Is there an easy way to cut off the bottom of a pill bottle?

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jschoolcraft

jschoolcraft

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I'm not sure if there's a better place for this question, let me know if there is for next time :)

I saw some suggestions to use pill bottles for bottle stopper blanks and that sounded like a great idea. I'm participating in a Swords, Broomsticks & Mystical Creatures event in August and thought making a resin bottle stopper with some polyhedral (D&D) dice at the bottom would be cool.

I have my first 3 in the pressure pot, we'll see if they come out tonight.

My procedure was:
- glue the dice with hot glue to the lid
- cut the bottom out of the pill bottle with a box cutter, needle nose pliers and side cutters
- wrap packing tape around the bottom where the hole is because I'm "bigger hammer" and cracked the bottom of the pill bottle (it's going in upside down, so the tape is actually at the top of the vessel extending the cylinder with the opening. I should have taken a picture)

Cutting the bottom out was super annoying/frustrating. So I'm hoping someone could tell me:

- How that job could be accomplished much more easily
- Some way to get objects into the bottom of the bottle, centered, ish.

I'm looking at the https://ptownsubbie.com/collections/silicone-molds/products/4-bottle-stoppers-small-blue and maybe some cardboard circles (like game tokens, if I can find them) of the appropriate diameter to glue them to. But those would make burl bases more difficult because you have to cut a circle vs https://jakeblanks.com/products/bottle-stopper-blank-silicone-mold-6-cavities
 
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Here's what they look like. The one in the back might be too opaque but maybe there's a story.

1752109987138.png1752109995087.png
 
Jeff; Long ago Ed Davidson (aka yoyospin) made bottle stoppers with a "double pour" technique. He poured a solid color as a base layer, then as it gelled add a porcelain flower, ring, fishing fly, etc to the top of the base layer. Your dice would be perfect for this. Then he would pour a clear top layer to cover that ever was to be the "star" of the BS. Turning the top to a dome shape acted as a magnifying glass. It REALLY made the item look MUCH larger than it was. Just an idea....
 
A scroll saw would make easy work of that if the bottles are two inches or less in diameter. Bandsaws have a tendency to grab and roll round objects in a dangerous fashion. If you go that route find a good way to clamp the bottle to a sled of some kind.
 
randyrls said:
Jeff; Long ago Ed Davidson (aka yoyospin) made bottle stoppers with a "double pour" technique. He poured a solid color as a base layer, then as it gelled add a porcelain flower, ring, fishing fly, etc to the top of the base layer. Your dice would be perfect for this. Then he would pour a clear top layer to cover that ever was to be the "star" of the BS. Turning the top to a dome shape acted as a magnifying glass. It REALLY made the item look MUCH larger than it was. Just an idea....
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Brings back memories. Ed was and still is very talented. He made so many unique things. he has tutorials and articles here in the library. here is an example of what you talk about.

1752253146941.png
 
jttheclockman said:
No problem. By the way that was not my bottle stopper.
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I searched and found a few things:

- https://www.penturners.org/threads/stopper-blanks.88038/
- https://www.penturners.org/threads/multiple-layer-casting.144030/#post-1884307

It's probably enough information for me to go on. If you have links to something else I'd be happy to take them.

I think I have some 1 1/2" PVC in the garage, and I think I found some silicone plugs and end caps that should keep the resin contained.
 
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