How you can cut and fit protective glass on your smartphone at home
It happens that the smartphone glass has to be adjusted in size. This happens because you can not buy a protective glass for the correct model, or from the Celestial Empire did not come exactly what was ordered. When asked if it is possible to cut protective glass for the phone at home, I answer. yes, but it is not so easy to accurately perform the work.
First machining step
When the glass edge is roughly finished, it will not only be flat, but also secure. But the surface is still quite rough.
Glass edging with your own hands is done with ordinary pliers or the side notch of a glass cutter:
- Glass should be grasped in small sections, breaking off pieces measuring two to three millimeters.
- To remove smaller protrusions use pliers. You need to grip the material firmly and gently squeeze the tool.
What is this material?
Tempered glass is called the most common sheet (tempering temperature and the temperature of tempering in the manufacture of ordinary glass coincide and are equal to about 660 ° C), which cools very quickly, using air blowing (cold air) on both sides of the finished sheet. The hardening (process) occurs because of the very rapid cooling. Hardened glass in this way has a high mechanical strength, resistance to high temperatures and increased safety (in the case of destruction the glass falls apart into a large number of small and not sharp pieces, which will not cause much harm to humans).
Tempered glass is used as a showcase.
Residents of the former Soviet Union are familiar with such glass. it was called the Stalinist. The reason is that when such glass is cooled the residual compression stress occurs in the crystal lattice of such glass. Because of its three positive qualities such glass is widely used in construction, in the manufacture of crockery, they are used as shop windows of supermarkets, in various social institutions (schools, universities, hospitals, etc.), and in other industries.д.), in the manufacture of automobiles and other machinery.
The main disadvantage of this material is its vulnerability to mechanical impacts in the ends. Even a slight impact on the edge of the sheet, the glass shatters into a pile of small pieces, and the entire sheet becomes unusable. However, even this defect has found its application in everyday life. it is used if you want to create a broken glass effect (in the design of furniture or dishes).
The most common thing is to see tables or drawers with broken glass. This effect is achieved by using 3 sheets at a time: the upper one is whole, the middle one is broken, and the lower one is whole.
Manufacturers of such plate glass do not recommend (and some even forbid) the cutting of such glass in the home, as there is a high probability of damage to the sheet. And then how does one cut tempered glass in everyday life??
It is impossible to cut tempered glass in the usual sense of the word. After tempering, the material changes its properties. Tempered glass is better known to the average consumer as “safety glass”. Cutting it in the traditional sense would result in the material simply collapsing into many small fragments. However, despite the limitations, this material can be cut quite successfully if desired. Work is reduced to the fact that the glass is first annealed, and after that cut. The glass can then be re-hardened, if desired, to make it very strong and safe again.
The difference between tempered glass and regular glass.
What you need to know about tempered glass before you cut it?
Tempered glass is very strong. It is used for glazing balconies, loggias and light openings. This material is used to create a variety of furniture and translucent structures. If you need to cut a tempered glass must be carefully prepared for this process, carefully studying all the features of the event.
First of all, you should study the properties of tempered glass. In essence, it is a thermally polished material. For its manufacturing we use unpolished and polished sheets of glass. Direct hardening is carried out in furnaces especially designed for this purpose.
Glass should be cut on a flat surface with a cloth or a piece of paper.
Glass is heated to 680 degrees in this unit. At this temperature, there is a partial softening of the material. Then the glass is rapidly cooled by a uniform flow of air. The surface layer cools down first. The internal ones are subjected to residual compression stress in the process. This is what makes tempered glass so heat resistant and mechanically strong.
According to averaged data, the strength of tempered glass is approximately 6 times higher than that of ordinary glass. It is difficult to break it without a desire to do it deliberately. Even if a tempered glass object breaks, it turns into many small pieces without sharp edges, so that you cannot injure yourself on them as you could with ordinary glass.
All stages of work, including edge treatment, are carried out at the factory. This is done before you send the glass to the furnace for tempering. After all the accompanying steps are done, the tempered material is not subject to any mechanical effects. If you want to change anything you will have to anneal the glass first.
The scope of application of this material is quite extensive. Tempered glass is popular in construction and glazing of door and window apertures, it is also used for shower cabins, furniture and other structures. So if you plan to do durable and reliable glazing, but do not have the skills to cut tempered glass, study the suggested instructions in detail and do everything according to the manual. If you think that such a process for you too complicated, it is better to immediately contact the services of a specialized company to order products of the right shape and size, with all the required cutouts and apertures.
