Hi,

I have been given a pane of glass to replace a broken window but it
slightly to big. I'd like to take off 3-5mm but is this possible? What
is the minimum width of glass each side of a scored line that you need
in order to cut it cleanly?

TIA

On Sat, 14 Nov 2009 15:04:15 +0000, no-one
wrote:

Hi,

I have been given a pane of glass to replace a broken window but it
slightly to big. I'd like to take off 3-5mm but is this possible? What
is the minimum width of glass each side of a scored line that you need
in order to cut it cleanly?

TIA

I'm guessing the cut edge will be covered by wood or putty ?

You could try a glasscutter to make the score then a pair of pincers
or pliers to go down the score to remove the piece and hope you get
all the way without breaking it . . ...I'm sure you won't get 3-5mm
off in one piece in the normal way

In an earlier contribution to this discussion,
no-one wrote:

Hi,

I have been given a pane of glass to replace a broken window but it
slightly to big. I'd like to take off 3-5mm but is this possible? What
is the minimum width of glass each side of a scored line that you need
in order to cut it cleanly?

TIA

You can take off 3-5mm - but it won't come off in one piece - you'll have to
'nibble' it off with a pair of pincers after making the scored line.
--
Cheers,
Roger
______
Email address maintained for newsgroup use only, and not regularly
monitored.. Messages sent to it may not be read for several weeks.
PLEASE REPLY TO NEWSGROUP!

no-one wrote:
Hi,

I have been given a pane of glass to replace a broken window but it
slightly to big. I'd like to take off 3-5mm but is this possible? What
is the minimum width of glass each side of a scored line that you need
in order to cut it cleanly?

TIA

A glazier would probably take 5mm off in one strip no problem, but 3mm
they might have to nibble off in sections. They make it look easy but
then they do pay a lot for their cutters.
Lubricate the cut with meths or similar, then one light but continuous
score, tap the underside of the score line with the cutter handle until
you see the break travel along the score. IME, if it's the only piece of
glass you have, you're bound to bugger it up :-)

In article ,
no-one wrote:
I have been given a pane of glass to replace a broken window but it
slightly to big. I'd like to take off 3-5mm but is this possible? What
is the minimum width of glass each side of a scored line that you need
in order to cut it cleanly?

Depends how new the glass is - it cuts more easily when new.

A wet tile cutter works well, though.

--
*Keep honking...I'm reloading.

Dave Plowman London SW
To e-mail, change noise into sound.

On Sat, 14 Nov 2009 15:33:20 +0000, Stuart Noble wrote:

IME, if it's the only piece of glass you have, you're bound to bugger
it up :-)

Hmm, I'm going to file that one away for future use That's my
experience too - I always make sure I have a spare few pieces laying
around "just in case"...

HI

no-one wrote:
Hi,

I have been given a pane of glass to replace a broken window but it
slightly to big. I'd like to take off 3-5mm but is this possible? What
is the minimum width of glass each side of a scored line that you need
in order to cut it cleanly?

TIA

I know it's not a very 'DIY' answer -
but, faced with that possibility, I think I'd go to my friendly
local glass supplier and buy another piece - cut to the right size!

It's simply not worth the hassle (& cut fingers!) -
unless it's a very unusual piece of glass (rather than
bog-standard clear).

About the only 'tidy' way to do this is with diamond grinder used wet
(I use one all the time for stained-glass work) - but it's a hassle by
any other means - and potentially dangerous...

You could always bodge it - and take a router / chisel / stanley knife
to the window frame - assuming it's wooden.... - but that's likely to be
just as much trouble.

As another poster said, if the 'free' piece of glass isn't 'new' then
it can be a mare to cut...

Adrian

no-one wrote:
Hi,

I have been given a pane of glass to replace a broken window but it
slightly to big. I'd like to take off 3-5mm but is this possible? What
is the minimum width of glass each side of a scored line that you need
in order to cut it cleanly?

TIA
try a tile saw if its not toughened: 3-5mm is easily achieveable.

