Various glass products have always fascinated people with their sophistication and smooth lines. Frescoes, dishes, and stained glass windows are made from glass. And looking at these elements, it seems that only a professional can do this.
But in reality, not everything is so sad. Anyone can learn how to cut glass and master this skill. In this article we will look in detail at how to cut glass with a glass cutter yourself, and also find out how you can cut the product in other ways.
Preparing glass and tools for cutting
The preparation process will depend on what product you will be using for cutting. If the product is new, then it is enough to wipe it using an old newspaper.
You will have to tinker with glass that has already been used:
- It needs to be cleaned well. To do this, use a special glass cleaner.
- It needs to be degreased. Kerosene is used for this.
- It must be dried indoors.
In addition, it is necessary to prepare the cutting for cutting. When working with such material, it is impossible to avoid waste-free production. Especially if you are planning to cut out a figure irregular shape. To minimize waste, you need to make a blank and cut out a shape from it. The resulting trimmings do not need to be thrown away, they may be useful for creating other products.
For cutting you need to use special tools:
You can also cut the glass unit using scissors..
How to cut glass with a glass cutter
The cutting process depends on the tool and the product itself. So, let's look at how to properly cut glass using a glass cutter:
How to cut glass without a glass cutter
You can make a cut in the material without a glass cutter. Most often, ordinary scissors are used for this work. To do this, you need to place the product in warm water and there cut out the necessary pieces of glass. As a rule, double-glazed windows are cut easily, like cardboard or durable paper.
If you need to cut a large piece from the product, then you need to put the material in a bathtub or large basin. Then you need to run scissors across the surface and break off the unnecessary part. Be sure to wear gloves to avoid cutting yourself. If possible, protect your eyes as well.
Scissors can cut glass no more than 3 mm. Figures are cut out only with a straight outline. You need to make a template in advance and glue it to the surface.
Worth noting: The more liquid there is above the glass, the easier it will be to work.
To cut the product, you can use twine, hot liquid, a small vessel filled with cold water. We make markings on the surface, saturate the string with alcohol or gasoline, apply it to the markings and set it on fire. After the fire goes out, you need to pour cold water over the markings. The product should crack at this point. We break off the product where it is cracked and clean the edges with sandpaper. If cracks do not appear, then you need to do the procedure again.
Using this method you can cut out different shapes. Everything will depend on the position of the twine on the canvas.
Cutting glass at home - types of products and features of the work
Cutting ordinary glass at home is not difficult. Even ordinary scissors can cope with this task. But what to do if you need to cut a product that has a complex configuration. In this case, you need to familiarize yourself with the properties of some glasses and how to cut them:
When cutting glass, it is necessary not only to make the cut correctly, but also to follow all safety rules. Be sure to wear gloves and cover the table with any material that you don’t mind throwing away.
Basic rules for successful cutting
To make glass cutting a success, some conditions must be met:
Do work without protective equipment not recommended
So, we looked at the process of cutting glass. You can cut glass at home, the main thing is to know how to do it. To cut glass, you can use special tools or use improvised means such as scissors or string.
Not everyone can afford to buy and install metal-plastic windows. Therefore, some people prefer to repair old wooden windows, believing that they will last for some time. The main problem with repairing them is that the glass installed in the window eventually dries out and needs to be replaced, and some may have broken. When going to a store to buy glass, a person can turn to specialists for help in cutting glass, or he can carry out this process on his own.
We measure glass
First, we should take the correct measurements, which will allow us to cut off the piece we need in just one go, without redoing it again and again. To determine the exact dimensions, it would be a good idea to remove paint from the frame in the area in contact with the glass. After this, take a tape measure or a long ruler and measure the width and length of the area that needs to be glazed. It’s worth immediately taking into account one point - it’s best not to cut end-to-end, but take a little less, about 0.5 mm. This is necessary in case there are irregularities on the window. If you are sure that the window is good, then you don’t have to make such a reserve.
Let's get started
As a rule, a whole sheet that a person purchases has enough large sizes, several meters in length and width, and therefore has a lot of weight. In order to transfer such glass to a flat surface, two people are needed. Yes, and be careful - don’t get hurt when transporting the glass.
You can avoid getting cut by wearing thick gloves or mittens, or, alternatively, by wrapping your hands in a piece of rag.
The table on which the glass will be cut must have a surface close to the ideal shape, not be dusty, and there should not be any objects lying on it. Otherwise, there is a risk that the glass will crack in the wrong place during cutting, and you may simply have to throw it away. You can sweep the table with a broom or wipe away the debris with a rag, and only then put the sheet down.
