How to Use a Richard Glass Cutter
The Richard glass cutter is a simple, hand-held glass cutter that you can buy at a hardware store or home building center. It's a cast-metal glass cutter that measures about 6 inches long, with a rotating scribing wheel on one end and a round steel ball on the other end. Just below the rotating wheel are three slots that you can use to grab the edge of the glass and snap it after you have scribed it with the wheel.
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Things You'll Need
- Sheet glass
- 4-inch paint brush
- Damp cloth
- Work gloves
- Safety glasses
- Paper towel
- Glass cleaner
- Tape measure
- Marker
- Metal square
- Duct tape
- Motor oil
Instructions
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1
Sweep off any grit or small bits of debris left over from a previous project from the work table, using an old paint brush. Glass must be laid on a clean, flat surface for cutting.
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2
Lay down a damp cloth that is larger than the piece of glass. This will help grip the glass and keep it from sliding when you are scribing it with the glass cutter. It also cushions the glass.
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3
Put on a pair of safety glasses to protect your eyes from possible glass splinters flying through the air and a pair of work gloves to protect your hands from being accidentally cut.
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4
Wipe the surface of the glass clean with window cleaner to remove any dirt or grit that might interfere with the rotating wheel on the glass cutter.
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5
Mark the measurements of the glass size to be cut on the surface of the glass using a tape measure and a marker. Lay down a carpenter's metal square with ruler markings on it. The top horizontal edge rests even with the top edge of the sheet of glass, and the vertical edge is lined up with the mark. Back off the vertical edge 1/8 inch from the mark so that the rotating wheel of the glass cutter is perfectly aligned with the mark on the glass.
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6
Tape the metal carpenter's square to the face of the glass with two or three tabs of duct tape to keep it from sliding around as you scribe.
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7
Dip the rotating wheel of the glass cutter in motor oil to lubricate it. Hold the Richard glass cutter like a pencil and place the rotating wheel on the surface of the glass at the top edge, holding the handle of the cutter at a slight angle to the glass surface. The rotating wheel should always be kept perpendicular to the glass surface.
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8
Press down and pull the glass cutter across the surface of the glass with one smooth pull. Don't stop until reaching the opposite edge of the glass.
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9
Remove the metal carpenter's square. Slide the glass to the edge of the work table until the scribed line is just beyond the edge of the table.
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10
Press down on the glass firmly to hold it in place with your nondominant hand. Grab the edge of the glass over-hanging the table and pop it straight down with one quick movement. The glass should break cleanly along the scribed line.
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Tips & Warnings
Practice using the glass cutter on scrap glass to get a feel for it.
Listen to the sound of the rotating wheel on the glass. You should hear a continuous crisp sound.
