How to cut a circle out of glass
In order to be able to cut a circle out of glass, you can use several different methods, which may differ depending on the diameter of the future circle and, of course, the thickness of the glass..
The simplest and most common way to cut an even circle is to use a circular glass cutter. Usually, the presence of such a tool on the farm is quite rare. But for these purposes, you can use the usual tool.
First of all, you will need to designate the central part of the future product and fix a special suction cup on it. Then you need to attach a strong thread or fishing line to this suction cup with a length equal to the radius of the planned circle. The glass cutter itself must be tied to the end of this rope. Tighten the rope as much as possible and then draw the line in a circle around the suction cup with the tool. When the circle is drawn, it is very important to additionally make more beam mowing lines, which will eliminate unnecessary pieces of glass around the finished product..
How to cut glass with a glass cutter: detailed instructions
If you have planned to carry out work on cutting glass, then first of all you should decide which glass cutter is best suited for your case. At the moment there are two types of tools – diamond and roller.
The diamond model is considered to be the leader among the tools of this type. If you are going to use it at home, then the model that has a beveled edge is perfect, which is very convenient for breaking off cut pieces. You can cut glass with such a glass cutter almost ten kilometers of material, with a thickness of up to one centimeter. But at the same time, it should be borne in mind that there are cheap types in which an artificial diamond is installed, which allows you to cut glass with a thickness not exceeding 5 mm.
Unlike diamond, a roller glass cutter has a working element in the form of a small roller, usually made of carbide materials, usually a tungsten-cobalt alloy, which is capable of cutting material up to 4 mm thick. The advantage of this type of tool is that the roller can easily move on the glass, while not putting much effort to lay the furrow..
The work process is carried out in the following order:
Clean and dry glass is laid on the surface of the working table. The necessary markup is made with a marker. Further, at both ends, small cuts are made along the marked mowing line. Please note that the material used must be in close contact with the surface of the work table..
After that, you need to put a ruler on the glass and draw a line along it with a tool. It is worth holding a diamond glass cutter in your hands in the same way as a regular pencil; when passing along the marked mowing line, only a little effort should be applied. As a result, only a barely noticeable mark remains on the glass, which looks like a scratch. If the instrument is in good working order, then a characteristic crackle-like sound must be present. If the sound is creaking, then this means that its cutting element needs to be sharpened on a special bar for this..
Holding such a tool during operation should be at a slight angle, the correctness of which is determined empirically. Please note that a tool that is in the correct position relative to the glass leaves a colorless thin line..
Cutting thick glass: small strip
A roller glass cutter, unlike a diamond one, must be held strictly at right angles to the surface of the glass, while pressing it with the middle and thumb, and pressing it with the index finger. Please note that the roller tool is pressed a little more than the diamond one, and the cut itself should turn out to be white.
In order to get a high-quality and, of course, even cut – remember a few simple rules that must be followed when working with glass using a diamond tool:
- Do not press on the glass while moving the cutter, otherwise the cut will be too deep and the edges will be uneven.
- In no case should you make another cut on the resulting mowing line. Otherwise, the glass may break. The incision should be made as quickly as possible. For example, if we cut a length into a meter, then you need to spend no more than two seconds on it..
- In order for the workpiece to break off quickly and accurately along the mowing line of the cut, you need to lightly tap on the back of the glass. After which you will not need any effort to break it off.
If you are just a novice master, then it is best to practice on small pieces, this will help determine the correct angle of inclination of the instrument, gain experience, reduce losses, and also avoid mistakes in the future..
Preparatory activities
In order for the cut to be of high quality, you must first prepare the material for work. If the glass is new, then just wipe it down. A newspaper is best suited for these purposes, it mainly wipes the surface dry, and also does not leave lint and stains behind..
If the glass was previously in use, then before cutting the material with a glass cutter, it will take a little more time to prepare it. First of all, such a surface will need to be washed well using special glass cleaning products. This is followed by a thorough degreasing process. Alternatively, you can use kerosene. To do this, wipe the glass thoroughly with a cloth soaked in kerosene and wait until it is completely dry..
At the same time, the stage of glass preparation also includes its cutting. There is no doubt that you will be able to achieve the final result without waste, especially if you need to cut a product with an irregular geometric shape. But if you make the calculation as correctly as possible, then you can reduce the amount of waste several times..
Also, make sure that the working surface is sufficiently flat and without slopes, but not too hard, it is advisable to make the working surface of plywood or fiberboard, and cover it with an oilcloth or soft cloth on top..
How to cut glass without a glass cutter
You can cut glass without using a glass cutter. Very often, the simplest scissors are used for this procedure. To cut fragile material with scissors, place it in warm water and cut out pieces of the size you need underneath. Regular glass will be as easy to cut with scissors as cardboard or other sturdy paper..