If you take a dull tool, you can spend quite a lot of time cutting glass, if it succeeds at all.
Which glass cutter to choose
There are three types of glass cutters: diamond, roller and oil cutters. Briefly about their advantages and disadvantages.
- Diamond – designed for cutting glass of any thickness and for long-term operation. It is best to use a tool with a beveled handle; if necessary, you should also sharpen it on a special whetstone
- Roller. As the name of this glass cutter suggests, the roller part is made of special rollers made of cobalt-tungsten alloy, famous for its strength.
- Oil-based - almost similar to the roller, but differs in the presence of a bottle of oil in the latter, which is automatically supplied to the glass during cutting. Experts usually use an oil glass cutter when they need to cut through thick glass.
Having chosen a glass cutter and placed the glass on the table, mark the required dimensions on it. This should be done rationally, trying to avoid a large amount of waste in the work. But, of course, they will still be there. Applying an even strip or ruler to the glass marks, we draw a line, but only once. A second attempt may result in a crack. We cut the glass carefully, but carefully, applying even force along the entire line. Having cut off the glass, carefully move it to the edge and try to break it along the seam with a slight movement. It must be strictly on the edge, otherwise, again, you can break the sheet incorrectly.
If you can’t break it off, lightly tap the seam with a glass cutter or pliers. This is necessary in order to enlarge the crack in the place where the cutting was made.
Having cut off the required piece, carefully remove it and put it aside where it will not disturb anyone, or immediately install it in the window.
Installation and shutdown
We find the frame we need and insert the cut piece of glass there. It is important that it must be closed with a latch, otherwise a gust of wind may open it and the loose glass will fall out. If the glass cannot be inserted due to some interference in window frame, you can trim that place with a knife or plane. Having dealt with this point, we begin to secure the glass. Temporarily, for fastening, you can hammer one nail in the center of all sides, but not all the way, since we are doing this temporarily. We cut the glazing beads according to the established sizes, and for aesthetics, 45˚ angles are cut off at their edges so that the fasteners touch beautifully. We remove the temporary nails from the window one at a time, starting with the bottom one. We place the bottom bead and nail it with small nails, being careful not to hit the glass with them or with a hammer. We also install the top bead ourselves, followed by the side beads.
Video
Very often during construction or repair work you need to cut the glass to size, although this is a complex process, it can be done at home.
Fig.1 Glass cutting
Many home craftsmen are concerned with the question of how to cut glass with a glass cutter - if you follow the technology, then you will succeed.
When deciding how to properly cut glass with a glass cutter at home, you must first purchase everything necessary elements. In addition to the glass cutter, you will need a ruler if the cut is smooth and a pattern if it is curved. Without a normal pattern, you will not be able to make an even curved cut of both plain and tempered glass.
Fig.2 Glass cutting machine
You need to purchase a good diamond glass cutter and then, in order to cut tempered or plain glass, you only need to make one pass.
Cheaper models may require multiple passes.
In addition to the quality of the glass cutter great value has attentiveness and accuracy in performing work
Of no small importance is the surface on which the cutting is carried out, simple or tempered glass. It should be flat and the glass should fit tightly to it. Some people believe that cutting tempered glass at home is impossible to do.
Everything will depend on the degree of hardening; if it is high, then there is a high probability that it will crumble into small pieces.
It is especially difficult to cut tempered glass with a grinder. If you still decide to use a grinder, then you need to use a diamond disc and apply water to it.
But keep in mind that at the slightest deviation of the grinder or glass cutter from the line when cutting off tempered glass, it will crumble. If there is a need to work with tempered glass, then it is better to do this on a machine with a diamond wheel, and a cooling emulsion should be supplied to it.
Species
Before starting this work at home, you need to decide on the type of glass you plan to work with. Regular glass It can be cut without problems with a glass cutter or even scissors.
Cutting tempered glass is a complex process and, if possible, it is better to do it before tempering.
If it is necessary to cut corrugated glass, this must be done from the smooth side; for these purposes it is better to use a roller glass cutter.
Fig.3 Glass cutter
If the glass is organic, then it can be cut either with a glass cutter or grinder, or with a regular saw.
If the thickness of the material is less than 2 mm, then it can be dealt with using a stationery knife.
When choosing a glass cutter, you need to pay attention to its sharpening angle; it is in the range of 77-165 degrees.
For thin glass, use a tool with more acute angle. At home, it is difficult to correctly cut glass whose thickness is more than 6 mm.
