Arrow Through a Coca-Cola Bottle; Three Variations 2026

Arrow Through a Coca-Cola Bottle; Three Variations, this one features a solid wood arrow with no glue or joints through a solid glass Coca-Cola bottle. It was designed and brought to life by Gary Foshee in 1979. The mechanics behind this puzzle were known long before and were published in a book by Albert Hopkins in 1897 titled, "Magic."

This article describes the classic Arrow Through the Coca-Cola Bottle along with three other variations in the last three steps. If you love impossible objects, you'll love the solution to this classic Arrow through the Coca-Cola bottle.

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Step 1: Tools and materials

Tools:

• Drill
• Band saw
• Sander
• Boiling water
• Clamps
• Diamond drill bits
• Flat diamond drill bits
• Acetone

Materials:

• Coca Cola bottle
• Pine board

Step 2: Wood Selection

Wood selection is extremely important for the arrow. I used an old reclaimed dry pine board.

You want a grain that extends perpendicular to the face of the arrow. This will ensure that when the wood is clamped in a future step, it can be compressed evenly and squarely.

If the wood is at an angle, it will not compress to the smallest possible size and will skew.

The second image shows the difference between a straight grain and a slant grain arrow once held.

Step 3: Cut the arrow

Using the template image uploaded in this step, cut out the arrow from a 1/2 inch piece of pine. Avoid knots!

Step 4: Sand the Arrow

Using a disc or hand sander, remove excess wood and round the corners.

Step 5: Boil the wood

Once you've made some arrows, boil the tip for 45 minutes. This will make the wood extremely flexible and can be compressed in the next step.

Step 6: Clamps

Using a strong clamp or vise, compress the wood until it is as small as or slightly smaller than the center axis of the arrow.

Use only one arrow per clamp so maximum force can be applied. If you notice small cracks appearing, that's okay. Small cracks will disappear later (large cracks that appearshown in the last image will not disappear).

Place the arrows aside and let them dry for 72 hours (48 hours minimum depending on local humidity). If you notice that the arrow begins to expand again when you open the press, tighten it again and wait another 24 hours.

Step 7: Remove unwanted labels on the bottle

While the arrows are drying, prepare the bottle. Every Coca-Cola bottle comes with unwanted printing that will distract from the entire puzzle, such as expiration dates and nutritional facts.

Using a paper towel and acetone, rub over the unwanted print to leave a clean bottle.

Step 8: Prepare to Drill

If you only plan to do a puzzle or do not have a drill, it is not necessary to make a bottle holder. Soon we will do an article on how to drill in glass without a drill

I made this stand with an old bucket and some pine for the supports.

Step 9: Drill the bottle

Mark the location of your holes. Try to stay away from the logo as it may chip. Holding the glass under water, drill with a 9/16-inch or 14-millimeter diamond drill bit.

Use light pressure with your drill running around 1000 RPM to cut the hole.

When one hole is completed, turn the bottle and drill the second hole.

Step 10: Finish the hole

Using flat diamond files, submerge the bottle under water and finish the hole. Use the completely dry arrow to check the size (try to keep the arrow as dry as possible).

Step 11: Insert the arrow

Once the holes are the correct size, insert the arrow into each hole.

Step 12: Boil the arrow

Boil the arrowhead. This will rehydrate the arrow and allow it to expand to its original size. This step may take up to 10 minutes. Once the arrow returns to its original size, remove it from the water and let it dry for 24 hours.

Step 13: Hand sanding

After drying, the arrow will not be smooth as it was before. Use increasingly finer sandpaper until the wooden arrow is smooth.

Step 14: Variation from an arrow from a bottle to an arrow through a bottle and another arrow

The following variations use the same general methods as the original:

• Cut a 5/8 x 5/8 inch hole in the tip of an arrow.
• Boil and hold the two arrows.
• Once dry, insert the arrow into the neck of the bottle.
• Fill the bottle with water to cover the arrowhead and place it in boiling water.
• Drill two holes at the bottle site.
• File the square holes to fit the second arrow.
• Insert the second arrow through the bottle and the first arrow.
• Boil the tip of the second arrow.

Step 15: Two Arrows Through a Bottle Variation

• Boil and hold two arrows.
• While the arrows are drying, drill two holes in the bottle.
• Make the square holes once the arrows are dry.
• Insert the arrows through the bottle and boil.

Step 16: Three Arrows in a Bottle Variation

• Boil and use clamps on the arrow
• Once dry, insert the arrow into the neck of the bottle
• Fill the bottle just above the arrowhead and place it in boiling water

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