Does anybody here make their own slides?

Copper tubing might be good. I have a small and a large tubing cutter in my tool chest. I don't see how string and gasoline fit the picture, though.

The string and gasoline is a way of cutting the neck of a bottle. I wouldn't recommend it, even if you get a clean cut, you'll have a difficult job in grinding the edges of the cut.

use the gasoline to drive to a hardware store for a glass cutter.

just about anything can be used as a slide.
I use a store bought slide. I like the weight and that is crucial for lap style playing.
coricidan bottles are classic for bottleneck style..

The string and gasoline thing is a myth. Scoring a bottleneck with a glass cutter, then either alternately suddenly heating and chilling it in water till it pops off, tapping it till it breaks, or putting a sharp edge against the score and whacking it have all been used with varying degrees of success. A ceramic tile cutter is currently a favorite way of cutting bottlenecks.

Thanks for those recommendations for our slidin' glassware on the previous thread - much appreciated guys :D

The 'definitive thread' considered by all slide-makers to contain just about every known method of separating neck from bottle is here:- http://www.guitarseminars.com/ubb/Forum1/HTML/000604.html ..get yer coffee pot fired up and browse away 'cos it's a great read :wink:

Slide On!

Ian.

http://www.diamondbottlenecks.com 8)

I acually use a fiber wheel(they use them for cutting metal/bricks) on my table saw to cut wine/beer/ketchup/dressing/hot sauce bottles and smooth them with a Dremel. I love the sound of glass. Be careful though that last cut can send your slide flying when it cuts through. I'll have to try the tile saw I've got one might as well use it! As an alternative go to a pawn shop and hit the socket bin I've got a few Craftsmen I bought for $.50 they do tend to be heavy so watch for that.

I just saved a glass Hoppe's #9 bottle for a slide. It's a bit on the big side for bottleneck, but a nice lap slide.

The other guitarist in a band I was in years ago just used the shiny part of his mic stand.

The lap steel I got awhile ago came with two steel bars in the case; one was a 3/4 diameter bullet, the other was a 7/8 round bar that the guy obviously made. From the marks on the ends, he must've had a steel lathe or something because the very center of the face of one end has a little bump on it, like that was the last little bit that got cut through. Then he must've smoothed a little.

Other than that, I'm sorta liking the flat-bar I got off eBay; the real old-fashioned 1/4" wide rectangular hair-comb looking thing with one rounded edge. I don't know how I'd go about making one of those, but it would be cool in glass or ceramic. Maybe I'll find a floor-tile guy and ask him about it ;)

Oh about the gasoline thing; I heard it was oil they used so it would burn slow and even. Otherwise you'd have a molotov cocktail ;)

Oil makes more sense than gasoline. I've used cutting oil before in machine-tool work. Lots of good ideas here...;)

Neither one makes a lot of sense for glass cutting by burning it on a string, though. It applies the heat in a rather diffuse fashion, and you're likely to end up with a ragged break if anything. If you first score tha glass, then thermally shock it such as putting the neck up to the cut in boiling water, then plunge it in freezing water, you're more likely to have success. The key is the scoring.

Hmmm,
I've never heard of that string burning method.
I'm wondering if it had originated back in the 30's - during the Depression, when glass was thin. Like candy glass from the
movies.

Anyway,
The only truly acceptable method I heard of for any true bluesman to use is:

Go buy a bottle of 'good' cheap wine.
Sit on a curb with your old cheap guitar with the warped neck that wont ever stay in tune.
Drink the wine.
When the bottle is empty - 'carefully' grab by the neck and smash the rest against the curb.
Rub the broken end of the bottleneck in a circular motion on the rough sidewalk till smooth.
Remove yer old porkpie hat and place upside down next to you.
Play slide guitar til you have enough change in your hat to go buy more wine.

Ken :wink:

EDIT - I recently ran accross the magazine I got this story from.
Apparently it was Muddy Waters who said it.
And after rubbing the broken end on the sidewalk, you also have to hold it over a flame to really smooth it out.

Using copper tubing or unchromed brass would turn your fingers green as well as the strings.

I don't know if I just didn't read thoroughly enough, but some like to use a deep socket, chrome of course.

Nothing's wrong with a green slide finger. 8)