I have been purchasing the 8 oz Coke bottles for many years. I use them in
just one of several machines I keep on display for sale. It's amazing how much
more interest is generated when a customer is allowed to operate an antique
machine, and is rewarded with a small ice cold bottle of pop.
That being said, I was shocked the last time I bought a case, the price had
jumped to over $20.00 not including the deposit for those 24 bottles. As suggested
here earlier, I picked up a couple of cases 6 1/2 ounce glass bottles, took them
home and soaked each of them in boiling soapy water, scrubbing them inside until
all that 40 year old syrup was gone.
Purchased 144 count bags of plain silver bottle caps from a brewery supplier
at about $6.00 per bag. Bought Coca Cola classic 2 liter plastic bottles for 99 cents
each (almost the same price as one 8oz glass bottle). Using a small plastic funnel
and a capper, each 2 liter bottle produced 10 of the 6 oz bottles.
So now that it cost 10 cents for each soda and 4 cents for the cap, a case
of pop is less than $3.50.