How do you replace top on bottle?

[suzanne]

Do you know this for a fact or do you just love to argue, because the main thing here is that Old Crown Bock needs help. Here is what I know for a fact. When you get into sanding and dremeling a jaggedly broken top like that you are highly likely to lose the rest of it + part of the bottleneck below the blob. It's because the surrounding glass is weakened by the blow that caused the break.

I am not an expert on this type of repair though, I only know some things about how not to make a bigger problem. If anyone on here really knows about glass cutting please correct me.

 

[ombudsman]

I'm not arguing for the sake of arguing. I'm expressing an opinion. No offense intended. I have not repaired a bottle, but I have cut and repaired many gemstones, including glass. I have also worked epoxy resin in other contexts.

It is possible that the dire events you are forseeing could happen if the craftsman is without experience and skill. With skilled craftsmanship the risk would be nil. Yes, I know this for a fact.

In any case, the original poster asked if we know who repairs bottles. He said what I took to mean that "money is no object." A google search immediately identifies any number of firms that do work like this. Some of the businesses seem to have good bona fides. A referral from a museum to a restorer would be valuable.

Obviously it's his bottle. He can repair it in whatever way is satisfying to him. I have simply stated what I would do (because with me, money IS an object!) []

Still friends?

Dave

 

[suzanne]

Still friends. It was wrong of me to question you. I wanted to come back and say that but you can't edit now.

 

[ombudsman]

ORIGINAL: suzanne

Still friends.  It was wrong of me to question you.  I wanted to come back and say that but you can't edit now.

Thanks. Actually, it wasn't wrong to question me. All those who know me consider me questionable. [sm=lol.gif]

 

[suzanne]

[]

 

[JOETHECROW]

ORIGINAL: suzanne

Do you know this for a fact or do you just love to argue, because the main thing here is that Old Crown Bock needs help. Here is what I know for a fact. When you get into sanding and dremeling a jaggedly broken top like that you are highly likely to lose the rest of it + part of the bottleneck below the blob. It's because the surrounding glass is weakened by the blow that caused the break.

I am not an expert on this type of repair though, I only know some things about how not to make a bigger problem. If anyone on here really knows about glass cutting please correct me.

A dremel tool creates heat...used carefully, you might get away w/ it, but I have worked with glass in various full service glass shops most of my adult life, and the way I would go about it would be to remove the bad area down level with a fresh 'heavy' grit water cooled glass grinding belt.....Then do the same to the replacement top, carefully grinding flush, and fitting till you achieve the best fit,....the ground area will look opaque, similar to a bottle w/ major case wear, and the area would then be 'rough', or toothed enough to cement the glass, using a non yellowing thin viscosity glass adhesive such as Suzzane's w/shield repair kit, or maybe hextal (sp?)clear epoxy based glue....How convincing the repair will look depends on the care of the preparation and the color match of the new top....If I still had access to the grinders and such, I would offer to do the work for you,...but, alas I do not, A word of caution,...make sure there are no lines (or 'spider' leg cracks protruding down the neck area of the bottle),...sometimes these can be carefully ground away,...but sometimes they'll travel on you too, such as a crack in a windshield will do...This is not really a complicated procedure....[] It just sounds that way....The 'other' right way to do it would be with a wet tile saw. Joe

 

[ombudsman]

ORIGINAL: JOETHECROW

ORIGINAL: suzanne

Do you know this for a fact or do you just love to argue, because the main thing here is that Old Crown Bock needs help.  Here is what I know for a fact.  When you get into sanding and dremeling a jaggedly broken top like that you are highly likely to lose the rest of it + part of the bottleneck below the blob.    It's because the surrounding glass is weakened by the blow that caused the break. 

I am not an expert on this type of repair though, I only know some things about how not to make a bigger problem.  If anyone on here really knows about glass cutting please correct me.  

A dremel tool creates heat...used carefully, you might get away w/ it, but I have worked with glass in various full service glass shops most of my adult life, and the way I would go about it would be to remove the bad area down level with a fresh 'heavy' grit water cooled glass grinding belt.....Then do the same to the replacement top, carefully grinding flush, and fitting till you achieve the best fit,....the ground area will look opaque, similar to a bottle w/ major case wear, and the area would then be 'rough', or toothed enough to cement the glass, using a non yellowing thin viscosity glass adhesive such as Suzzane's w/shield repair kit, or maybe hextal (sp?)clear epoxy based glue....How convincing the repair will look depends on the care of the preparation and the color match of the new top....If I still had access to the grinders and such, I would offer to do the work for you,...but, alas I do not,  A word of caution,...make sure there are no lines (or 'spider' leg cracks protruding down the neck area of the bottle),...sometimes these can be carefully ground away,...but sometimes they'll travel on you too, such as a crack in a windshield will do...This is not really a complicated procedure....[] It just sounds that way....The 'other' right way to do it would be with a wet tile saw.                    Joe

I wasn't anticipating using a dremel on the glass. Only to shape the resin. A Dremel isn't the tool I would use anyway, most likely. I have lapidary equipment that I think would do the job nicely.

My major interest in continuing contributions to this thread is my purely personal likes and dislikes. I wouldn't like an assembled bottle. I could live with a repaired one.

Ultimately, it is my opinion that, assuming he can afford it ($50? $150?), his best option is to have the bottle repaired by an expert, professional conservator.
Dave

 

[JOETHECROW]

Oh, hey Dave....I wasn't suggesting that you thought a dremel would be good for that (grinding glass)....You frame some very valid points! Everyone has a little different idea of what is acceptable,...etc. I was merely addressing the technical aspects of replacing the top.....I scanned down thru your and Suzanne's exchange and couldn't resist adding my two cents.[] Joe

 

[ombudsman]

ORIGINAL: JOETHECROW

Oh, hey Dave....I wasn't suggesting that you thought a dremel would be good for that (grinding glass)....You frame some very valid points! Everyone has a little different idea of what is acceptable,...etc. I was merely addressing the technical aspects of replacing the top.....I scanned down thru your and Suzanne's exchange and couldn't resist adding my two cents.[]            Joe

With this economy, 2 cents is valuable! []

 

[T D]

sorry that this thread was hijacked[], but here is my two cents worth. I collect straight side sodas, most specifically Chero Cola. I can go both ways on this topic, but let me be specific. If I had a very rare Chero Cola I would proudly display it with my others in whatever shape it was in. The question is where to draw the line. If it were a sliver out of the lip, and it could be restored with some other material, I'm probably o.k. If most of the top was gone, and it could be replaced by cutting the top (below the bottom ring) off another Chero Cola the same color, I'm probably o.k. If it were below this, I would think long and hard before joining two bottles together. At what point is it which bottle??

Check this rare Talbotton, Ga. Chero bottle. Can you still even call it a Talbotton Chero??


http://cgi.ebay.com/RARE-TALBOTTON-GA-CHERO-COLA-BOTTLE-6-1-2-OZ-L-K_W0QQitemZ400099438400QQcmdZViewItemQQptZLH_DefaultDomain_0?hash=item5d27c8ef40