But my experience of non toughened glass is you are lucky to get it in
place at all without it falling to pieces, and toughened will shatter at
the first touch of any tools.

no-one wrote:

Hi,

I have been given a pane of glass to replace a broken window but it
slightly to big. I'd like to take off 3-5mm but is this possible? What
is the minimum width of glass each side of a scored line that you need
in order to cut it cleanly?

TIA

a professional*glazier could easily take 2mm off in one piece*on a new pane
of glass.
if you are going to try you will have to nibble it, with the cutouts on the
glass cutter.*
\0

On Sat, 14 Nov 2009 15:04:15 +0000, no-one wrote:
Hi,

I have been given a pane of glass to replace a broken window but it
slightly to big. I'd like to take off 3-5mm but is this possible? What
is the minimum width of glass each side of a scored line that you need
in order to cut it cleanly?

If it's to go in a wooden frame you could try enlarging the distance from
side-to-side (or top-bottom). It depends how much effort you are prepared
to go to for the price of a window pane the right size.

"no-one" wrote in message
...
Hi,

I have been given a pane of glass to replace a broken window but it
slightly to big. I'd like to take off 3-5mm but is this possible? What
is the minimum width of glass each side of a scored line that you need
in order to cut it cleanly?


Angle grinder. Not.

No, seriously though, provided it's not toughened it's perfectly possible to
grind glass, in fact it's a standard way to bevel the edges after cutting.
For smaller pieces there are bench tools to do this but for a window size
I'd probably go at it with my powerfile on it's slowest setting. Oh, and
support the glass well and wear gloves and glasses. Take your time and
don't rush.

On Sat, 14 Nov 2009 15:04:15 +0000
no-one wrote:

Hi,

I have been given a pane of glass to replace a broken window but it
slightly to big. I'd like to take off 3-5mm but is this possible? What
is the minimum width of glass each side of a scored line that you need
in order to cut it cleanly?

TIA

1-2 mm is do-able with a coarse corundum stone (cheap oilstone) used
with water as a lubricant, the problem is holding it without cutting
your arm off. So you could try it.
Old blanket on the bench - sheet on top - blanket turned over so you
can trap it in the fold, stone held in gloved hands - very thick leather
ones, and go slowly.
This is how you dress safe the edge of a glass sheet that's to be used
for a tabletop.
It the glass is toughened, not chance at all, all cutting must be done
before toughening.

R.

Calvin Sambrook wrote:
"no-one" wrote in message
...
Hi,

I have been given a pane of glass to replace a broken window but it
slightly to big. I'd like to take off 3-5mm but is this possible? What
is the minimum width of glass each side of a scored line that you need
in order to cut it cleanly?


Angle grinder. Not.

No, seriously though, provided it's not toughened it's perfectly
possible to grind glass, in fact it's a standard way to bevel the edges
after cutting. For smaller pieces there are bench tools to do this but
for a window size I'd probably go at it with my powerfile on it's
slowest setting. Oh, and support the glass well and wear gloves and
glasses. Take your time and don't rush.


If you _must_ try this g - either make sure there's some water around
where you're grinding (taking the usual precautions if the powerfile is
mains-operated - or wear something to stop you breating in the glass
dust....

Adrian

On 14 Nov, 15:04, no-one wrote:
Hi,

I have been given a pane of glass to replace a broken window but it
slightly to big. I'd like to take off 3-5mm but is this possible? What
is the minimum width of glass each side of a scored line that you need
in order to cut it cleanly?

TIA

Yes you can, as others have said with a GOOD cutter (preferably oil-
lubricated) and a nibbler.

Mary

On Nov 14, 4:02*pm, Adrian Brentnall wrote:
HI

no-one wrote:
Hi,

I have been given a pane of glass to replace a broken window but it
slightly to big. I'd like to take off 3-5mm but is this possible? What
is the minimum width of glass each side of a scored line that you need
in order to cut it cleanly?

TIA

I know it's not a very 'DIY' answer -
but, faced with that possibility, I think I'd go to my friendly
local glass supplier and buy another piece - cut to the right size!

It's simply not worth the hassle (& cut fingers!) -
unless it's a very unusual piece of glass (rather than
bog-standard clear).

