Cutting 1/2" thick glass.

[kinktao]

I was able to remove a chipped glass side from my tank. I was hoping to just have a glass company shave off the end pass the crack but I could not find one that will cut 1/2" thick glass.

Also, they said I was cutting to close to the edge, I only want to trim the glass 1/2" shorter.

Does anyone know a company or person that could help me?

 

[alpine]

Open up your phone book and start calling the glass shops in your area.

 

[amehel0]

you cant cut that off. you need a specialised grinder that normally costs around 800 bux with 2 disks.

 

[liveforphysics]

I cut a 3/8" off a large piece of 1/2" starphire with a $30 homedepot tile saw. Made a nice clean cut in about 10mins of slowly feeding it into the diamond wheel under constant water flow from a hose.

 

[coralnut99]

Physics, would you be kind enough to pass along some info on the tile saw? I bought one from Lowes a while back, but I'm not thrilled with it. Planning a custom tank, and this is either gonna send me to a glass shop with a cut list, or send me home from a glass shop with a full sheet.

 

[liveforphysics]

I would absolutely have the glass shop cut your glass for you. Make sure to measure the pieces to make sure they did it all correctly before you accept the pieces.

This situation where I had to make a cut was due to the shop cutting 1 piece 3/8" long. I knew you can't make a scribe and break type cut that thin, so I tried the tile saw as a desperate effort. It worked much better than I had hoped it would, but it was way more work than you want to have to mess with.

The saw I used was cheap black plastic on the bottom, which was a water reservoir, and had a yellow cheap plastic top. It uses a 3 or 4" diamond dust wheel. This thing is about the most cheesy tile saw I could find, so I would assume that any other tile saw could only be a better choice

-Luke

 

[coralnut99]

Thanks for the info. The tile saw I bought has a worm gear drive and has plenty of runout to it. It IS a tile saw I know, but it really made cutting glass a nail-biter.

 

[DodgeDude99]

plywood blade in a table saw, and yes i am serious it worked.

doesnt make the cleanest of edges though.

 

[coralnut99]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13416266#post13416266 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by DodgeDude99
plywood blade in a table saw, and yes i am serious it worked.

doesnt make the cleanest of edges though.

One brave Dude!

 

[kinktao]

Can't find a glass shop that will even attempt the cut. I'm tring hydrocut places up to see if one of them would be so brave.

 

[DodgeDude99]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13416381#post13416381 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by coralnut99
One brave Dude!

hey when you are stupid teenager, you will try anything.

 

[Ehgemus]

I wonder if you could put a diamond blade on a skill saw?

 

[BeanAnimal]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13416266#post13416266 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by DodgeDude99
plywood blade in a table saw, and yes i am serious it worked.

doesnt make the cleanest of edges though.

Sorry, but that sounds like a fish tale to me...

 

[kinktao]

Does anyone know a person that builds fish tanks that would have the equipment? Preferring someone in the OC and LA area?

 

[scaryperson27]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13418791#post13418791 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by BeanAnimal
Sorry, but that sounds like a fish tale to me...

Lots of water, very high RPM, a ton of time, and very bad results.

If you have a reason that it wouldn't work, I'd be very interested in hearing it. That's not a jab at your comment either. I'm just looking for more foundation as to why it wouldn't work.

 

[Rhodophyta]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13416266#post13416266 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by DodgeDude99
plywood blade in a table saw, and yes i am serious it worked.

doesnt make the cleanest of edges though.

:hammer: :blown: :lolspin: Wow. Definitely braver than me!

 

[liveforphysics]

I think with a carbide tipped table saw blade and a very slow feed rate that it would be possible, but definately not recomended.

I've seen a milling machine with a carbide cutter carve glass. It only moved about 1mm per minute, but the pieces turned out just fine.

 

[kcress]

Just find a water jet place.

It is trivial on a water jet.

Most places that do weird metal fab have them.

I'm in a little town and know of two of them.

 

[DodgeDude99]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13418791#post13418791 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by BeanAnimal
Sorry, but that sounds like a fish tale to me...

believe what you want, it cut it no problem but chipped the hell out of the edge.

no water, no carbide tip blade.


now i didnt say it was ideal, just that you could do it.

 

[DodgeDude99]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13432609#post13432609 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by DodgeDude99
believe what you want, it cut it no problem but chipped the hell out of the edge.

no water, no carbide tip blade, and an old craftsman table saw, and just sent it thru like you would imagine cutting oak or maple with a plywood blade.


now i didnt say it was ideal, just that you could do it.