99 (and counting) Bottles of Beer in the Yard

I was one bottle short from finishing my first beer bottle border today. One bottle! Given the rest of the projects being tackled, that's actually a win. So here's what goes into what looks like a quick and easy project. Now, I've read other blogs that describe just digging a deep enough trench to use the bottle whole, but I wanted to cut the bottles so I could sink them into the dirt for a tighter hold. And that makes for some extra steps. 

The washing is a two step process (described in a previous post) and I'm lucky that the cutting is by wet saw and not a manual bottle cutter or I would still be on the first couple of bottles. So if you are lucky enough to have a wet saw -  usually used for cutting tile - get a good glass blade and go to town. While cutting the bottles, I didn't worry too much about a few chips on the rim of the bottle. After all, the bottles are being screwed down into the dirt, so they are of no danger to anyone. But there are safety issues for doing the cutting.

First the equipment. I wear a face mask (don't want to breathe in glass dust), a full face protector, a designated sweatshirt with tight long sleeves, and gloves. Oh, and let's not forget the ear protection. On a hot day it can get nasty, but getting glass shards in your skin, eyes or lungs is a BIG no-no and far nastier than a little sweat. 

Something else I discovered by accident has turned out to be a real help. The necks of the bottles obviously aren't flush to the saw table. And if you try to saw the bottle that way, it can chatter at the end of the cut, creating more and bigger chips. When I saw my disused foam kneeling pad in the garage it turned out it's exactly right for supporting the necks of the bottles. The foam also eliminates chatter. 

Getting the bottles into the ground was the fun and easy part. I originally was thinking of a single line, but as with my wooden fence top border, turns out two layers is the magic number. Gives it more presence and stability. 

The big reveal will come when part 2 of the project is complete. But here's a preview: