How to Make a Glass Water Bong

Cricket92

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posted on 13 years ago — updated on 1 second ago

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Do you like saving money by building your own bongs? Have you gotten tired of using cheap plastics and spare parts to make a working bong? If so, you might want to step up by making a glass water bong; the glass results in a sturdier container allowing for bigger and more even hits, and it will perform as well as an expensive, store-bought water pipe.

Steps

Getting Your Materials

Pick your bottle. While any glass bottle can be turned into a water bong, some bottles are better than others. Bottles with a long neck and a wide base work best. Getting a clean, perfectly sized hole for the stem is easiest with a bottle that has little curve on the upper slope where the base connects into the stem.

Get the proper drill bit. You'll need a 3/4" diamond drill bit to drill through the glass. Despite having the word "diamond" in the name, these usually only run for about eight to twelve dollars. You might have to order the bit online so make sure you don't leave this step for last.

Acquire a downstem, bowl, and grommet. You'll want a 14mm glass bowl and downstem. Choosing the proper length for your downstem is important. Measure the distance from the upper curve of the body of your bottle to the opposite side of the base. Acquire a downstem approximately the same length, and definitely no longer. Glass downstems and bowls can be found at local head shops or ordered online. You'll need a rubber grommet with the following measurements: an outside diameter of 31/32", an inner diameter of 1/2", and a 3/4" groove. These can be found at supply stores like Home Depot, or can be found online.

Preparing for the Drilling

Clean the bottle. Empty the bottle and wash it out with warm water. Warm water helps the drilling go smoothly. You're going to be drilling in the sink, so make sure that area is clear.

Mark a spot to drill. Remove any plastic that might be on the bottle. Find a spot on the bottle where the surface is relatively flat, somewhere on the upper curve of the body. Place the gasket there and use it to trace a circle with a sharpie.

Prepare your tools. Attach the diamond drill bit to your drill. Be sure to use a battery powered drill, as you will be running water over the drilling area. Since there will be drilling and glass involved, it's a good idea to put on safety googles.

Drilling and Putting It All Together

Get a steady stream of water over the drill spot. To keep the glass cool and prevent it from breaking, turn on the faucet. You want more than just a trickle but not such a heavy stream that you can't see what you're doing. Hold the bottle so the water runs over the spot you marked.

Start drilling slowly. Set your drill to 3/4 of its max speed and gently push it against the marked spot. To get a steady drill, first angle the drill bit so it just touches the top of the spot. Slowly angle the drill bit until it's going into the glass at a 90 degree angle, using the carved out edge as a pivot. Once you're nearly through the glass, ease up on the pressure a bit to avoid cracking or breaking the bottle.

Grind away sharp edges and clean out the glass. Use the drill to smooth the edges of the hole. Pour out the water and rinse the bottle several times to clean out the bits of glass. The last thing you want is to inhale glass powder, so don't rush this step.

Put in the grommet, stem, and bowl. Take your 3/4" grommet and work it into the hole. Then run some water over your downstem and slide it into the grommet, carefully, so you don't push the grommet into the bottle. Insert the bowl into the stem, and you've finished!