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cacbeary

Cutting Tip For Breaking Scored Sheets

cacbeary
16 years ago

I learned a cutting tip today I thought I'd share.

Slow - you know how you said to quarter the glass before you start breaking into tiles?

The way to do it is to break the glass in half, then half it again - that would be a quarter, but then you are to keep on halving it. The reason being is it keeps equal pressure on the glass. You will get a better break in the glass. If not it puts pressure on the left side.

Cool beans!

Comments (24)

  • shrty411
    16 years ago

    OK, so you just kee going in half until you get the size you want??

  • cacbeary
    Original Author
    16 years ago

    Yes. If you have a whole sheet of glass scored into squares you keep halving the sheet until you get down to a couple of squares.

    I've always lost some squares because they didn't break right. I just learned the reason why.

  • Calamity_J
    16 years ago

    SHEESH! GOOD TIP!!! I messed up all the mirror I cut for sammy the salmon and to think, that probably woulda been a great damage contol!

  • nicethyme
    16 years ago

    aha! good tip. So you're say if I stop and work to break the strips from one side first, it's what causes the bad breaks? wow thanks for that info

    so cool you have this new "relationship" with cuttersmate!I presume this is where you getting this awesome knowledge? thanks for sharing it!

  • cacbeary
    Original Author
    16 years ago

    NT - That's what I said aha!Yes I'm learning from the BB guy. You just have to keep halving it. I told him that's a tip to put in the instruction sheet. I think it will be mosaickers that buy the system more than glassers.

    After I made the shoe my aunt bought 2 of every color of mirror. I scored all the glass & finished & she was still breaking apart the mirror. I showed her how to quarter the sheet & then she was breaking the mirror apart. She was getting so many bad breaks & breaking wrong. We sealed the pieces & she took the rest home to break & I don't think it went well for her & she was a bit upset.

    I'm allowed to ask ANY question I want so I say fire away. He's been working in stained glass since 1992 & started inventing all his stuff to make it easier. He even makes kilns - he must be a real inventive guy.

  • wackyweeder
    16 years ago

    I just read that yesterday somewhere else. It keeps equal pressure on both sides of the cut, instead of a lot of pressure on a small strip.

  • cindiloo
    16 years ago

    GREAT tip! I appreciate you always sharing your new tips...keeps newbies like me from making horrible mistakes, well, not so many anyway!

  • texaswild
    16 years ago

    Oh, thanks for that. I do break the pieces into smaller sections, so I'll start just quartering and halving. Many thanks. I need all the tips I can get. Wish I could think of a project to start.

  • chickeemama
    16 years ago

    That tip makes so much sense once you think about it!!! Thank you!

  • cacbeary
    Original Author
    16 years ago

    I'm bad. I misunderstood the tip given to me completely. Here's how to do the breaks on your scoring.

    Each score you make is the size you want. If you have 8 score lines, you run those in half. And then run half of those and so on. End result, you will have 8 strips.

  • crackpotannie
    16 years ago

    Sorry I don't understand the last part,can you show a picture ,where is Mr BB man located???

  • wackyweeder
    16 years ago

    Yes but as you break the strips, you are breaking each section in half right?
    8 strips=2 strips of 4
    then strip of 4 equal 2 strips of 2
    and lastly break the strip of 2 in half
    so you are always breaking your scored strips into halves if that makes any sense.

  • wackyweeder
    16 years ago

    Sorry, back again, What I saw exactly was, if you want to make a skinny strip, cut the strip twice as wide as you want, then cut that in half, so the pressure on both sides of the break is equal and less likely to create a bad break.

  • cacbeary
    Original Author
    16 years ago

    I'm sorry. I have confused everyone.

    Say you have 8 scored strips in a sheet of glass. Break in the center & you will have 2 pieces of glass with 4 scored strips apiece. Then take a piece of glass with 4 scored strips & break in the middle again to make 2 pieces of glass with 2 scored strips apiece. This way there is even pressure & not all the pressure is on the left side.

    If you have a sheet of scored glass & just start at one end breaking the strips off one by one the left side at the bottom the strips break wrong & that is the reason why, the pressure. I am sorry for all the confusion.

    If this doesn't make sense I'm emailing Ray to please come over here & explain.

  • glassgunner
    16 years ago

    You are doing a super job of helping one another.
    What a friendly group you are.

    I am just a few doors down and I heard all of you talking
    so I thought I'd just pop my head in here to say hello.

    Your friend,
    Ray Mfr.

  • nicethyme
    16 years ago

    and thats exactly how I understood ya Cac! that's what I always did wrong. I'd score everything and then break strips off one side and get a bunch of arrows along the way.

  • PantherFL
    16 years ago

    You're talking using the system right? I make one cut at a time breaking by hand, so I don't have an accident & get a break I'm not expecting in my palm.

  • glassgunner
    16 years ago

    The best way to run a score is with a pair of running pliers.
    They are about $ 9.00.
    If you require more than one strip, it is best to score as
    many as you can. This will save time and glass.
    You can run many strips of different widths also.
    It is safer to run more scores because
    it decreases the handling time of the glass.

    Ray

  • PantherFL
    16 years ago

    I should have said that I do use runners a lot of the time, but sometimes I don't. Right now, my son has borrowed them for a project he's doing, so I don't have a choice:)

    I'll keep that in mind. I was taught in the class I took not to weaken the glass I would be holding in my hand, so something new I learned today, thanks.

  • crackpotannie
    16 years ago

    O.k. I got it..hey mr gunner man whee are you????

  • toomuchglass
    16 years ago

    I'll be darned --- I learned something new !!!!!

    Thank You !

  • glassgunner
    16 years ago

    C P Annie:

    Here I am.
    And I am also in Illinois.

    glassgunner

  • d3bbi
    16 years ago

    Okay, I'm going to bite. Why do you not want to minimize the time you handle glass? I've never had a formal SG class; I was taught informally by a seasoned SG artist.

    Another burning question I have - How often do you need (or suggest) to change the blade in the scorer?

    Thanks for sharing your expertise!

  • glassgunner
    16 years ago

    The less time you handle the glass, the less chances
    of getting cut.
    Carbide wheels are the best. They will outlast a steel
    wheel 10 to 20 times. Toyo is a high quality brand.
    That is what we sell with all of our machines.
    Longevity depends upon amount and quality of use.
    Cutting oil helps, but it is not required.
    As long as you are getting good runs, I would not worry.
    If you want to check the quality of the score.
    Make a score on a piece of mirror. If the score line is
    broken - -- -- - -- --- like that, replace it.
    ray

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