This week I decided that it was time to think up an alternate use for all the beer bottle caps I have lying around. Normally, I make them into coasters for my Etsy shop.
But I have a LOT of bottle caps, and sometimes I feel like I should find new things to do with them. I’d seen picture frames online before that were covered in smashed bottle caps, so I figured I’d try my own. But I wasn’t really feeling the whole picture frame thing. Then, while wandering around Michaels, I spotted these jumbo wooden alphabet letters, and I knew they would look really cool covered in bottle caps!
Many hours of tough work later, and I’m pretty happy with the results, but my dreams of offering custom alphabet letters through Etsy is pretty much squashed like these bottle caps, because I’d have to charge way more than people would be willing to pay, just to offset the amount of work each letter takes!
But, all the work was probably worth it, because it looks pretty awesome decorating my bookshelf!!
That’s all for now, but come back tomorrow for the start of my ‘Rescued from the Curb’ series showcasing home decor I have personally rescued from the NYC garbage trucks, and given new life.
Ciao, Allison
My husband’s birthday is coming up shortly and I would love to do this for him (he has been saving beer bottle caps forever!) Could you tell me what adhesive you used and how you smashed them so well (hammer?)
Thanks a million! Awesome project!
Hi, thanks for the great feedback! I found there was a lot of trial and error with this project. In terms of flattening the caps, a hammer was definitely the ‘smasher’ of choice, however first you really need to take a pair of strong and sturdy pliers, and bend up the sides of the cap so it is as flat as possible. if you skip this step then the cap is much harder to smash and the edges end up curled under as opposed to flattened out. I would recommend doing this in a workshop if you have one, or at least on a sturdy piece of wood that you don’t mind gouging a little bit. While a hammer works just fine, if you had a larger mallet of any kind that would probably be even better.
As for adhesive, I used hot glue, but I’ve found that some of the caps are now falling off, especially the ones on the side that get bumped most frequently. I wanted to try Gorilla Glue because apparently it expands as it hardens, but my local stationary store was out of it, and the alternative adhesive cement that I purchased didn’t work well at all. Because the caps are bumpy, and laid on top of each other you definitely want a glue that has some sort of volume and can fill in the space between the wood letter and the cap.
Good luck, and I’d love to see your finished product and hear what you found worked best for you!
Thanks, Allison
Wow, I love all your projects! A lot of them are amazingly similar to things i’ve been into, what an awesome coincidence! This alphabet letter is awesome, and when I read the comments, I instantly thought of some suggestions. For glue, you might want to try a caulking…… hot glue didn’t work because it has to stick to something more porous. Believe me, I glued a bunch of those melted marbles with hot glue onto something, and sadly watched them all just fall off day by day. BUT! I used aquarium caulking, found at a hardware store (used for glass to glass contacts) and it worked like a dream-and-a-half. It’s pretty cheap. For smashies, I wonder if you went to a hardware store and asked for a type of ratchet clamp…. they can be pretty big and flat, probably enough room for a bottle cap…. they close like pliers but go a step farther when you squeeze due to the ratchet. I think you could definitely find a way to streamline this for your shop, just harass a hardware store clerk for a bit
Excellent work!
Awesome suggestions!! The aquarium caulk is a great suggestion, I think I mentioned somewhere I was going to try Gorilla glue also, since it expands. Have you had any success or failure with that? I have a bottle somewhere so might try it first, just given the fact that I already have it in my apt but I’ll definitely look into the caulk. A ratchet clamp could work. I’ll have to ask at my local hardware store about that… I still want to try a really big mallet, I’m wondering if I tried smashing with the top of the bottle cap flat on the surface and the ridged edge facing up whether I’d have more luck. I need to remember to try some of this out the next time I’m at my parents’ house and can use my dad’s work bench.
Thanks for the ideas!!
Yea, a mallet is a good idea…. or even a square of hard wood to put on top of a few bottle caps, and slam THAT with a mallet… even pressure, you know? oh! i just thought of something! sandwich some bottle caps between two hard pieces of wood or metal, and then use a vice grip that you have to twist shut you know? sandwich ‘em, put ‘em in, and squeeeeze the life out of those
Is it vice grip or table clamp? You know what i’m talking about though. It’s mounted on a table, and holds things for ya.
As for glue, the gorilla and I have never met – yet – but window caulking and I have a long love affair established, and it’s never let me down. It’s the king of sticking to things that are super smooth, hence the glass!
Good luck!
How did you make the bottle cap coasters in the first picture? I would love to do that with some of the bottle caps I have collected!
The coasters are made from bottle caps encased in an epoxy resin. I make and sell them in my Etsy design shop, which is why I don’t post any official tutorials about them. I hope you understand.
Thanks for reading! Allison
I just saw that you no longer sell the coasters in your Etsy design shop anymore, are you planning on selling them again anytime soon? If not, is there anyway that you could give a brief tutorial or overview on how you make them? If not, I totally understand!
Thanks!
I have momentarily put them on hold while I focus on lighting (because with working full time it was all I could do to keep up with the lighting orders.) I do plan on selling them again though, I’ll probably bring them back around March. I was originally going to start back up after the New Year but I’m working on a huge wholesale lights order right now so I have had to put the coasters off again for just a few weeks.
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I just wanted to let you know that I love your project and I featured it today at “You Sew Rock Me Fridays” on my blog. You can see it here: http://www.sewrockin.com/2011/12/02/you-sew-rock-me-fridays-7/
Awesome job, I can’t wait to see what else you come up with!
Jamie @ sewrockin.com
We made one of these today. The mallet works great. We used 3-4 taps per cap. I had my 8-year old son do this. It was supposed to be his Christmas present to his dad. Why did I use supposed in the past tense? We used Gorilla glue! A little dab will do ya! It expands like Great Stuff! We hid it in his room with tiles on top. We checked after it had cured for several hours and foam was all on top of the bottle caps! So sad.do when it says to spread a thin layer, don’t listen! Use a dot!
I want to make one of these for my brother for Christmas but I can’t find any stores that are selling big wooden letters. Any suggestions on where I canto try and find one, or order one?
I found mine at Michaels, but I would imagine if you googled it you could probably find some for sale online. Good luck!
This is such a fun idea I can hardly wait to collect enought caps to try it out. You are so creative. I’m loving your 30+30+3 projects. You go girl.
I would LOVE to make one of these for my Dad for his birthday but am not nearly creative enough! You are so talented! If you were to make more of these, what would you charge!? I’ll pay any price .. these are so cool!
I noticed your etsy shop that carries these coasters is closed. Do you still sell them?
Kathy
Hi Kathy, I do still sell sets of coasters but on a more limited basis. If you are interested in purchasing them, why don’t you contact me at zipper8design@gmail.com and I can lay out more specifics.
Thanks! Allison