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segrieb

HELP! Questions about tempered (crash) glass for mosaics...

segrieb
9 years ago

Where can I find or buy tempered glass (or crash glass) to use in my mosaics?
Is it available at craft suppliers or can I just buy a sheet of tempered glass from a window or windshield business? If I were to purchase an unbroken piece of tempered glass, is it easy to fracture? I have never used this medium in mosaics, but I have always been fascinated when I see store knickknacks that are "fractured," like candle holders, with pictures or colors visible on its underside. I would think that glass businesses would have bins of scraps either to recycle or dispose of. I am working on a Paris night scene, and I can envision the River Seine in the foreground with the reflection of the Eiffel Tower in the background. The River would consist of broken pieces of tempered glass over painted water colors (not watercolors!) along with the reflected image of the Tower (a photograph or picture).

PLEASE HELP! All suggestions would be appreciated.
Pictures to follow of my work in progress.

Susan Griebel
Sylvan Lake, Rome City, Indiana

Comments (16)

  • wackyweeder
    9 years ago

    I think some suppliers sell tempered glass. You can indeed go to a junk yard and buy a car window-side windows only. the front and back windsheilds are a sandwich type product.
    Rehab stores or craigs list where people might be selling shower doors or glass tabletops-those are tempered glass. Many transparent glass plates are tempered glass also.
    Not hard to break-clean it well, lay it down on some cardboard or something if you want to preserve the larger islands of glass. Tap the edge or the side to start it cracking. the center tends to be very strong and some folks use a bowling ball thrown on it, this method with give a center of long ""rays" pieces. for a plate-simply score it, shove it in a bag and take your nippers to the edge it will "explode" beautifully. look up some videos on you tube of it. Then, if you want to piece little pieces together simply throw in a bucket. If you want to keep the islands of glass together-my method is to place them on cardboard and stack them in a shoebox.

  • segrieb
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    Whoa! This is excellent information, wackyweeder! Thank you! Tomorrow, I'm going to call a few junk yards and some windshield replacement businesses. This will be fun, and it is what I love about mixed media projects - the "hunt!" As a last resort, I'll place an order with a craft supplier.

    Oh, the bowling ball lob sounds interesting - especially the resulting pattern.

  • texaswild
    9 years ago

    Do NOT get windshield glass. It is not the same as the windows. Plus, after the glass is shattered, it breaks by hand - no need to nip it.

  • segrieb
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    Interesting day of tempered glass shopping on Friday in Fort Wayne, IN⦠window stores, windshield replacement businesses, my stained glass supply store, and LoweâÂÂs & Home Depot. Got everything from âÂÂI donâÂÂt know what youâÂÂre talking about,â to âÂÂcheck out flea markets.â I didnâÂÂt stop at a junk yard, yet, and I donâÂÂt know if I will. Lots of information from gardenweb.com followers, and all your tried-and-true information is much appreciated. I did receive a tip from my stained glass supplier, " recommending a business in the Fort Wayne area called OâÂÂNeilâÂÂs Glazing. Too tired to continue shopping, and I had an hour's drive back to my home to consider. Tomorrow, I will contact OâÂÂNeilâÂÂs Glazing (a phone call!), and will repeat my spiel⦠âÂÂIâÂÂm a mosaic artisan, and IâÂÂm looking for sheets of tempered glass!â Their Internet site looks promising. Thank you all for your comments!

  • segrieb
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    I just learned of an Internet site where I can purchase 12-inch x 16-inch x 3/16-inch thick tempered glass panels for under $5 each. Thank you! So, I have several sources of tempered glass to investigate for the River Seine in my Paris night scene mosaic.

    This project will be at least a 24-inch square on MDF board, using a French cleat for hanging. IâÂÂve attached a rough sketch of this mosaic. The French woman will be fused glass. As a matter of fact, I just finished assembling this gal, and took her to my glass supplier for fusing in their glass kiln. I donâÂÂt have my own kiln. The charge is $11. I jokingly refer to her as âÂÂpouty lips,â until I decide on a project title. And, Pouty Lips will be fused sometime this week (a medium fuse).

    When sheâÂÂs fused, IâÂÂll start the mosaicing process. I have a 6-inch metal (aluminum) Eiffel Tower that I will be using, too. With a craft mini-hacksaw, IâÂÂll somehow alter it so that the tower can be placed onto the MDF, but still look 3-ddimensional.

    IâÂÂm really excited about this mosaic! Wish me luck, because IâÂÂll need it! I'm sure that I will be asking more questions.

    Thank you all!

  • segrieb
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    Pouty Lips is ready for the glass kiln!

  • wackyweeder
    9 years ago

    Holy cow, that is one fancy lady. Very very nice.

  • barbfrizzell1955
    9 years ago

    Wow she sure is! Sounds like a very interesting project and I can't wait to see more!

  • brokenbitmosaics
    9 years ago

    Wow! Love her.

    I want a kiln.....just can't justify it now with so many other hobbies.

    Great job.

  • segrieb
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    "Pouty Lips! You're fired!

  • segrieb
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    CLOSE-UP - "Pouty Lips! You're fired!"

    Now, I have to cut the backside of the Eiffel tower, starting an inch below the top, and removing some the sides and all of the back - all the way down the Tower. This way, the Tower will lay flat on the MDF board, and will be easy to mosaic the night sky background, and the trees and Seine River in front of it. I think that the Tower is made of aluminum; it's very lightweight. I bought a mini hacksaw from Harbor Freight Tool to use. Hope it works!

    Any hacksaw experts in this mosaic forum with some helpful hints?

    This is my final post on... HELP! Questions about tempered (crash) glass for mosaics... .

    I'll start a new forum called PARIS MOSAIC in a week or so. Thank you all for your input re: tempered glass, and your compliments.

    Susan

  • wackyweeder
    9 years ago

    She came out just great!

  • meadel
    9 years ago

    She's a beauty! It's going to be wonderful!
    Keep your eyes open on trash night too.
    Storm door windows are usually all over. (By me anyway)

    Here is a link that might be useful: Is this the site you found? Posting it for future reference :-)

    This post was edited by meadel on Mon, Jun 30, 14 at 12:50

  • Mags438
    9 years ago

    By any chance is this finished? I bet it's just gorgeous

  • segrieb
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    Hi, Maga438
    You asked if this mosaic is finished, and the answer is no. It has been put on the âÂÂback burner,â so that I can complete 3 stained glass projects. These 3 projects are house-warming gifts that need to be completed by October 1st. But, I do have work-in-progress pictures, and I will attach 1 picture here, and additional pictures in a new post: Paris Night Scene Mosaic.
    Susan

  • tapla (mid-Michigan, USDA z5b-6a)
    9 years ago

    Tempered glass - call any glass shop and ask if they would save a patio door blank for you - preferably one that was broken and not one that had a defective seal and is stained on the inside; or, ask for a tempered orphan, which would be a piece of tempered glass someone made a size or edgework error on when ordering.

    Use a Dremel cut-off wheel (the flat, abrasive, disc-shaped tool heads) for cutting your tower.

    Al

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