Glass products have always been very popular: frescoes, stained glass, dishes and many other things created from scraps of this material have always amazed people with their grace and smoothness of lines. Looking at this magnificence, it seems that to create it you need to be a real professional with extensive experience working with glass and a lot of necessary tools, and a simple “mortal” can never master this complex science. In fact, not everything is as sad as it seems at first glance, and anyone can get knowledge on how to cut glass at home.
Preparing glass for cutting
A lot depends on this stage, and the preparation process itself depends on which glass you decide to use for cutting. A new glass, bought specifically for the intended purpose, is enough to simply wipe, and it’s best to use the old newspaper for this (this will avoid stains and settling of small fibers). With the same used material will have to work, spending much more effort. Firstly, it must be thoroughly rinsed using a special glass cleaner. Secondly, degrease with a cloth dampened, for example, in kerosene and, finally, dry it indoors to prevent dust from entering the surface.
In addition, the preparation of glass implies its cutting. As you know, it is unlikely that you will be able to achieve completely waste-free production when working with glass, especially if you are planning to get a product of an irregular geometric shape. However, accurate calculation will reduce possible waste to a minimum. At this stage, a more rational solution would be to combine the longer side of the glass with the long side of the workpiece. Note that the resulting trim should not be thrown away, they can be used in the future to create new products.
What tools to use?
Many of us are accustomed to believing that it is possible to cut glass correctly and accurately only with a glass cutter. But what if you cut off a piece of glass urgently, but this tool was not at hand? There is another unusual, but no less effective way, which helped our great-grandfathers to get out of this situation. Such a tool is the usual scissors that are available from any owner. Consider each method in detail.
Option 1: glass cutter
The technology for cutting glass with a glass cutter is quite simple. To do this, you must comply with certain conditions and choose the right glass cutter. Today, the choice of this tool is wide enough, which allows you to turn the work into a pleasure.
- Diamond glass cutter, time-tested and remains the leader in its business to this day. For home use, glass cutters with a beveled cutting edge are suitable. Such a tool is designed for cutting glass up to ten kilometers and is suitable for any thickness of the material used. From time to time, such a glass cutter needs to be sharpened on a special bar.
- Roller. As the name implies, the cutting part of such a glass cutter is made in the form of a roller made of durable cobalt-tungsten alloy. The number of clips can be from one to six.
- Oil. Such a tool works on the principle of a glass cutter, with the difference that a reservoir with oil is built into its handle, which is automatically fed to the roller. Suitable for cutting thick glass.
Video: How to Cut Tempered Glass at Home
On how to choose a good glass cutter, see the video:
So, having figured out the glass cutter, place the glass on a flat surface. Mark the glass and get to work. To facilitate the task, you can use the ruler. It is worth considering the moment that the line needs to be carried out the first time, otherwise a second attempt will lead to cracking of the surface. Cut glass with a glass cutter by applying equal efforts along the entire length of the line.
Option 2: ordinary scissors
Cutting glass with scissors like paper is not a fairy tale, but a completely ordinary reality. For this purpose, you need the scissors themselves (sewing is best for this) and a water tank (preferably hot). It is necessary to mark the glass in advance, and then elementary physics is included in the work: the scissors create a microcrack, and the capillary effect completes the process. Of course, the result obtained will differ from that achieved by the glass cutter, but if necessary, this method can significantly help.
Types of glasses and features of work
Cutting ordinary glass does not cause almost any difficulties. Not only glass cutters, but also ordinary tailor scissors do an excellent job of this task. But what to do for those who set themselves the task of obtaining a glass product with a more complex configuration. To do this, you should familiarize yourself with the properties of some glasses.
- Tempered Glass Products. In fact, it is impossible to cut tempered glass at home. it loses its properties. If you want to purchase an item with elements of this material, you should think about cutting it in the early stages. In addition, work with him should be performed by professionals, since the hardening process of the resulting product can only be carried out under certain conditions.
- Corrugated glass. This patterned glass is particularly popular in glazing doors or creating decorative elements of the interior. Unlike tempered, such a glass is quite capable of being cut independently. Working with it is not much different from working with ordinary glass, the only difference is that the cut is made from the smooth side. For this, a roller glass cutter is best suited.
- Acrylic or organic glass. This is a transparent plastic based on synthetic resins. No special tools are required to cut it. At home, a metal saw, a cutter and other tools used for edge processing can do this job perfectly. In addition, with a glass, the thickness of which does not exceed 2 mm., An ordinary clerical knife perfectly copes.
In any case, it is worth remembering that work with any glass should be accompanied by certain precautions. The presence of tight gloves and goggles are the main conditions for the implementation of their own safety. It will not be superfluous to take care of arranging the workplace. Since working with glass implies the presence of fragments, cover the work surface with any material that will not get rid of AL-KO. Feeling your own safety will allow you to achieve the best results.