Can you cut a beveled mirror on a Fletcher 3000?

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k2500guy

CGF, Certified Grumble Framer
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I know, I know. Why would you want to do that? I have a customer that wants to know if I can cut down a beveled mirror to fit a frame she likes (which also has to be modified). The mirror is 1/4" thick and has a 1-1/4" bevel and would require that 11/16" be cut from each end (or 1-3/8" cut from one end). Don't know which would look best (or worse, I should say). I have a Fletcher 3000. I called a glass shop and they said they'd have to look at it. If they've never done it before, I suspect they will tell me that they might take a whack at it, if I don't hold them responsible for ruining it. Heck, I can do that. I was just wondering if a typical glass shop has some means to cut that would work better than the F3000 that I have, or if anyone here has actually tried it and what the results were.
 
it might work but you are going to have a funny looking mirror if it does. we are a glass shop + frame shop and have learned that taking a small amount off of a mirror is hard because you can't always get a good break and the silvering shows everything. we cut by hand.
 
curiousframer said:
it might work but you are going to have a funny looking mirror if it does. we are a glass shop + frame shop and have learned that taking a small amount off of a mirror is hard because you can't always get a good break and the silvering shows everything. we cut by hand.
Click to expand...

Good point. I hadn't thought of that.
 
Cutting will most likely not be successful. ...don't ask me why I know. ..

A new mirror without bevels would be cheaper to get from the glass shop...when you factor time and running around to try and cut the existing mirror. ..
 
Don't see why not. I'd sooner do it with a hand-held cutter though.

It's going to look slightly odd with uneven bevels. If it's not a huge sheet, better to get a new mirror.
 
Prospero you really don't sleep,

I have done this, worked absolutely fine, used my hand cutter.
 
I've cut a mirror on both a Fletcher 3000 and a Fletcher 3100. Dependent upon the thickness of the glass it works fine. The thicker the glass the more pressure you have to adjust on the glass wheel but both machines will score just fine. I have always removed the thicker mirrors from the machine and put on a flat surface to finish the break by hand. The thinner mirrors I break on the machine.
 
IFGL said:
Prospero you really don't sleep,

I have done this, worked absolutely fine, used my hand cutter.
Click to expand...


Wow you managed to cut less than 3/4" off all the four bevel on a mirror successfully ....well done I would suspect you are one of the few hat can do it...
 
You could always give it a go, with the option of purchasing a new mirror if the result doesn't work out? I assume the client doesn't need the mirror for anything else anyway.
 
I think it would look very odd with uneven bevels, I would talk the customer into taking all the bevels off, as you are modifying the frame anyway . Much better to start afresh with a flat mirror and make it any size your client wants, if she does not want to spend much, do a swap, you supply the flat mirror free of charge and you keep the bevel mirror, then frame it and sell it, everybody's happy, and you have a profit as well :)
 
Is the customer expecting the bevels to be there afterward? Are you sure? I cut one down for a customer and she was irate that I cut the bevels off! I think she wanted me to cut from the middle and use my heat shrink gun to bring it all inward....

You are a magician aren't you?

BTW be sure you score the bevel too. That's when knowing how to hand score is vital...
 
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