About the only 'tidy' way to do this is with diamond grinder used wet
(I use one all the time for stained-glass work) - but it's a hassle by
any other means - and potentially dangerous...

You could always bodge it - and take a router / chisel / stanley knife
to the window frame - assuming it's wooden.... - but that's likely to be
just as much trouble.

As another poster said, if the 'free' piece of glass isn't 'new' then
it can be a mare to cut...

Adrian

maybe you'd know why a lot of localised chipping happened around the
cut line, including a 1" x 0.5" lump coming off when I tried to cut a
jam jar on a wet diamond table saw (a tile saw). I took it _very_
gently, but the result was still very poor.


cheers, NT

NT wrote:
On Nov 14, 4:02 pm, Adrian Brentnall wrote:
HI

no-one wrote:
Hi,
I have been given a pane of glass to replace a broken window but it
slightly to big. I'd like to take off 3-5mm but is this possible? What
is the minimum width of glass each side of a scored line that you need
in order to cut it cleanly?
TIA
I know it's not a very 'DIY' answer -
but, faced with that possibility, I think I'd go to my friendly
local glass supplier and buy another piece - cut to the right size!

It's simply not worth the hassle (& cut fingers!) -
unless it's a very unusual piece of glass (rather than
bog-standard clear).

About the only 'tidy' way to do this is with diamond grinder used wet
(I use one all the time for stained-glass work) - but it's a hassle by
any other means - and potentially dangerous...

You could always bodge it - and take a router / chisel / stanley knife
to the window frame - assuming it's wooden.... - but that's likely to be
just as much trouble.

As another poster said, if the 'free' piece of glass isn't 'new' then
it can be a mare to cut...

Adrian

maybe you'd know why a lot of localised chipping happened around the
cut line, including a 1" x 0.5" lump coming off when I tried to cut a
jam jar on a wet diamond table saw (a tile saw). I took it _very_
gently, but the result was still very poor.


cheers, NT

I had similar results with a tile saw and a wine bottle.

The grit on the blade on my lapidary saw
(which works very well with glass)
is much less coarse than the tile saw blade - I'm guessing that
the very coarse grit causes the glass to shatter rather than cut cleanly...

The lap saw blade is also slower.... again, down to the finer grit...

Adrian

On Sat, 14 Nov 2009 15:33:20 GMT, Stuart Noble
wrote:

no-one wrote:
Hi,

I have been given a pane of glass to replace a broken window but it
slightly to big. I'd like to take off 3-5mm but is this possible? What
is the minimum width of glass each side of a scored line that you need
in order to cut it cleanly?

TIA

A glazier would probably take 5mm off in one strip no problem, but 3mm
they might have to nibble off in sections. They make it look easy but
then they do pay a lot for their cutters.
Lubricate the cut with meths or similar, then one light but continuous
score, tap the underside of the score line with the cutter handle until
you see the break travel along the score. IME, if it's the only piece of
glass you have, you're bound to bugger it up :-)

Angle grinder.

--
Frank Erskine

Stuart Noble wrote:
no-one wrote:
Hi,

I have been given a pane of glass to replace a broken window but it
slightly to big. I'd like to take off 3-5mm but is this possible?
What is the minimum width of glass each side of a scored line that
you need in order to cut it cleanly?

TIA

A glazier would probably take 5mm off in one strip no problem, but 3mm
they might have to nibble off in sections. They make it look easy but
then they do pay a lot for their cutters.

My local glass place makes it look sooo easy - untill you try it yourself.

Lubricate the cut with meths or similar, then one light but continuous
score, tap the underside of the score line with the cutter handle
until you see the break travel along the score. IME, if it's the only
piece of glass you have, you're bound to bugger it up :-)

Spoken like an expert :-)


--
Dave - The Medway Handyman
www.medwayhandyman.co.uk

Calvin Sambrook wrote:
"no-one" wrote in message
...
Hi,

I have been given a pane of glass to replace a broken window but it
slightly to big. I'd like to take off 3-5mm but is this possible?
What is the minimum width of glass each side of a scored line that
you need in order to cut it cleanly?


Angle grinder. Not.

