How to Cut Glass Without Breaking it
Most people live their whole lives avoiding glass breakage. However, there are those lucky souls that work with glass every day, somehow managing to shape the brittle sheets without shattering them into pieces. Cutting glass without unwanted breakage requires a few tools, plenty of practice and a steady hand.
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Things You'll Need
- Eye protection
- Practice sheets of glass
- Glass cutters
- Straightedge or ruler
- Glass oil or kerosene
- Work table
- Glass pliers
- Glass template
Instructions
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Cutting Straight Lines
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1
Wear eye protection. Coat the glass with glass oil or kerosene for a smoother cut.
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2
Place a straightedge on the glass in the desired position.
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3
Pull the glass cutter along the straightedge, being sure to keep the cutter perpendicular to the sheet. Move the straightedge to continue cutting the line, if necessary.
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4
Position the glass so that the new cut lines up with the table edge.
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5
Hold on the glass on the table with one hand and press down on the overhanging section to break the glass along the cut.
Cutting Curved Lines
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6
Place the template under the glass sheet and apply glass oil.
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7
Slowly score the glass along the template line with a glass cutter. Make sure the glass cutter is perpendicular to the table, even on the curve. Keep your head above the cutter to maintain accuracy.
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8
Break the glass along widely curving lines by grasping the glass on either side of the cut. Use a snapping motion to complete the break.
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9
Break the glass along tighter curves using glass pliers. Position the glass so that the cutting line is above the table edge. Grasp the unneeded section with the pliers. Snap the glass away with a quick flick of the wrist while holding the glass to the table. You may need to do this several times along the curve to eliminate all unwanted glass.
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Tips & Warnings
It would be wise to cut glass in the garage or outside so that the area can be swept clear of glass slivers afterward.
Glass, similarly to other solids, will always break at the weakest (thinnest) point.
Use the proper precautions when working with glass. Never remove your safety glasses, as flying pieces of glass can lead to injury or blindness.
References
Resources
- Photo Credit stained glass window,glass,window,stained glass,sa image by Earl Robbins from Fotolia.com
