Miniature Bottles Tutorial

http://caseymini.blogspot.com/ asked how I made my miniature water bottle so I thought I would post a tutorial.


Supplies
lite-brite pegs
high speed drill
small metal files
xacto knife
cup of cold water
safety glasses
acetone nail polish remover

I found a bunch of lite-brite pegs (the old style) at a thrift store. The older ones have longer necks and work better.

I designed a jig to hold my drill on my desktop. I clamp it to my desk so it doesn't vibrate off the desk. Insert the small end of a lite-brite in the drill



These are the files I use.


The lite-brite pegs will melt if they are filed too long. The cold water helps to cool the plastic as you work. I usually just drip water on it while its spinning and only file a little at a time. I let them soak in cold water for a while before I work on them again.

Various stages of completion


Once you get the bottle the shape you want use the xacto knife to cut it off at the top. Then file down the lid flat. To remove most of the scratches where they were filed use acetone nail polish remover. Paint the lid the desired color and add labels.