Is it possible to cut glass after hardening??
It is in fact possible to cut tempered glass. But you must be prepared for that properly in order not to turn the whole plate into a mass of blunt-edged pieces. To break the plate, simply hit its end face with any suitable object. To change the size of the product, create cutouts, etc., it is necessary to follow the technology and, first of all, to study the properties of tempered glass.
Example 1. Cutting technology of tempered glass.
The technology of tempered glass making is such that in the process of its manufacture there is a formation of zones called areas of internal tension. When heated and then cooled rapidly, the stress areas are redistributed. As a result of these variations, the inner layers keep their liquid-body characteristics, remaining viscous, while the outer layers are much more solid compared to plain glass that hasn’t undergone the hardening process.
Applying pointwise blows to the end zones results in a redistribution of the existing stresses. The sheet integrity is compromised by micro-cracks, so that even the weakest impact would result in extensive cobwebs of cracks of different sizes if handled improperly. The glass will simply shatter with the slightest external force. This is the principle behind automotive glass: it shatters without any problem if struck with a sharp object. The film makes the glass traumatically safe: it retains the splinters and prevents them from damaging the driver.
Thus, tempered glass obtains its special properties directly in the tempering process. The material is first cut into desired pieces, drilled, shaped and then quenched. Specialists recommend refraining from further mechanical treatment. However, if you are serious and categorical, first prepare the tools and remember the important nuances of cutting tempered glass.
Preparing for cutting: important considerations
In the hands of an inexperienced person who wants to cut tempered glass, the product will break into numerous pieces in an instant. The only effective option is to cut the glass with a laser. However, it is unlikely that such a device can be found at home. An alternative method is therefore necessary to anneal the glass first. The instructions are provided below.
It is important to keep in mind that as the glass is re-cooled, the outside of the glass will cool faster than the inside. If the glass surface has already cooled down, it does not mean the interior is ready. Slow cooling of the glass prevents the formation of stresses in the glass. This makes it possible to obtain a higher quality cut. This point must always be taken into account when cutting tempered glass yourself.
To do this complex job, you will need the following:
- The hardened glass itself.
- Warm water.
- Furnace.
- Thermostat. The presence of this element is desirable, but you can do without it.
- Marker.
- Corner.
- Grinding stone.
- Glass cutter.
- Wooden rod. A product with a diameter of 6 mm will suffice.
- Safety glasses.
Step-by-step instructions for cutting tempered glass
Cutting tempered glass involves pre annealing this material. The process involves heating the carburetor evenly. The main task of this step is to eliminate the tensions that appeared in the material when it was hardened earlier. These stresses are the main obstacle to cutting safety glass. If you get rid of them, you can do what you want.
Annealing is done in the following order. First soak the glass in water at a constant temperature. It is necessary to soak until the temperature corresponding to the viscosity in the furnace unit is reached. It equals η = 1013 Poise. The time required for soaking depends on how large a piece of glass you intend to cut.
Example 2. Cutting technology for tempered glass.
Bullseye, Effetre and Lauscha glass is soaked at 504 degrees Celsius. Borosilicate glass requires a higher soaking temperature, 566 degrees. Optimal temperature for Satake glass is 477 degrees. Soaking of small beads takes an average of 20 minutes. Larger beads need to be tempered for one hour. Press panes of large size are cured for 12 hours or more. Particularly large items weighing 40 kg or more need a hardening time of a few months.
The glass must be gradually cooled to below the temperature of deformation. It is equal to η = 1014.5 Poise. The process must be carried out slowly to avoid creating additional stresses. Satake glass is cooled at 399 degrees Celsius. For cooling other brands, a temperature of 427 degrees is appropriate. Let the glass cool in the furnace to room temperature.
Put on your safety glasses and start cutting the annealed glass. Take the angle piece, mark the cut line. Hold the angle piece along the leftover mowing line. Cut along the mowing line with the glass cutter. Press with medium force, making a scratch along the mowing line. Along the mowing line only 1 time is allowed.
Next you need to take a 6 mm diameter wooden rod, put it under the cutting line and apply a quick and sharp pressure on both sides. If done correctly, the glass will break into 2 neat pieces. The edges of the resulting pieces need to be trimmed with a grindstone. This will make it stronger and safer.