You can purchase a universal tool that has replaceable rollers with different sharpening angles. Expensive models have a higher quality roller, which makes the cutting process easier. Quality tool The handle has a container for oil.
Features of the work
First you need to prepare the foundation on which the work will be carried out. It is better to place thick fabric, cardboard or newspapers in several layers on a flat table.
The marking is carried out using a marker; the line should be smooth and the glass at the cut site should be clean.
The thickness of the ruler should ensure normal sliding of the tool, so that the ruler does not slide on the tool on the side that is adjacent to the glass, you can stick electrical tape.
In order to get the perfect cut, professional craftsmen use special oil, but it can be successfully replaced with ordinary kerosene.
The use of kerosene allows even a person who is doing this work for the first time to normally cut glass even 6 mm thick.
Special oil or kerosene is poured into the container that is in the handle of the glass cutter; if it is not there, then you can simply moisten the tip of the cutter in kerosene.
When working with thick material, you need to generously moisten the cut line and then you will get an even cut.
The ruler should be of sufficient thickness, and the glass cutter should be placed against it in such a way that its cutter moves exactly along the cutting line.
Moderate force should be applied to the tool; it should not be very strong or weak.
Experienced craftsmen recommend that a whistling sound emanate from the glass cutter while working. You need to start doing the work on the glass first, so that the tool goes into it, and at the end of the work comes off it; this is the only way you can completely cut through the edges.
It is necessary that the cutting line be continuous; you cannot stop while moving the glass cutter. You cannot run the tool along the same line several times; everything must be done in one pass.
It is necessary to break the glass immediately after the line is drawn, since over time it cools down and will break worse. The material is placed on the edge of the table along the cutting line and with one press the required piece is broken off.
Fig.4 Breaking process
To prevent it from breaking, you can press it on top wooden block, and the thin one just needs to be pulled apart.
To break off thick glass or a narrow strip; a pencil or similar object can be placed under the fault line. Some people prefer to tap the back of the glass with a hammer before breaking it.
This is not necessary, if the glass is thin, it will break off normally, but on thick material such actions may leave chips.
To polish the resulting edge, you can use a whetstone or sandpaper, but during work, so that the glass does not burst, they must be moistened with water.
Table 1. Tool cost.
The cost of cutting glass will depend on whether the edge is straight or curved, on average square meter you will have to pay from 200 to 400 rubles.
If you stick to the technology, you can do this work efficiently at home.
Glass cutting can be classified as jewelry craftsmanship. After all, real specialists can make a real masterpiece out of a piece of this material. However, this will require enough large number experience. At the same time, many people cannot simply cut glass in half because they do not know the very basics of glass cutting.
We are not saying that we will make you a sculptor with a glass cutter instead of a chisel. However, you will learn how to make a glass tabletop and other similar things.
Selecting a glass cutter
Any training begins with an introductory part. There are no exceptions in our business. Before getting down to business, you need to familiarize yourself with at least a few important aspects. One of them is the choice of glass cutter. There are 3 main types of these tools:
- Glass cutter with cutting tool made of natural diamond. This tool is the most popular. It has a tip that can cut glass up to 10mm thick. At the same time, the cuts always turn out perfectly smooth and without various defects, of course, if you use it correctly.
- Roller cutting tool. His working tool is made in the form of a roller. Unlike the first option, instead of diamond, a special alloy of hard metals is used, which are often tungsten and cobalt.
- Oil glass cutters are not much different from their roller counterparts. To be more precise, there is only one difference. It consists in the fact that during cutting, to cutting tool a special oil lubricant is supplied. It will not speed up the cutting process, however, this is not the advantage of the tool. A constant supply of oil will extend the life of the roller mechanism.
Returning to the first type, it is worth noting that the tool is not cheap. However, there are analogues that cost less. The difference is that instead of a real diamond, its artificial counterpart is used. It is worth noting that in terms of cutting quality it is not much inferior to the original, but it is effective when cutting glass up to 5 mm thick.
Preparation of glass and workplace
Before cutting, glass must be prepared. If used new material, just wiping with a dry cloth is enough. But glass that has already been used in everyday life should be treated with special detergents and then degreased with kerosene. Finally, you need to dry it thoroughly.
As for the workplace, there are few requirements for its preparation, or rather, none at all. It is enough just to have a flat, free table and a container for waste glass.
A diamond glass cutter is not only reliable, but also convenient. The principle of operation is quite simple. The tool is grasped by the handle like a pencil. Next, an incision is made along the glass. To avoid messing up, it is recommended to use a ruler or a pre-cut template.
