How to cut glass??? for baffles

[saltwater4life1]

OK I've been trying to cut my baffles but it slits off and curves anyone got any tips??? the glass is precut 10x12" 3x32 of an inch depth.

Thanks so much!!!
Nick

[Matt Rise]

I had mine cut at Lowes....just me. The guy did a nice job. Try using a straight edge. Maybe get a framing square from HD or Lowes.

[BeanAnimal]

Strike the glass a single time. The cutter should be lubricated. A dry cutter or restriking the same mark will ruin the cutter.

Tap the score line with the back of the cutter handle to initiate the spread of the crack.

Wear gloves and goggles and use a FIRM steady action to snap the piece off.

BUT WHY BOTHER... just have the hardware store cut the stuff. It is cheap and much less trouble.

[saltwater4life1]

hmm well maybe it wasn't cutting right because i didn't lubricate it would WD40 work? i would of had it cut but the past two times i went to get it cut there was no one there to cut it even after they told me when to come... oh well i might try a local craft store and see if they do it. I'll try WD40 on it with a scrap piece.
Thanks!

Nick

[BeanAnimal]

yes WD40 will be fine. Remember strike (score) the glass only 1 time!

[saltwater4life1]

Ok i used a scrap piece and WD40 the cutter then made one swipe down the glass and i think it broke on the line i scored it. i guess i'll try the real thing soon. would wether make it mess up? i mean it's like 25 out in the garage were i was doing this and someone PM'ed and said score it and then tap it until it brakes (i've never heard anything like this)
Alright Thanks,

Nick

[rivdog]

go to a local glass shop and have themcut it 4 u. its cheaper n easier

[saltwater4life1]

Yea i gave up i tryed and it didn't work... i'm going to have it cut...
Thanks for the help guys but i'm wasting money and glass...

[Westy82]

if you have an ace hardware near you they will give you 2 cuts for free for each piece of glass you by. atleast thats what they do here in az

[saltwater4life1]

i think we have one but doesn't HD or lowes give you the cuts for free?

[lakee911]

Blue Box (bLowes) will cut for free. Dunno about Orange Box.

If no one is around, go to the service desk and ask. If they don't show up, go back and ***** at them, or go else where. It's their job to provide customer assistance! :)

Jason

[douggiestyle]

if you have a wet saw you can make complex and simple cuts. go slower than you would for tile. let the saw do the cutting.

[jamielind]

if you really want to cut them fast and alot of them use a regular tile cutter (the one with a scoring wheel and breaker bar) works perfect every time. then tile the basement.

[lakee911]

Good idear Jamie!

[MinibowMatt]

I use a tile cutter all the time. I have also done it by hand many times. Strike your line,(once or twice) be sure you got the edges, and tap till it breaks. IME, if you try to break it by hand, it cracks more often than not.

[jamielind]

i have a few tile cutters using my big one i have cut a 1 1/2" by 24" piece using 1/2 inch glass. broke perfect the first time. many of the tile stores that sell to the public will rent them or just ask a tile setter to cut them for you.

[BeanAnimal]

Matt from everything I have ever been taught and everything I have read, you should never strike a line in glass twice. Not only does it make for an imperfect cut, but it ruins the diamond wheel on the cutter.

[jamielind]

yes never score it twice. i have i guy that works for me that cant get that thru his head. my cutting wheels used to last at least a year now that he helps me im replacing them every 2-3 months. it makes terrible cuts too. im talking about tile but it is the same for glass.

[jamielind]

also if you decide to use a wet saw(which i dont recommend) make sure you wear glasses. ive had to go to the doctor a few times with shards in my eye. not very pleasant to sit in a waiting room with a 1/2" shard stuck in your eye.

[lakee911]

I have too, Jamie, but with metal splinters that got in under the glasses. Not fun to have them to try to flick it out of the surface of the eyeball with a hypodermic needle.

Jason

[douggiestyle]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9186064#post9186064 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by jamielind
also if you decide to use a wet saw(which i dont recommend) make sure you wear glasses. ive had to go to the doctor a few times with shards in my eye. not very pleasant to sit in a waiting room with a 1/2" shard stuck in your eye.

wet saw is fine. ive cut a whole tank in half with one. also we install much glass tile and use wet saw.

one should always wear safety glasses when breaking or cutting glass, tile, wood or metal etc.

its easy to go through life missing a digit or two. its tough when your blind.

i have friends in each category.

[arbee]

Nick, Do a clean, firm score--once through. Then before you try to break the glass, tap lightly on one end of the edge where the one score ends-just until you hear a tiny pop. This eases the pressure point on the opposite end of where you start the break. I do stainedglass and use this method with 95% success. After you hear the tiny ping, go to the other end and do your break. The glass should break in one straight line all along the score to the edge you 'pinged'.
Now with all that being said--I am going to the local glass shop today to pick up my order of precut baffles. Only $6 a piece :)

Best of luck~

[dngspot]

I have built several refigiums from old aquariums. I get my glass from a local glass shop. I use a 6' straight edge. I clamp the edge, and glass to a table, the table is made of plastic. I make a single firm pass along the straight edge. Then move the score to the edge of the table. One hand on the sheet and the other on the edge, use gloves and safety glasses, the with a sharp push down on the edge and the glass will seperate at the score. If the piece is to large get anothe to hold the sheet while you push down. If the sheet is big enough, its own weight will be enough to keep it in place.

[saltwater4life1]

ok so let me get this strate i score top to bottum then tap the bottum and flip it around to the top and brake from the top down? i was doing the brake on the bottum (end of score)...
Ok i'll see. Thanks guys,

[dngspot]

Just score the top. No need to tap. Just use a sharp push. Try with a small piece. You can break it in your hands and it will follow the score.

[saltwater4life1]

i've tryed but it goes off and makes a curve line do you use forse to score it or just slide it across

[douggiestyle]

use some force. should make an odd sound. like glass being cut. no other better discription.

[dngspot]

Yes, you do need to put some down force on the cutter. Is your cutter in good shape, and are you using oil?

[rickh]

Use acrylic and silicone--it works fine in a sump. Glass is too sharp. R

[lakee911]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9190571#post9190571 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by dngspot
Just score the top. No need to tap. Just use a sharp push. Try with a small piece. You can break it in your hands and it will follow the score.

Tapping is important as this starts a fracture along the score. This ensures an easy and clean break. It's also the only way to break a thin sliber. Typically glass cutters have a little ball (i.e. ball-peen hammer) on the end for tapping it.

Jason

[lakee911]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9191896#post9191896 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by rickh
Use acrylic and silicone--it works fine in a sump. Glass is too sharp. R

Silicone does not bond well to acrylic. I'm not saying it won't, but it does adhere better to glass. It is used for overflow boxes, but these are typically restrained against the glass and the water puts force on the joint keeping it together.

With glass sump and acrylic and silicone it may not be possible to empty a complete compartment of the sump and keep the baffle in place.

A diamond sharpening stone or diamond impregnated dremel bit or your local glass shop can ease the edges if the're too sharp.

[dngspot]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9192792#post9192792 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by lakee911
Tapping is important as this starts a fracture along the score. This ensures an easy and clean break. It's also the only way to break a thin sliber. Typically glass cutters have a little ball (i.e. ball-peen hammer) on the end for tapping it.

Jason

As with anything there is more than one way to do it. I have not had the need to tap glass. I have cut 1/8", 1/4" and 1/2" glass with the instructions above, with a clean cut each time. If you do it your way this is fine, my wife uses the tapping instructions on smaller pieces when she is working on stain glass, she works with 1/8" or smaller.

[lakee911]

Yup yup, lots of skinless cats out there.