If a large piece of glass needs to be cut, it can be placed in a large basin or tub. Then run the sharp part of the scissors over the glass, break off unnecessary parts of the glass. Be sure to put on gloves first to avoid cutting yourself on the sharp edge. At the same time, it is also desirable to protect the eyes..
In this way, you can cut glass no more than 3 mm. Shapes can only be cut with straight contours. It is imperative to prepare a template in advance and glue it to the glass using glue. It is worth noting one interesting point: the more water is above the glass, the easier it will be to cut the future product..
You can also use twine, some hot liquid, and a small vessel that needs to be filled with cold water. You need to make the necessary marks on the glass, then soak the string with alcohol or gasoline, fold it onto the marks and set it on fire. Immediately after the fire goes out, you need to pour a thin stream of water over the fishing line. At this point, the glass must be cracked. Then break off the glass along the crack that appears and sand all the edges with sandpaper. If no cracks appear, then you need to repeat the whole procedure again. In this way, you can cut very complex shapes, everything will depend on how you lay the twine..
How to cut glass with a glass cutter at home
Sooner or later, the household may need to replace the glass on its own. But working with such a fragile material is very traumatic. In this connection, in order to avoid injuries and excessive consumption of material, you should know the basic rules for working with this material and the selected tool..
Cutting ordinary glass is very simple and it will not cause any difficulties for a person. You can cut such glasses with a special glass cutter or even ordinary scissors..
If you have no idea how to properly handle this tool, then you can watch numerous videos on this topic on our website. They will help you cut out the desired shape and provide the necessary information for working with a rather complex and fragile material like glass..
Compliance with safety precautions
When cutting glass, it is very important to observe safety precautions, because the material is quite fragile and dangerous. You can not only cut yourself, but also injure your eye with shrapnel..
In no case should you cut glass on your knees or on unreliable objects with a glass cutter. Never grab the edge of the glass, as raw edges can be very sharp. If you want to raise the workpieces, then you should make a wrap with your hands from the sides.
To avoid cuts, wear protective gloves and goggles before handling. It is also important to wear closed shoes so that the glass does not cut your foot if it falls accidentally. Clothing should be made of dense and thick fabric, which will also help to avoid accidental injury..
In order to prevent small glass fragments from falling outside the working room, clothes and shoes must be changed at the end of work..
Cutting thick glass (1/2″)
Preparation for cutting glass:
- Before cutting, the glass should be well wiped from dust and dirt. There are two reasons: it will fit tightly on the table and will not get lost and slip-pass the glass cutter;
- Lay the glass on a thick sheet of chipboard or plywood, it should lie flat on the table and be larger in size than the glass to be cut;
- Correctly calculate the required size of glass that you will cut, especially if you insert it into doors, windows, etc. The point is that it should be done a little less than required. Between the edge of the glass and the flange of the fold should preferably remain more than 2 mm. This is necessary so that in case of dampness of wood or normal distortion, if it is a metal or plastic door, for example, the glass does not crack.
Preparing glass for cutting
A lot depends on this stage, and the preparation process itself depends on what kind of glass you decide to use for cutting. New glass, bought specifically for this purpose, is just enough to wipe, and it is best to use an old newspaper for this (this will avoid streaks and settling of small villi). With used material, you will have to work with much more effort. First, it must be thoroughly rinsed using a special glass cleaner. Secondly, degrease with a cloth soaked in, for example, kerosene and finally dry indoors to avoid dust getting on the surface.
In addition, the preparation of the glass implies its cutting. As you know, you are unlikely to be able to achieve a completely waste-free production when working with glass, especially if you are planning to get a product of not quite the correct geometric shape. However, accurate calculation will reduce possible waste to a minimum. At this stage, a more rational solution would be to align the longer side of the glass with the longer side of the workpiece. Please note that the resulting scraps should not be thrown away, they can be used in the future to create new products.
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How to cut glass at home – expert advice
How to cut glass at home is not such a rare question as it might seem at first. We are accustomed to having double-glazed windows in the windows, which, if necessary, simply change to others. But it often happens that you need to cut the glass, but a trip to the nearest glass processing workshop will cost more than the glass itself.
Perhaps, you should not take risks with large glass sizes and do not cut it at home – most likely, you will successfully spoil it. As a result, you will have to buy more glass and still go to the glass workshop. If you are from Baranovichi – then visit us in the village of Girovo, it is not far from the gas station in the direction of Nesvizh.
Nevertheless, we are ready to help you if you nevertheless decided on an experiment and decided to cut the glass with your own hands. So, here are some tips to reduce the likelihood that you ruin it. At the bottom of this article there will also be a video from the stained glass master Igor Dyachenko, he will be a good addition to this article..