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Thread: cutting glass for Tall hood door ( or dial door)

  1. #1
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    cutting glass for Tall hood door ( or dial door)

    Ok Been trying to cut out 1/8" pane glass for the hood door but keep breaking the glass. Having problems with 1"cut back on the arch. I make the inlet cut with a diamond wheel but as I try cutting the arch with the hand held wheel cutter it cracks in the corner. Suggestion?

  2. #2
    Can you take it to a glass shop?
    "All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing."

    “If you want to know what a man's like, take a good look at how he treats his inferiors, not his equals.”

  3. #3
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    Would drilling a hole in the corner first help? Haven't tried it on glass, but it helped on a large glass tile I was cutting and kept cracking.

  4. #4
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    Quote Originally Posted by Brian Knop View Post
    Ok Been trying to cut out 1/8" pane glass for the hood door but keep breaking the glass. Having problems with 1"cut back on the arch. I make the inlet cut with a diamond wheel but as I try cutting the arch with the hand held wheel cutter it cracks in the corner. Suggestion?
    This might sound crazy but I have cut curved shapes from window glass by cutting underwater. I used ordinary but heavy duty scissors and submerged the glass and scissors in a large sink in our R&D lab. Apparently the water molecules do something to tiny cracks as they start to prevent them from propagating. The edges can be smoothed with a belt sander. I also cut some thin quartz to make a small round window for a high-temperature oven.

    This was in the early '80s. I can't claim credit for the idea - I read about it somewhere.

    JKJ

  5. #5
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    Drilling a hole would provide strain relief in the corner just like with metal but not sure what to use to drill a hole in glass. I'll have to research that.

  6. #6
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    If I understand your post correctly you are cutting a cathedral arch, Correct? I do not cut much glass these days but I once did daily as part of an apprenticeship 40 yrs ago. When cutting any glass you have to make the cut continuous. You can not stop the wheel when etching and you can not go over with your wheel again once you have etched the glass.

    Make a pattern and practice and the position you need to be in to make it a continuous cut in order to make it one continuous motion. Also; lube the wheel and the glass with alcohol and make sure your wheel is in new condition. Pressing too hard is also a common mistake. A worn wheel will never cut cleanly, again pressure needs to be continuous and evenly applied, don’t try to cut the glass by pushing hard but apply enough to score the glass. Use the ball on the rear of the glass cutter to gently tap the entire cut once you score it.

    Practice making some continuous straight cuts and get comfortable so you have a fluid motion.

    Hope this helps. Look at some You Tube videos

    take care.

    After thinking about the alcohol we used it when cutting safety glass to help melt the plastic inner layer
    Last edited by Ben Abate; 12-03-2019 at 7:58 PM.
    sometimes it's people who no one imagines anything of who do the things that no one imagines. Alan Turing

  7. #7
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    but not sure what to use to drill a hole in glass.
    I just use the carbide glass and tile bits, like these: https://www.homedepot.com/p/Bosch-Gl...E&gclsrc=aw.ds

  8. #8
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    Quote Originally Posted by John K Jordan View Post
    This might sound crazy but I have cut curved shapes from window glass by cutting underwater. I used ordinary but heavy duty scissors and submerged the glass and scissors in a large sink in our R&D lab. Apparently the water molecules do something to tiny cracks as they start to prevent them from propagating. The edges can be smoothed with a belt sander. I also cut some thin quartz to make a small round window for a high-temperature oven.

    I tried it with tin snips. I thought it was vibration reduction so the piece should be totally underwater to damp vibration. Either way it works. hard to see and follow the line underwater.
    Bill D

    Extra words to make the count. even more words here. soemthing must be wrong


    This was in the early '80s. I can't claim credit for the idea - I read about it somewhere.

    JKJ
    I tried it with tin snips. I thought it was vibration reduction so the piece should be totally underwater to damp vibration. Either way it works. hard to see and follow the line underwater.
    Bill D

    Extra words to make the count. even more words here. soemthing must be wrong


    This was in the early '80s. I can't claim credit for the idea - I read about it somewhere.

    JKJ[/QUOTE]

  9. #9
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    May 2007
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    Florida
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    That is a really cool idea. I am probably going to make a mess but I’m going to try it.

    Dan

  10. #10
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    Apr 2018
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    Cambridge Vermont
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    Use kerosine to lubricate the cutter. Also don't press too hard when trying to score the glass. You need enough force to make the score but not much more. A thinner lighter score will break much better than a deep rough one. Never go over a score a second time. Finally you could have damaged the glass cutter by pushing too hard or scoring the glass twice. I assume you have plenty of extra glass to practice on. If so try to get a feel for how hard you need to push.

    When it comes to actually breaking the glass on the score you will also need to learn how much force to use. If you use kerosine it'll take less force.

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