You can also use another trick when marking. It is suitable if you need to make a straight cut. So, the point is this. A straight line is marked on the table with a marker. The glass should also be marked. But there is no point in drawing a thick line. It is enough to make marks on the edges of the material, between which the cut will be made. After this, the marks should be installed so that a line on the table connects them.
Let's get back to the cutting process. The idea is clear, but there are some nuances that should be taken into account.
- The diamond glass cutter should be held at an angle. At the beginning of the section it was said that it looked like a pencil. So you need to “draw” just like with a pencil.
- Do not press too hard on the tool, otherwise the cut line will be uneven and full of chips.
- Repeated cutting along a line already drawn by a glass cutter is taboo. Don't ask unnecessary questions, just try to do it right the first time. If the break has already failed, you should move a little and repeat the procedure.
- You need to make the cut quickly. A meter segment should take approximately 2-3 seconds.
What to do after the cut line has been drawn? You should move the glass to the edge of the table so that the unnecessary part of it is exposed. Next, one simple procedure should be carried out along the entire incision line. From below, reverse side When making a cut, lightly tap the glass. If everything is done correctly, the unnecessary part will easily fall away. The main thing is to remember to place a container under it or hold it with your hand.
Before figuring out how to cut glass with a roller cutter, it is worth remembering that it is not as durable as a diamond glass cutter. The roller cuts the first 300 meters properly. After this, the working part should be replaced.
Now we can get down to business. The first step is to apply markings. This can be done in the same way as the first method, so there is no point in describing these methods again. The operating principle as a whole is also no different. However, there are still some differences in the subtleties of the process.
- Unlike a diamond glass cutter, which must be held at an angle, in this case the tool must be positioned perpendicular to the plane of the glass.
- The roller glass cutter should be pressed harder, otherwise the glass will not cut through.
Cutting with an oil glass cutter
There was no need to create a separate section in the article for this cutting method. After all, the method is no different from the above, only the roller is lubricated with oil, thanks to which the cutting process is facilitated and the service life of the working part is increased.
How to cut a circle
We have already figured out how to cut glass in half. But it is also worth paying attention to one important issue. Namely: how to cut a circle out of glass? In this case, you can use two options:
- Place a round hard template on the glass;
- Use a special compass.
The second option is more reliable and simpler. Therefore, it is recommended to use round templates only if it is not possible to get a compass.
Let's figure out what such a compass is. Actually it's quite simple design, which consists of the following components:
- Sucker;
- Glass cutter;
- Tripod.
How to use a compass is intuitive. The suction cup is attached to the glass, and the glass cutter is placed on a tripod with the required measurements. After this, a cut is made quickly but smoothly on the glass. Then lightly beat along the contour with a hammer. Ready.
- Working with cutting glass is quite dangerous. Therefore, you should stock up on gloves and special glasses.
- Glass cutters are more functional than they might seem. Almost every model has a notch that allows you to break off small pieces of glass.
Worth repeating. The tips and tricks outlined will not make you a pro at cutting glass. However, by following them, you will immediately understand the basics of this business and will be able to cut out simple shapes.
Video: how to cut glass at home
In any apartment you may be faced with the need to replace glass in a window, door or closet. Select ready-made glass the right size succeeds very rarely. Of course, you can turn to a specialist for help, but this will take time and money. All necessary work It’s quite possible to do it yourself at home if you know how to cut glass correctly.
How to choose the right glass
Glassmakers advise when choosing glass to pay attention to the following points:
- One of the signs of high-quality glass is a blue or greenish tint to its ends.
- Scratched sheets should not be used.
- If all the rules are not followed during the process of rolling glass or cooling it, then such sheets may have defects in the form of stripes. These stripes will significantly distort the image, so it is better not to use such sheets to replace glass in a window.
- The thickness of the glass depends on the size of the frame into which it is inserted. If its width and height are less than 600 mm, then you can get by with glass 2–2.5 mm thick. And if one of these parameters exceeds 600 mm, then the thickness of the glass sheet increases to 3.5–4 mm.
- When doing glazing at home, you need to cut a piece of glass to 3–5 mm smaller size frame, because the slightest distortion will not allow glass to be inserted into the opening.
Glass preparation
Often many people simply forget about this important point. But high-quality cutting of glass with your own hands is impossible without it. preliminary preparation. New glass should be wiped with a damp cloth. After it dries, wipe dry.
