Cutting glass - tips please

[Cazza]

Hi all
I have to cut some glass panes for my greenhouse. I have watched youtube and tried some spare glass but it ends in failure. The break is never clean.
Help please! How can I make this work?
Cazza

 

[oliver90owner]

Lots of practice. Confidence. A good quality glasscutter and preferably fresh glass. Most horticultural glass is only about 3mm thick.

Have you considered acrylic sheet? Better light transmission than most glass, light but expensive and not structural. Could be cheaper than lots of failures, mind.

I would be asking a local horticultural site (not a glass retailer!) or checking out a plastic sheet supplier for offcuts of the right width.

RAB

 

[victor meldrew]

One scratch only . To try to make a scratch deeper creates multiple fracture points as your attempts have illustrated
VM


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[enrico]

It is no good trying to cut old glass! If you are using old glass and cutting it to go somewhere else you will lose about fifty percent! Buy a good quality cutter, use only one line, don't press too hard, put glass on a cloth, wear gloves and push the edges down with a long straight pencil thick piece of wood under the score. Be firm with the pressing! Never try and cut a small piece off, it won't work.
I HATE doing it! Throw it away and buy new stuff the right size!

 

[betterbee]

use old carpet under the sheet of glass while using the glass cutter,then when you scribe the line with your cutter reach around to the back of the sheet and gently tap along the scribe line,you will see the glass cutting along the scribe line.if just cutting 1/2 inch or so off sheet best to chip away the glass after scribing the line,,wear proctective goggles and gloves ,best luck
m

 

[Cazza]

Thank you all for the tips. I think I went wrong making multiple cuts, trying to make it as deep as possible. I need a sheet about 20 cms wide which is around70cms long.

I have sheets and sheets of glass to try with so I have no desire to spend money on a single sheet which will cost a lot. Even polycarbonate is not cheap. If I use up all the pieces, then I will have to get my wallet out!

Cazza

 

[theeggman]

If your pocket will run to it try a diamond tipped cutter.
I inherited one from FIL and have used it with no problem cutting old greenhouse glass, it makes a good cut/ scratch easily so no need for return trips across the glass.
A new cutter may save you buying more glass and will live in your toolkit without eating anything and can be used again when the need arises.

 

[Tom Bick]

The one I have these days is an oil filled cutter the oil goes into the handle to lubricate the wheel. It has a tungsten wheel and is mainly used in the stained glass industry, but is a wonderful glass cutter. You should never go over the cut twice with conventional wheels as this is a sure way to damage the wheel and then you get cut gap cut gap scenario.

 

[Gilberdyke John]

Hi all
I have to cut some glass panes for my greenhouse. I have watched youtube and tried some spare glass but it ends in failure. The break is never clean.
Help please! How can I make this work?
Cazza

Start with a firm, flat table to lay your glass sheet to be cut on. A baize cloth between your table and the glass helps.
Use a straight edge guide and amateurs are advised to use a wheel type glasscutter as diamonds require significantly more skill.
Do not press too hard but just enough to score a scratch. Experienced ears describe the sound as the cutter "singing".
Gently lift the edge and slide the cutter handle or a dowel under the score then gently press down on the glass either side. The glass should part cleanly along the scored line.
Old glass is tricky but with a bit of practice you will succeed. My father was a market gardener and we used to cut broken dutch greenhouse panes down to 24" x 24" panes to suit english glasshouse spars. I must have cut hundreds at weekends when I was a schoolboy.

 

[Cazza]

Thank you all for your tips.
I managed to cut 2 panes successfully (out of 3 tries.) Couldn't have done it without you. Cost only the price of a glass cutter. Brilliant.
Thanks again.
Cazza