From Vase to Bong: How to Guide

I have done this before, but still it is a very easy process even your first time if you know what you're doing. This can be a really easy technique for a cheap glass on glass bong. I really don't use it that way, I only like to do this if I see a sweet vase or something and want it to be a bong. The overall cost is much cheaper, the cost of the vase is usually about twenty dollars, and then a down stem and bowl is usually another twenty, so you have a forty dollar bong that you made yourself.

What You'll Need:

A Down stem and bowl, a 1/2 inch glass cutting bit, a cone shaped sanding bit. Remember that this works for both 18mm and 14mm down stems, but 14mm is a lot quicker due to less sanding.



Any kind of drill will do, the faster the better, but I just bought this one at a hardware store for $20 and it does what it needs to.



Some kind of bong looking vase, this was actually my girlfriends that she wanted converted. I really didn't like the shape because the base of it wasn't as big as I normally like, but it works, it just means the down stem goes in at a higher angle.



The step by step Process:

Step One: Put the glass cutting bit in your drill



Step Two: Put your vase in any kind of water storage basin, unless you are drilling a three foot bong, most people can just use their sink.



Pro Tip: For reasons you will run into down the road, make sure you just have like a 1/4 inch of water above where you are drilling. Don't worry about air bubbles, all though you want to avoid air, the second you tap through that glass it will all come out through the hole you made.



Step Three: This is by far the most critical, because if you drill to low, your slide won't go in all the way and you are what I like to call "fucked". Assuming your vase is completely symmetrical in the sense that it is perfectly round, then this technique works just fine. All you do is put your down stem over it, figure out where your slide will go in at, usually just using where the fogged glass is at, and make a line, usually you can just put your thumb there, and drill anywhere on that line, it's a lot easier once you try it. For my first couple drills I went like a half inch higher than I should have just to be completely safe.



Step Four: Now that you have your money spot, just put your drill there and start drilling. This can take a really steady hand, especially if you have a slow drill, but starting it is the hardest part. You also want to drill straight up and down with this bit, I know down stems don't go in that way, but just trust me on this one =)



Step Five: Once you have a completed hole, just stop, the easiest way to tell when you have reached this point is because your glass cutting bit can no longer accomplish anything, because you just made a 1/2 inch hole in your vase.



Step Six: Attach your cone shaped sanding bit



Step Seven: Now you drill with this at the angle in which your down stem will be going in, this has a lot of benefits, it creates a nice smooth slide and make sure the size is right. You keep doing this until it fits like you like, don't worry about accidentally making it to big, this is a very long process. This is why most people want to invest in a 14mm because it only takes a couple minutes, but a 18mm takes a while. Make sure you do this under water, I couldn't get a good picture of it under water, but that is also a must.



Finished Product: Eventually you will have a finished product, this one didn't turn out as great as I wanted, due to the crazy ass angle that the down stem had to go in at it wasn't super air tight, I put a little bit of hot glue in there to help, but make sure you have a nice big base OR a smaller down stem. This was just a 14mm I had laying around and my old lady wanted me to "bongify" this vase. Next time I do one of my own projects I will update the pictures with a nicer product. =)

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Kinda proud that when you google "bong shaped vase" and go to images, two of the pictures from this show up.