Recycled items

• Demijohns

Also needed

• Small scraper

• Permanent marker

• Masking tape

• An assistant

• A workbench

• Dremel fitted with a speed-click diamond cutting wheel bit

• Heavy wooden blocks or books

• Kettle with boiling water and running cold water over a sink

• Electric hand sander

• 2 pairs of safety glasses (for you and your assistant)

Method

1. Remove the labels from the bottles by soaking them in hot water or by using a scraper.

2. Draw a line with permanent marker right around each bottle, close to the base. Stick masking tape on both sides of the line.

3. While your assistant holds the bottle firmly on its side on the workbench, find a comfortable position to hold the Dremel at the same height as the bottle. You may need to use some wooden blocks or thick books to achieve the correct height.

4. While your assistant rotates the bottle slowly, hold the Dremel’s diamond wheel steady at the correct angle between the two pieces of masking tape. This will score a line in the glass, which should eventually meet up with itself.

5. To crack the glass neatly along the score mark, pour boiling water over the scored line, then hold the bottle under running cold water over a sink. Repeat this a few times, until the glass cracks.  Because demijohns have thicker glass, you will need more patience.

6. Finally, grind off the sharp edges from the cut bottle with an electric hand sander. Ask your assistant to hold the bottle firmly as you sand on a very slow speed setting.

7. Wipe the glass with a damp cloth and your terrarium is ready for use.

Caution: Always wear safety glasses while working with glass.