More Work on the Bottle House

So today I spent my diamond jubilee EXTRA HOLIDAY (thanks Lizzie) working on another two sections of the bottle house roof.  The sections measure 4ft x 4ft (don't know if I've mentioned that in another post), and are composed of 2" x 2" wood, treated, there are 11 rows of bottles each row is composed of 5 bottles (1 whole and 4 with the bottoms cut off), so each roof section needs 55 bottles in total.  There are 8 roof sections and therefore the roof needs a total of 440 bottles (wow!).  Each  bottle needs it's label taken off and washed out, it takes some time just to prep them believe me.

Sad that I am, I timed myself making one of the roof sections, it took me just over an hour to put it together (this doesn't include the bottle prep).  I take 4 lengths of wood, and cut out a small section at each end so that I can fit them together to create a frame.  Each corner has two pilot holes drilled and two 45mm screws inserted to hold them together.  Now for the fun part, each of the 'whole' bottles has a small pilot hole drilled in the bottom, and then they are drilled with a 10mm bit, this creates a hole just large enough for a standard 6ft garden cane to be inserted.  The fun bit is trying to keep hold of the bottle to create the hole without it spinning round on the drill (this takes some practice LOL).

I insert a cane (for the roof I am using some that a friend's Dad grew, slightly thinner than standard canes) into the 'whole' bottle and fix this to the bottom of the frame.  I then put on 4 'bottom-less' bottles and fix the top of the cane to the top of the frame.  Simple.  Repeat another 10 times and then you have your roof section.

 4ft length with section removed

 Lengths all screwed together to create frame

 1st cane attached, this is in the middle of the frame

Finished article!