini bar clamp over the trigger of the drill and tightened it until the drill was
rotating at a minimal speed of a few hundred RPM. This is done by guestimate. By
yanking the bar off, the drill stops and I can replace the mini bar clamp (leaving it in the
same fixed closure position) by simply slipping it over the trigger and have the original
speed setting each and every time I did that.
Using the ruler, I sketched the mini bottle on to paper and placed the required
measurements on the sketch. Using the calipers, I was able to transfer these
measurements to the "blank." Start all scraping from the free end of the "blank." I found
that Lucite is more forgiving then wood and can be scrape turned to very thin diameters,
(3/32") as in the stem of the wine glass or neck of the wine bottle.
Scrapers can be anything that is about 1/8" on the scraping edge. Very fine chisels or
mini screw drivers do nicely. I found that when scraping, the Lucite comes off as a
cotton-like substance but clings to the scraping edge and very often I had to remove the
scraper and clean off the Lucite scrapings. This affords the rod chance to lose some of the
heat generated.
All this scraping creates a "haze" which has to be removed to return the Lucite back to its
original clear condition. This is done while the Lucite is rotating in the chuck. Some of
the fine abrasive is put onto the soft cloth and applied to the rotating Lucite. A clean
portion of the rag is employed to remove the dried abrasive. Repeat as often as needed to
obtain the translucency of the original Lucite.
The razor saw is used to remove the bottle/jar or glass by holding the saw teeth against
the rotating rod at the point of removal.
Labels, if needed, are applied to the blanks.
