How to cut glass with a glass cutter? Tips and advice from experts

Almost any of us are faced with the need to handle the transparent material, but not everyone knows how to cut glass with a glass cutter. In addition, this material is rather fragile, and when it is not excluded injuries of different degree. Of course, you can entrust this work to professionals who will do everything quickly and professionally. But at the same time and ask a fair wage for their labor, and many of us want to save.

But if in fact, the cut glass of the required size can be in the home or in the garage. The work, though, and can be dangerous, not very complicated as it may seem. Need only to know the technology and to observe safety.

Safety first!

The Majority of owners of apartments or private homes doing household repairs yourself, of course, when you have time. As in any other case, when working with glass you must adhere to safety to avoid serious injury. Simple ignorance of how to cut glass with glass cutter, can lead not only to cuts but also to the wounding of the eye by shrapnel.

To Cut glass on her knees or moving objects is not recommended, it is necessary to use a solid and level surface. We should not cling to the raw edges to lift the workpiece better with the side edges. To work with glass need work clothes of thick dense fabric. Shoes must be closed in order not to hurt your legs. Dressed up as her before starting work, you need to also take care of the security of the person and hands. To do this, you should always wear gloves and safety glasses. At the end of the work necessary to change clothes and change the shoes to the fragments (and they will certainly be on the clothes) did not leave the working area.

Selection of glass

According to the experts at the glass craft, the main thing – choose a good material or the cutting of the glass will lose its meaning. This is especially important when deciding to replace window glass.

When choosing a glass shop, if you look at it ends, you can see a bluish or slightly green tint. It indicates the high quality material. However, products may be defective. Even if it is home repair, you should not take the glass from scratches. It also happens that in the production process of the material is not fully complied with the rules, and then the leaves appear different defects. Typical of these are the bands that distorts the view.

Choosing the glass on the window should to choose the optimum thickness, which depends on the size of the frame. For example, its height – not more than 60 cm, then the thickness of the sheet can be from 2 to 2.5 mm. otherwise (more than 60 cm) should be selected a greater thickness-up to 3.5-4 mm. When cutting glass, you should form the sheet is 3-5 mm less than the frame. Otherwise at the slightest misalignment of the glass is inserted into the opening.

Types of glass cutters

For cutting glass use a special tool that is known to all. It can be of several types:

• Inline;
• Diamond;
• Oil;
• Compass.

Roller steklorezy have a cutting tip with a round shape. For its production typically an alloy of cobalt and tungsten. The number of rollers in a single tool can vary from one to six. Unlike other analogues is such a tool is inexpensive, due to which received great appreciation.

Diamond cutter are professionals. Despite the high price, he was, is and always will be the undisputed leader in the field of glass cutting. House masters is better to choose a professional diamond glass cutter, which has a beveled cutting edge, as it will cut more linear feet of virtually any thickness. Just need to keep it in a special case. For a cutting tip uses crystal diamond, as he is known, is the hardest mineral that only can be found on Earth. You should leave a small scratch on the glass as it will break at the slightest stress. Glaziers ' diamonds need periodic sharpening by a special bar.

Oil tools is similar to a roller counterparts, with the only difference that in the handle there is a capsule with oil. It is automatically fed to the roller during operation and on the glass surface. This cutter is well suited to address the question of how to cut thick glass with a glass cutter.

With Compass is convenient to cut a round or oval shape. Itconsists of several elements, and resembles a well-known school stationery object.

Preparing the workplace

Before moving on to cutting glass, it is necessary to prepare the workplace. Usually this receives little attention, but in vain. It is important to prepare the material to work. If the glass is new, there is no need to wash it. Otherwise, it can be small chips, cracks, scratches or patina. Then you need to wash the sheet with detergents, and then dried, wiped with paper or newspaper. The fabric is better not to use because they stay lint and stains that to anything. Dry the glass you want to degrease. You can use the kerosene soaked in a rag. After this operation, the sheet is dried, but without wiping dry and in a closed room to avoid dust.

Few know how to cut glass with a glass cutter, it will not hurt to perform its cutting to minimize wasting material. Drawn on a sheet of paper a competent drawing will allow you to achieve almost zero waste home production. Especially it will be useful if you want to cut a complex or irregular shape. While optimally positioning the longest side of the workpiece on a similar option is glass. The leaves should be cut on a flat surface, excluding the slopes. As a makeshift table suitable plywood or hardboard. From the top you can lay a rubber sheet or soft cloth.

