Cool Ways to Make a Bong Out Using a Glass Bottle
Sometimes the unexpected happens and you need to improvise, this can be true even within the realm of smoking marijuana. At some point your bong may suddenly break, be lost, or just be out of commission for some other unforeseen reason. When this happens, you will need a new way to smoke in a pinch. When that day comes, one thing you can do is make a homemade bong (also often called a water bottle bong). Homemade bongs can work well if done right and be super fun to make too. This guide will detail everything you need to know about how to make a homemade bong, that way you will always be prepared for whatever comes your way. It's always good to remember that if you don't want
How to Build a Bong out of Booze Bottles
Selecting a Bottle
Before you get to work on crafting the world's best homemade bong, it's a smart idea to collect all the materials you'll need. Most importantly, you need to look for a good glass bottle to use as the frame/base. A good glass bottle looks similar to the build of a bong, this means a wide base with a longer neck. A wine bottle would make for the perfect frame but any glass bottle with a sturdy base will do. Keep in mind that while you can make a bong with a plastic bottle, you will not be able to come even close to the smoking experience that you will get with glass.
What You'll Need
The next thing you'll need is a drill and a drill bit. You will need to drill a hole in the bottle later and while you can use other sharp objects to get the job done, it's best to use a battery-powered drill. Other than that, you will need your regular bong parts like the downstem, bowl, and grommet. There are a few different ways to get these materials, one option would be to buy them from the corner store. Besides buying, you can use the parts from an old bong if they are in working condition or you can even make these parts from scratch.
Clean the Glass Bottle
Since you're making something you are going to be smoking out of, you need to make sure that it’s clean. Make sure to completely clear the bottle from whatever was previously filling it, you probably don’t want any wine particles mixing with your herb. Additionally, using warm water (and soap) will help the drilling process go smoother, so it is certainly a necessary process. Lastly, remove any stickers or labels that will ruin your new bong’s aesthetic.
Prepare the Bottle for Drilling
Now that your bottle is all clean, it's time to prepare it for drilling. Grab a marker a mark the spot that you will be drilling. You should mark towards the bottom of the base, just make sure that you leave enough room for the downstem to fully fit into it. Remember that the idea is to create a makeshift bong, not reinvent the wheel, so mimic a store-bought bong to the best of your abilities (including where you mark the hole for drilling).
Prepare the Drilling Equipment
Not only do you need to prepare the bottle for drilling but also the drilling equipment too… preparation is always key. Really all this entails is making sure your drill is in working condition and equipped with working batteries. Remember that you need to use a battery-powered drill and not a plug in one. The reason for this is that you will be using water when drilling the hole, and it's not a good idea to mix plugs with water.
Start Drilling
If you haven't already, bring all your prepped equipment to somewhere that has access to a sink or some steady stream of running water. Angle the bottle so that there is constant warm water running over the spot you will be drilling. This water is important because it will ensure that your drill does not damage anywhere on the bottle other than the spot you're drilling into. Once you've done this, grab your drill and put it against the marked spot, the drill should be directly facing the marked spot and not coming from an angle. Finally, get to work and turn it on, you should aim to be using about 75% of its total drilling power at first, easing up when you get to the end of the glass.
Smooth and Perfect the Bottle
Once you have created your hole, smooth it out and make sure that you get rid of any loose glass pieces. Use the drill to smooth the outside of the bottle first and then turn the water pressure up as high as possible and let it run over the bottle for a minute. Finally, you'll want to rinse out the inside of the bottle a few times just to be safe.
Insert Grommet, Downstem, and Bowl
The hard work is done, and now all you have to do is add the regular bong parts and you're done. First, slide the rubber grommet into the hole, it might take a minute to wiggle it in, this is the hardest piece to enter. Next, run the water over the grommet and insert your downstem into it. Lastly, take your bowl and insert it into the downstem. That's all there is to it, now you have a homemade bong that is ready for some great rips, so light up and enjoy the fruits of your labor.
Final Thoughts and Tips
A homemade bong isn't too tough to make, and it can be both extremely useful and rewarding. Plus, if you had fun making yours then you can repeat this process with all kinds of different bottles and even decorate the outsides of them in a ton of creative ways. Also, keep in mind that there are other ways to make homemade bongs besides the one talked about in this article (although this is the most tried and true).
If you are without a drill, for example, you can use a lighter to heat the marked spot for the hole until it is extremely hot and then use a hammer and a nail to pierce through the glass. However you do it, have fun with it, and make sure to enjoy your new homemade bong. You never know when you're going to need a homemade bong, so might as well make one in advance! All of this being said, don't forget to check out this massive bong collection page if you wanted to save yourself some work!
