Handheld glass cutter

[prospero]

I think you may be overthinking the snapping process. If you score it right a cross look should snap it.
Try this: Make the score and then pull the sheet about and inch over the bench edge. Place you finger
under the score and gently lift. That's good for big sheets. On smaller sheets I usually grab the edge of the
sheet on each side of the score between thumb and forefinger. Then gently twist your right hand clockwise
and left anti clockwise.

My party-piece when cutting up scrap is to score a bit in half-a-dozen places and the the same crosswise.
Flip over score side down on a soft surface and bang it with the flat of your hand. Sometimes you can get it all to break.

[Rainbow]

I've got a Toyo TC17 and I use glass cutting fluid. The fluid I've got is Fletchers, but I believe Toyo and others also do a fluid.

[vintage frames]

Prospero gives an excellent tutorial on how to snap open a scored cut in glass. I would say that 90% of cutting failures is due to hidden grease or dirt smears on the glass. if the glass is clean and you're using a proper professional cutter, such as a Toyo or other, then it's quite difficult to get it wrong - except maybe leaning too hard into the cut. Let the tool do the work. As regards cutting oils, I believe more in using just white spirit as a lubricant. One obvious advantage is that it evaporates cleanly and will not leave an oily residue. I just keep my cutter soaking in a jar with a little white spirit in the bottom.

[Skinnymarinky]

Gillthepainter... you say "I seem to be able to make the first cut. But the second either leaves a shard, or really does not make a clean cut of it."

If I am understanding your statement correctly, this may be your most fundamental error. You should only ever score once! Nice, firm and even cut, the sound should stay the same all the way down the cut.

[Rainbow]

Gill... Skinnymarinky has hit the nail on the head, never score more than once, you'll never get a clean cut otherwise. Also, you said you'd got a "cheap and cheerful" glass cutter - you might find you get better results with a better cutter, like the Toyo TC17. And make sure you don't inadvertently let the angle change as you cut down the glass - keep your eye on the cutter to make sure the angle stays the same.

[prospero]

I hope you aren't double-scoring.

You can tell a good score mainly by the sound. It should 'sing'. If it make a nasty crunchy-crackly sound you are
pressing to hard. If it doesn't seem to bite then your cutter is knackered.

Another key to successful cutting is a good straightedge. One with a grippy back is good, but nice and heavy. A big
T-square also works well, particularly on long cuts. You need to adopt a posture that allows you to hold in firmly
while scoring the cut. Sometime you have to do a long score. 4ft+ long. Unless you have gibbon arms you have to give
a bit of thought to getting the sheet in such a position that allows you to perform a continuous smooth score without
pausing or lifting the cutter. Sometimes you can arrange things so you can stand alongside the sheet. This is where a
wall-mounted cutter (literally) scores. I have been known to tape the non-guiding edge of the straightedge to the glass.
One less thing to fret about.

And if you do crack a few bits, practice chopping up the scrap bits. They won't be a total loss then. You gotta pay to learn.

[Ultima Thule]

For years I used a Toyo filled cutter but one day a joiner dropped in and showed me a cheap diamond tipped cutter that he used in his work. A bit doubtful about it, but picked one up on eBay and it lasted about a year very successfully. Now I use one constantly, finding dry cutting a lot easier than having to wipe off any lubricating residue. I give the glass a wipe along the score line before cutting to make sure the surface is clean and have found them reliable and effective. Cuts 2mm and 4mm perfectly and does mirrors OK as well.
Here is a link to one but there are plenty to pick from there.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/PRO-DIAMOND-T ... 1977776583

[prospero]

I once cut an inch wide strip from a piece of 10mm mirror .

Scoring it was easy enough. To snap it I got it on the end of the bench and ducked down as low as possible.
I had to apply quite a lot of force but it did break along the line. Not exactly a neat edge. It looked as though
I had hacked it off with a breadknife. When it snapped it sounded like a gunshot.

Never done that since.

[Gillthepainter]

I've just tried doing a slim sliver, but it is a bit beyond me, it was a jagged mess really.

Anyway, I can now cut glass with confidence having just worked through a piece of glass.
This glass cutter quite simply works. Far better than my cheap model. I didn't realize till half way through my practising, that the oil is "pump action".
I'm feeling particularly pleased now that I can do it.

As ever. Thank you kindly.

[Rainbow]

How slim was your sliver? I think (although I stand to be corrected) that if you try cutting less than about an inch from the edge, your success rate reduces with every millimetre. Having said that, I've got some really good "snippers" and I've sometimes cut quite close to the edge and got away with it.

[Gillthepainter]

For curiosity, as I was doing so well, I tried a sliver of about 2cm.
On the edge of a 20cm piece. I've seen a framer show me how to do it.

I may have another go tomorrow with more pieces. And also practice an S freeform cut, now that I'm on a roll.

I can only envisage cutting a sliver if I get my measurements wrong and the glass doesn't fit in my frame. So the answer really is to make sure my measuring is spot on, Rainbow.

[kartoffelngeist]

We have a bit of a hall of fame going on with small cuts of glass. People get far too competitive about it here.

My record is about 3mm, from a 500mmish piece of glass. Mind you, that's with a keencut Excalibur, so probably a bit easier!

[Jamesnkr]

Did you break it on the Excalibur? I tend to use glass pliers when the sliver is thin.

[kartoffelngeist]

Yeah, I score it on the excalibur then sit it on a work surface and take two pairs of pliers to it.

[Gillthepainter]

Impressed.

[Rainbow]

I see you're using a hard surface to cut on. Experts will hopefully correct me if I'm wrong but I believe it's recommended to lay the glass on a padded surface. Even something like a piece of carpet or towelling would suffice if you don't have purpose-made padding.

[pramsay13]

I have an oil filled cutter like the one in the picture.
I can rest the t-square against the side of the glass and run the cutter down it, so the cut is the width of the edge of the glass cutter to the wheel - I haven't measured it but I reckon it's around 2mm.
When it comes off in one piece it's especially pleasing.