If desired, the glass can be re-tempered. It is better if this work is done by a professional. The procedure requires appropriate skills and special equipment, so a novice simply can not cope with it.
Because the process of cutting tempered glass, which in practice is cutting annealed glass, is a multi-step process, you can simplify your task by buying plain glass, cutting off the desired areas, or preparing the desired holes, and tempering. This saves money, effort, and time.
In the list of necessary tools and devices the thermoregulator was mentioned. It is needed to keep the temperature in the furnace at a constant level. You can do without it, but it is easier.
Thus, it is very difficult to cut tempered glass. If you do not want to spoil the finished product, it is better to order a new tempered glass, or cut regular material, and then perform or order its tempering. Have a nice work!
How to cut glass with a glass cutter. Photos and video of the process
Probably every man has ever had to replace broken glass. Marking a new pane is not difficult, but cutting it accurately is not so easy. Cutting glass at home requires only special high quality tools.
Stage of preparation
To minimize difficulties, the glass should be washed well and dried completely. If the material is new, it is enough to wipe it with unnecessary newspapers. Clean and degrease old glass with kerosene and dry it.
To ensure that the glass corresponds to the necessary dimensions, it is necessary to mark it with an ordinary pencil. The cut should be made so as to minimize waste, so the long side of the glass is aligned with the longer side of the future piece.
Tools needed
Before you cut glass with a glass cutter, you need to decide what kind of tool you have. The fact is that there are two types of glass cutters, and the technology for using them differs considerably:
How to cut glass, normal VS safety, tempered?
The diamond glass cutter is expensive, but can cut 10 mm thick glass. even complicated constructions with curves can be cut with this tool. The tool is held as an ordinary writing pen at a slight angle (only more vertical). The cut line must be neat, thin and colorless. The roller cutter cuts 1-4 mm thick glass. Models with 1, 3 and 6 rollers are available. The oiled roller glass cutter has recently become very popular, because it is the easiest to work with. The tool is held strictly perpendicular to the work surface and the pressure is controlled with the index finger. If all cutting techniques are followed, the line will be white.
Choosing the right tool for cutting glass is not difficult, the process of working is more difficult, because you have to be as careful and attentive as possible to get good results.
Place the glass completely on the prepared work surface. You can start by practicing on a small piece. Experts recommend to put a thick wooden ruler under the glass cutter and place it in such a way that it is away from the mowing line before you make the cut. To prevent the line from slipping, several pieces of rubber are placed under it.
When cutting, equal force should be applied evenly and accurate line should be drawn at once. Repeated attempts to run the line in the same place will cause cracks. If the line is not successful, you need to step back 1 mm from the place of the first attempt and try again. After the cut the glass must be placed so that the cutting line coincides with the edge of the working surface. When the underside of the glass is in the balance, gently tap it with the glass cutter and break it off by holding a part of the sheet on the table. You can break the glass with your hands or pliers (with pieces of hose around the ends).
But if neither one or the other tool is at hand, you can try cutting the glass with sharp sewing scissors. It’s simple: you need to mark the material and create micro cracks with scissors.
Glass types and special features
There are practically no problems with cutting ordinary glass. But other glass types can cause serious problems.
Cutting toughened glass is practically impossible, because usually when you try to cut it, it just breaks in random places. If you have an interior design using tempered glass, it must be cut immediately before tempering. This means that such work should only be entrusted to professionals.
Patterned glass is often used for glazing doors or other interior objects. The process of cutting does not differ from working with normal glass, only riffled glass is better to cut with a roller glass cutter exclusively on the smooth side.
This synthetic plastic material can be cut with any tools at hand, including a cutter, sewing scissors and a saw for metal. If the plexiglass is very thin (no more than 2 mm), you can use a sharpened office knife as a cutting tool.
Glass is best cut on a large fiberboard table. Wear safety glasses and gloves before using a glass cutter, as tiny glass pieces can enter your eyes and chipped edges can cause severe injury to your hands. You should wear closed-toed shoes to avoid unnecessary cuts.
This is interesting: Chisel. how to make your own hands, what it is, how to use?
Preparing the material and the desktop
To make a quality cut, the glass surface should be cleaned well. If the glass has just been purchased, wiping it down with newspaper, which does not leave behind any streaks or lint, will suffice.
