I use glass broken ware in some of the jewelry I make. Some of the pieces are pretty thick – about 3/8 of an inch or so.
I’ve been using a hammer to break larger pieces into more usable sizes. There is a predictable lack of accuracy and uniformity with this method.
Would using a glass cutter and glass pliers get me anywhere? I’m not expecting a perfect cut – just a more controlled break. Is there anything I should do to adapt the standard glass cutting technique for this application?
If it makes any difference, the pieces I use are curved. (Think broken vase or bowl, pressed on the outside, smooth on the inside.)
I good glass cutter will help. I’ve cut plate-glass mirror by using a glass cutter, and it made a perfect cut. You can also use the hot-wire technique, but it require a hot wire (of course).
Glass Pliers can be really useful when working curved and thick gkass. Before you even think about starting… WEAR FULL GOGGLE EYE PROTECTION. When you use glass pliers the tiny shards that fly off can go in any direction. It is also a good idea to work outdoors if possible, glass shards are a nasty thing in the home.
Sorry about the safety lecture. Oh- wear cut proof gloves, too.
I have done similar work with glass pliers, and have found that working slowly and thoughtfully and taking small “bites” did the trick.
If you have access to a bench grinder, you can do some real nice shaping. The key to this technique is not to let the working edge get too hot (from friction) or you risk shattering the piece.
Using a glass cutter is easy with thick glass, especially if you only want to make generalized cuts. Score the glass in a smooth continuous line. I don’t know how much you know about scoring glass with a cutter, but the biggest mistake people make when learning is pressing too hard. After you have stoed the glass, freeze it for a few hours. drop it into a pot of hot tap water. With a little luck; the glass will break on the score line.
Finally small bench top wet diamond saw are available for under $100. They are fun to use, and quite safe.
It would be nice if you could post a link to some photos of your work.
I cut glass using a tool like a dremel Dremel - Wikipedia (You can get similar tools for a lot less money) with diamond cutting blades. Cutting with a drip of water helps speed things up and protect the blade.
madrabbitwoman, I use a rotary tool with a diamond bit to smooth the edges of the glass so I can bead the bezel around it without the glass cutting the thread.
Another method would be to use a scroll saw. No, not a saber saw, but a real scroll saw where the blade is held in tension between two arms. I have a RBI Hawk and they used to make, and maybe still do, a drip water system and diamond blades for cutting glass. But the company has now gone out of business.
I’ve never seen one of those before. Pretty cool tool if it works well. I like the way the drive belt wraps partway around the ring to drive it. If I were into glass work I’d have to have one. Heck, I might get one just in case!
I have a fairly well known glass artist as a client - she has one of these, and it’s a pretty slick device. You can cut in any direction, since the blade is diamond-coated on all sides.
I buy my disks on ebay. They come in 20mm 25mm 30mm 40mm and (I think) 60mm. This lot http://www.flickr.com/photos/madrabbitwoman/3544331756/ of 40mm cost me about $10 Au (not including postage). I used to use the cut off disks that come with the dremel type tools and it would take me ages. The diamond disks cut like a hot knife through butter (especially when using water). I have a plastic water bottle with the base cut out and some wire to hang it up with. The bits attaching it to the bottle and the tubing and the drip tap are all micro irrigation fittings I bought at my local hardware store.
Man oh man I REALLY want one of these (I do lapidary and the ability to easily cut shapes out of stone - dream come true) I think I had better start saving.
madrabbitwoman, since I’m working with relatively small pieces, I’m going to try using the diamond wheel with the set-up I learned in a glass drilling class: a Lean Cuisine tray, a thin piece of wood in the bottom of the tray to keep you from drilling through your tray and making a mess, and a kitchen sponge. Fill the tray with water, and keep the glass pressed into the sponge so it and the bit are submerged in the water.
I think I should try this with Full Metal Lotus’s freezer/hot water technique.
I got one as a birthday gift a few years ago and it is awesome! Makes for much more efficient use of glass, wonderfully precise, and I can do concave lines I would never have dared try otherwise. It’s also nice because it fairly well grinds the edge while its cutting so no need to hit the grinder afterward. On the other hand, it can be comparatively slow for straight shots and simple curves, you don’t want to use it on mirror or dichroic glass because it’ll chip the surface material, and it kind of feels like cheating, so lately I’ve been working to hone my hand-cutting skills and shunning the machine as much as I can.