No, seriously though, provided it's not toughened it's perfectly
possible to grind glass, in fact it's a standard way to bevel the
edges after cutting. For smaller pieces there are bench tools to do
this but for a window size I'd probably go at it with my powerfile on
it's slowest setting.

What make of powerfile Calvin? I'm thinking of getting one.


--
Dave - The Medway Handyman
www.medwayhandyman.co.uk

On Nov 14, 10:20*pm, Adrian Brentnall wrote:
NT wrote:
On Nov 14, 4:02 pm, Adrian Brentnall wrote:
HI

no-one wrote:
Hi,
I have been given a pane of glass to replace a broken window but it
slightly to big. I'd like to take off 3-5mm but is this possible? What
is the minimum width of glass each side of a scored line that you need
in order to cut it cleanly?
TIA
I know it's not a very 'DIY' answer -
but, faced with that possibility, I think I'd go to my friendly
local glass supplier and buy another piece - cut to the right size!

It's simply not worth the hassle (& cut fingers!) -
unless it's a very unusual piece of glass (rather than
bog-standard clear).

About the only 'tidy' way to do this is with diamond grinder used wet
(I use one all the time for stained-glass work) - but it's a hassle by
any other means - and potentially dangerous...

You could always bodge it - and take a router / chisel / stanley knife
to the window frame - assuming it's wooden.... - but that's likely to be
just as much trouble.

As another poster said, if the 'free' piece of glass isn't 'new' then
it can be a mare to cut...

Adrian

maybe you'd know why a lot of localised chipping happened around the
cut line, including a 1" x 0.5" lump coming off when I tried to cut a
jam jar on a wet diamond table saw (a tile saw). I took it _very_
gently, but the result was still very poor.

cheers, NT

I had similar results with a tile saw and a wine bottle.

The grit on the blade on my lapidary saw
(which works very well with glass)
is much less coarse than the tile saw blade - I'm guessing that
the very coarse grit causes the glass to shatter rather than cut cleanly....

The lap saw blade is also slower.... again, down to the finer grit...

Adrian

right - cheers


NT

In article ,
The Medway Handyman wrote:
A glazier would probably take 5mm off in one strip no problem, but 3mm
they might have to nibble off in sections. They make it look easy but
then they do pay a lot for their cutters.

My local glass place makes it look sooo easy - untill you try it
yourself.

As I said it's very much easier with new glass. Different matter when it's
a few years old.

--
*Suicidal twin kills sister by mistake.

Dave Plowman London SW
To e-mail, change noise into sound.

Thanks for all the info.

In message
,
" writes
On 14 Nov, 15:04, no-one wrote:
Hi,

I have been given a pane of glass to replace a broken window but it
slightly to big. I'd like to take off 3-5mm but is this possible? What
is the minimum width of glass each side of a scored line that you need
in order to cut it cleanly?

TIA

Yes you can, as others have said with a GOOD cutter (preferably oil-
lubricated) and a nibbler.


Yep, stained glass folks do it all the time to trim glass. It's easier
with the proper nibbling pliers, but any old pliers will probably do.
--
Chris French

On Sun, 15 Nov 2009 13:31:39 +0000, chris French wrote:

Yep, stained glass folks do it all the time to trim glass. It's easier
with the proper nibbling pliers, but any old pliers will probably do.

Probably easier with a pair of nail pulling, "end cutting" pliers
than any other. But remember with glass you aren't cutting it but
encoraging a crack to go where you want it. The glass "cutter" starts
a good "crack" where you want it, I think the oil keeps it open, and
then you just stress the bottom of that crack to make it grow. Hence
the lifting up and gentle taping. You can see the crack grow through
the glass and along the line.

Old glass is harder to cut as it is covered in lots of micro
scratches on the surface and it's a bit hit and miss as to which one
grows under the stress.

--
Cheers
Dave.

Cicero wrote:
On Sun, 15 Nov 2009 00:26:53 +0000, The Medway Handyman wrote:

Calvin Sambrook wrote:
"no-one" wrote in message
...
Hi,

I have been given a pane of glass to replace a broken window but it
slightly to big. I'd like to take off 3-5mm but is this possible?
What is the minimum width of glass each side of a scored line that
you need in order to cut it cleanly?