Cutting Technology

Clean and dry sheet is placed on the table for cutting glass, and it needs to be entirely on the working surface. The first to make marks with a marker or special pencil. For smooth lines you will need a ruler, and for complex clippings – the prepared mold. The thickness of the line must be at least 7 mm for a snug fit of the tool. And that she did not slip on the glass, you can glue a bit of rubber pieces.

Diamond glass cutter should be kept as a pen or pencil at a slight angle while making a weak effort. If a thin colorless line, so everything is done correctly. Roller is the tool you need to keep strictly perpendicular to the surface of the glass, holding it with thumb and middle finger, and forefinger pressing down from above. Unlike diamond glass cutter for cutting glass 3 mm here we need a little more effort. The trail remains white.

The Management tool must usually be accompanied by a slight crackling, which indicates good work. Simple rules will help to avoid errors:

• The Speed should be uniform and not be interrupted.
• It is Better to glass cutter faster than slower, but not too fast.
• Regardless of the type of tool motion is always directed at themselves, that is, the tool follows the hand.
• Do Not push the tool on the glass, on the entire stretch needs to exert even pressure.
• Line a glass cutter you need to spend only once, not more, that the glass didn't crack.

In the absence of experience it is better to practice on some pieces. So you can avoid mistakes, learn how to hold the instrument and gain experience with different materials, including corrugated glass.

The Right glass fault

After a cut glass broken. Thin and small pieces can break off with your hands. Larger sheets need to move to the edge of the table so that the slit was in the 3-5 cm from its edge. The pen tool should lightly tap along the line on the reverse side of the glass. Not forgetting to hold the hanging portion of the sheet. After a while the tapping will give the desired result.

But there is another more secure method. Under the sheet on one side and on both edges enclose a match, and after the glass must be carefully and sharply to press. The fault must pass exactly along the line of the incision.

In some cases, cut piece of glass too narrow. To do this glass cutter is a special recess in the “head”. They must be inserted in the detachable edge strip, for example, window glass 4 mm, followed by with little effort to pull down – will likely break the material just cut.

Edging

After the breaking of the glass there is a risk to cut yourself on the sharp edge of the brim. So they need to "disarm". At home this can be done with an ordinary grindstone, which usually to sharpen kitchen knives. Only the first it is moistened with water.

The Corner of a grindstone having diamond coated, allows to handle both edges. Also for manual work, a good sponge with a diamond coating. But if you have a drill, the process can be accelerated. Enoughuse a grinding attachment.

Patterned glass

Corrugated or patterned glass – the leaves, which are periodically repeated embossed pattern. This material performs different functions:

• Is a decorative ornament;
• Able to partially scatter light;
• Limit end-to-end visibility.

At the same time fluted glass does not stop to penetrate the sun or artificial light. As for the pattern, it can be on one or two sides. The pattern comes with special knurling rollers with some pattern. Mostly the wide distribution of fluted glass got in the decoration of doors and furniture. For cutting of such sheets is better to use a roller cutter. And the work should be done on their smooth surface.

Toughened glass

Sometimes some home craftsmen interested in the question of how to cut toughened glass. The answer is simple – no way! It is not possible to cut or drill because when you try to influence it mechanically, it just disappears.

The material long before the advent of the technology "triplex" used in the automotive industry. In a crash the glass was just broken to small pieces, which eliminates injury to the drivers and passengers. Therefore, in respect of such material should not even ask the question about how to cut glass with a glass cutter.

How to cut circles?

In this case it is convenient to use a circular glass cutter but it is not for everyone, and therefore have to resort to different methods. First we need to identify and designate the center of the circle, and then to apply a special suction Cup. It is sold in any hardware store, and you can find cheaper options.

Next to it you need to tie the thread, and best of the line length according to the desired radius of the circle. The other end tied to the glass cutter. It remains possible to tighten the line and maintain the tool. After a cut it is necessary to make the radial cuts from the circle to the periphery of the glass. If, to the contrary, cut a hole in the glass, the rays should be within the defined range. And so, in order to obtain equal sectors.

Cutting complex shapes

To cut roller glass cutter complex arch or different geometric shapes for stained glass, should prepare a tracing paper. But it is better to make a template out of plywood or very thick cardboard. Only should take into account the allowance for the width of the tool. The template should firmly hold and guide the glass cutter along its edges, preferably without interruption. After the outline is defined, you need to hold the cutter perpendicular to the crooked line at 7-14 cm from each other. Then you can move on to the tapping. Thin strips break off grooves of the glass cutter. In conclusion, we must not forget to whittle down all the edges.