The preparatory stage includes the calculation of the configuration of the cutting surface. It is impossible to avoid the waste completely, but the exact calculation can significantly reduce their number. The resulting scraps should not be thrown away, they can be used later. Carpet is a good base for cutting glass
The working table must be flat, without any significant slopes. The surface of the tabletop does not need to be too hard, it is best made of chipboard and covered with a soft textile or other similar material on top for easier cutting.
How to cut a mirror without a glass cutter
Surrounding mirrors: in the car, bathroom or lady’s cosmetic bag, they are regular glass with a layer of metal on the back surface. Cutting glass with a mirror coating, practically does not differ from the usual and can be done with an ordinary glass cutter or the methods given above. When there are no special tools at hand, the most effective tool for cutting will be a file or a diamond disc. Let’s take a closer look at how to cut a mirror at home without a glass cutter, using improvised means. First of all it is necessary to prepare a workable surface: to wash, degrease and dry. The mirror must be clean, without stains and strong streaks. Otherwise, the cutting line may be distorted and the bevel will be uneven. The working surface, where the cut will be made, should be flat and not very rigid. You can put a thick cloth or a piece of linoleum on the table.
After preparation of the material and workplace we mark the line of the future cut on the mirror. It is better to lead the straight line by a ruler or rail with a height of at least 5 mm. To prevent the clamp from slipping, you can glue a strip of masking tape to its bottom part. Next we take a file, an angle grinder or other tool and make a cut along the marked scythe line. A more detailed process of the different cutting methods is written above.
When the cut is ready, all you have to do is chip the mirror in the desired spot. To do this, you can put a small object (match, pencil, nail) under the cutting line and press lightly on both sides. You can either chip the glass against the edge of the table or gently tap the bottom with a small metal object (a drill or spoon). If the glass does not break, you do not need to press very hard. It is better to make the second cut within a couple of centimeters of the first one.
How to cut tempered glass
All reputable experts say that it is not possible to cut klem glass. However, there are three different ways to cut hardened glass without using any supernatural power.
Abrasive waterjet cutting of tempered glass. the method consists in feeding under tremendous pressure (up to 4 thousand times the pressure of the glass). atm.) water in a special chamber where the water is mixed with abrasive powder and then through a very fine nozzle (0.2-0.4 mm diameter), shot onto the surface to be treated. Water speeds up to 1000 m/s (3 times the speed of sound). Will cut through steel armor, not glass.
Cutting vitrified glass with a vulcanite wheel
Cutting with an abrasive wheel. the glass is mounted on a movable table, and from above something like an angle grinder with an abrasive wheel (for example, from vulcanite) of small thickness is lowered on it. It is believed that with a low table feed relative to the wheel and intensive watering of the cutting zone with a cooling lubricant, the process can be successful.
Cutting with tempering. Tempering” (or “annealing”) in this case does not mean a trip to the south, but heating the glass to the temperature at which the hardening effect will be removed.
That is, the glass will return to its normal state, after which it can be machined and, if necessary, hardened again.
This operation might be theoretically possible, but the simplest calculations suggest that it would be cheaper to buy a new one. The article “Where to Buy Tempered Glass?”) ordinary glass, cut it into pieces of the desired shape, drill the necessary holes, and then. harden.
If you are interested in where and how to use tempered glass for your home, read about it at: http://oknanagoda.com/steklo/osteklenie-steklo/steklopaketi/kalenoe-steklo-dlya-doma.html
How, where and why to use coated glass. you will also find on our site.
The nuances when cutting at home
When considering how to cut tempered glass at home, you need to pay attention to the choice of a more appropriate tool. The following glass cutters are widespread:
- Diamond tools are used extremely often today. Due to the use of durable and hard material, the tool can last for a long period of time. From time to time the cutting edge should be sharpened using a special sharpening stone.
- Roller. Cutting tempered glass at home is often carried out with this kind of tool, because it is ideal for the work in question. The set can contain 6 rollers, which are often made of cobalt and tungsten. Cutting is made much easier by combining a large number of rollers made of a robust and wear-resistant material.
- The oil version is similar to the version with rollers, but the design has a special container for storing oil. When the work is done, lubricants are added to the cutting zone, which greatly simplifies the cutting process. That’s why this version is used more often than others.
Check the cutting edge for sharpness before actually doing the work. If you use a worn tool, the quality of machining is significantly reduced, there is a chance that the created line of the cut will have insufficient depth.