Angle grinder. Not.

No, seriously though, provided it's not toughened it's perfectly
possible to grind glass, in fact it's a standard way to bevel the
edges after cutting. For smaller pieces there are bench tools to do
this but for a window size I'd probably go at it with my powerfile
on it's slowest setting.

What make of powerfile Calvin? I'm thinking of getting one.

=================================================

If you're thinking of using it for glass a Black & Decker works well.
I recently bought a few pieces of mirror glass with polished edges. I
watched the glazier use a B&D power file to do the polishing (actually
'safe' edges rather than 'polished') and he told me that the best
results are obtained by lightly spraying the abrasive belt with
water. He also said that full polishing can be done the same way with
progressively finer grits. The file is used downwards on the edge
working towards the centre.

As far as I can discover B&D is the only power file available but I'd
be interested to see others as the B&D is a bit expensive for a
limited use tool.

Not specifically for glass, just general use. Only other one I've seem is
the Makita, which isn't cheap.


--
Dave - The Medway Handyman
www.medwayhandyman.co.uk

Dave Liquorice wrote:
On Sun, 15 Nov 2009 13:31:39 +0000, chris French wrote:

Yep, stained glass folks do it all the time to trim glass. It's easier
with the proper nibbling pliers, but any old pliers will probably do.

Probably easier with a pair of nail pulling, "end cutting" pliers
than any other. But remember with glass you aren't cutting it but
encoraging a crack to go where you want it. The glass "cutter" starts
a good "crack" where you want it, I think the oil keeps it open, and
then you just stress the bottom of that crack to make it grow. Hence
the lifting up and gentle taping. You can see the crack grow through
the glass and along the line.


HMMM....

I think you may be confusing the 'nippers' that the mosaic lot use with
the 'grozing pliers' (honestly!) that we stained glass folk use.

What you really need is a way of 'clamping' the glass and applying
gentle pressure to it along the line you've scored.
If you're cutting a 12" sheet in half, it's easy - as you can score the
glass and then move the sheet so that the score line is along the edge
of the workbench, then just apply downward pressure. Laying the score
line over a ruler or thin lath and leaning on the glass achieves the
same thing.

When you're cutting a thin strip off the edge of the glass, the problem
is to provide a constant pressure along the length of the score -
and in the case that the OP mentioned you might just get away with some
sort of a 'workmate-style' clamping arrangement - gripping the thin
piece - and then lean on the wider piece... Usual safety warining apply
- including safety glasses!

If you use nail pullers then you're concentrating all the pressure in a
very narrow area - and you'll end up with a 'scalloped' edge - which
you'll then have to grind or fiddle with to be successful.

In the days before carbide glass cutters, they used to use a heated iron
to help a crack to run - you might find that a reasonably powerful
soldering iron might encourage the scored line to run along the edge of
the glass - but no guarantees!


Old glass is harder to cut as it is covered in lots of micro
scratches on the surface and it's a bit hit and miss as to which one
grows under the stress.


Agreed! BTDT!

Adrian

Dave Plowman (News) wrote:

In article ,
no-one wrote:
I have been given a pane of glass to replace a broken window but it
slightly to big. I'd like to take off 3-5mm but is this possible? What
is the minimum width of glass each side of a scored line that you need
in order to cut it cleanly?

Depends how new the glass is - it cuts more easily when new.

A wet tile cutter works well, though.

Yes, that's the best way for an amateur to do it IMO, just be careful of
splinters and the potential for frogments of glass to fly out if the
workpiece is twisted while cutting.

On Sun, 15 Nov 2009 18:17:27 +0000, Adrian Brentnall wrote:

I think you may be confusing the 'nippers' that the mosaic lot use with
the 'grozing pliers' (honestly!) that we stained glass folk use.

Never heard of grozing pliers. google Haa, interesting jaw shape. I
assume you place the score line in line with the rear step and gently
squeeze?