Glass that has already been used cuts much worse and requires more careful preparation. They are washed using special detergents, and after drying, degrease with turpentine or kerosene. During the drying process, it is necessary to prevent dust from entering the sheet.
Checking tools and arranging the workplace
Before discussing how to cut glass correctly, you need to decide on the tool that will be used for this specific job. In order to cut a glass sheet with your own hands, a glass cutter is most often used. There are three types of glass cutters:
- roller;
- diamond;
- oil
The last two are used mainly by professionals. The cheapest and most common option is a glass cutter with replaceable rollers.
Regardless of the model used, before cutting glass, it is better to check the sharpness of the glass cutter. To do this, you can try cutting some unnecessary piece of glass. Ideally, the glass cutter should move with a slight rustle, leaving a thin, continuous line. If it moves with a creak, the cut line is interrupted or looks like a white scratch, then either the cutting element is dull or errors were made in the cutting technique.
It is also necessary to prepare a flat surface, the dimensions of which must exceed the dimensions of the sheet being cut. At home, this could be a table covered with soft cloth. If the table is not large enough, you can put a sheet of plywood or chipboard on top of it. You will also need a marker and tape measure for marking. If the glass will be cut with a glass cutter, then you need to prepare a thick metal ruler. Its thickness should be 8–10 mm - this is the only way you will create the necessary support for the cutting tool.
How to use a glass cutter correctly
To cut glass with your own hands, you must follow the technology and sequence of actions.
- The starting and ending points of the cut are marked on the sheet.
- Place the glass cutter at the starting point and attach a ruler to it.
Pay attention! The ruler should not be located along the cut line, but at a distance of several millimeters from it. This value corresponds to the distance between the tip of the glass cutter and its side surface.
- The cut is carried out smoothly, from start to finish in one movement and with one effort. And only once. If you run a glass cutter over one place several times, the glass will simply crack.
- The cut piece is chipped. To do this, the cut line is aligned with the edge of the table. They cause a crack by lightly tapping the cut with a glass cutter, and then break it off in one motion.
- If the chip is uneven, then excess glass can be removed with pliers or using special cutouts in the handle of the glass cutter. To avoid cracking, the cut line should be lightly moistened with turpentine or kerosene.
- At the final stage, the cut line is processed with sandpaper, a velvet file or a grindstone.
How else can you cut glass?
What to do if you don’t have a glass cutter at hand? There are ways in which glass is cut with non-standard tools. This operation can be carried out with a soldering iron, grinder, nichrome thread and even ordinary scissors! Let's find out how to properly cut glass with your own hands using each of these methods.
- Using a soldering iron. First, cuts are made with a file at the beginning and end of the cutting line. Then you need to carefully run a well-heated soldering iron along the entire line. Due to the temperature difference on the sides of the surface, the glass will crack, after which all that remains is to carefully break it off.
- Bulgarian. This tool is found in almost every home, so it is not surprising that it has also been adapted for working with glass. In order to cut glass with a grinder, you will need a thin diamond disc. With its help, a thin groove is made along the entire cutting line, along which later chipping occurs. But when cutting with a grinder, you need to make sure that the glass does not overheat, and be sure to use coolant. You need a good tool, otherwise the glass will simply shatter from its vibration. When working with an angle grinder on glass, it is imperative to protect your respiratory organs and eyes. Getting the smallest glass dust into them will not lead to anything good. Therefore, if you cut a sheet of glass with a grinder, you need to stock up on glasses and a respirator.
- Using heating and cooling. A thread soaked in a flammable substance is laid along the cutting line and set on fire. Immediately after it goes out, the cutting line is cooled with water. A sudden temperature change will cause the glass to crack. Another option is to heat the glass with a nichrome thread through which electric current. In this case, no water is required, the temperature difference between the two surfaces of the sheet is sufficient.
- Scissors. Thin glass up to 3 mm can be cut with ordinary tailor's scissors, if this operation is carried out by immersing the scissors and glass in a container with hot water. The process feels like cutting thick cardboard.
Tempered glass processing
The question often comes up on forums: how to cut tempered glass? The answer is simple: tempered glass cannot be cut or drilled. Whenever you try to do this, it loses all its properties and simply shatters into small pieces. Tempered glass was used in cars before triplex technology was invented. During the accident, glass shards should not have injured passengers. So you shouldn’t even try to cut tempered glass with any tool.
To understand how to cut glass with your own hands, you just need to take it and try it. The choice of method depends on individual skills and availability necessary tools. But all these options are quite feasible at home.