When you're cutting a thin strip off the edge of the glass, the problem
is to provide a constant pressure along the length of the score -
and in the case that the OP mentioned you might just get away with some
sort of a 'workmate-style' clamping arrangement - gripping the thin
piece - and then lean on the wider piece... Usual safety warining apply
- including safety glasses!

Experience tells me that the bigger piece you are leaning on will
shatter or end up in two bits, minimum. Much better to "nibble" the
sliver away somehow, yes you'll probably have a scalaped edge but
IIRC this was a bit of glazing glass so that will be hidden in the
rebate.


--
Cheers
Dave.

HI Dave

Dave Liquorice wrote:
On Sun, 15 Nov 2009 18:17:27 +0000, Adrian Brentnall wrote:

I think you may be confusing the 'nippers' that the mosaic lot use with
the 'grozing pliers' (honestly!) that we stained glass folk use.

Never heard of grozing pliers. google Haa, interesting jaw shape. I
assume you place the score line in line with the rear step and gently
squeeze?

There's a photo at
http://www.warm-glass.co.uk/shop/Pro...?ProductId=281

You use them two ways...

As an aid to snapping or running the score...
Score the glass, then grip at the score with the flat jaw on top -
then apply gentle pressure downwards (like snapping a chocolate bar)
until the score runs. If it's a long or difficult break - move along the
score and try again - the objective being to see the break running along
the whole of the score-line before trying to separate the two bits of
glass. It's a good plan to make the initial breaks at either end of the
score line (then yuo stand a fihting chance of at least two of the
points along the score being in the right position!

To nibble away at the edges of glass, create a rough shape before
kiln-fusing, or, if you're doing lead-work, instead of using a grinder
to adjust pieces to shape/size.
This is done with the curved jaw uppermost, and the jaws not quite
tightly closed. Lightly grip the edge of the glass, and then, by
twisting your wrist, use the rough inner surface of the curved jaw to
act like a very coarse file and nibble the edge of the glass. With
practice, this can be very quick and fairly accurate - but it does leave
a rough edge



When you're cutting a thin strip off the edge of the glass, the problem
is to provide a constant pressure along the length of the score -
and in the case that the OP mentioned you might just get away with some
sort of a 'workmate-style' clamping arrangement - gripping the thin
piece - and then lean on the wider piece... Usual safety warining apply
- including safety glasses!

Experience tells me that the bigger piece you are leaning on will
shatter or end up in two bits, minimum. Much better to "nibble" the
sliver away somehow, yes you'll probably have a scalaped edge but
IIRC this was a bit of glazing glass so that will be hidden in the
rebate.



It was only a 'if you really must' suggestion g
Safety should be uppermost when working with glass - even if you're
doing it day in / day out you're likely to get cuts - the trick is to
ensure that they're not anywhere that matters g.

I'm intrigued to know what the original poster ended up doing...?

Adrian

"no-one" wrote

Hi,

I have been given a pane of glass to replace a broken window but it
slightly to big. I'd like to take off 3-5mm but is this possible? What
is the minimum width of glass each side of a scored line that you need
in order to cut it cleanly?

TIA

Many moons ago when I were a lad (close to 40 years ago ), I remember the
clothes prop disassociating itself from the clothes line and crashing
through the back window.
This was a single glazed pane about 4' square.
Our neighbour offered to fit a new pane but when it arrived, it was a bit
big and fouled the frame at one corner.
Unphased, with the glass supported on his right thigh, he simply scored and
nibbled a short strip away using a fairly unimpressive looking hand held
tile cutter. This had a small wheel at the end and notches in the side that
he used to do the nibbling operation IYSWIM.
He then applied bedding putty round the frame, working both left and right
handed as appropriate!

Strange how certain things stay with you innit?

Phil

On 14 Nov, 17:07, "Calvin Sambrook" wrote:

No, seriously though, provided it's not toughened it's perfectly possible to
grind glass, in fact it's a standard way to bevel the edges after cutting.

Depending on the meaning of "grind". Glass will break if you overheat
a small point of it, so abrasive wheel grinding is impractical, unless
it's water-cooled. Most large glass "grinders" are thus using long
belts (big flat contact), rather than wheels (spot contact).