Trimming glass

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Mary-Beth

Grumbler in Training
Joined
May 20, 2004
Posts
7
Location
Ontario, Canada
Good morning!

I'm having trouble "trimming" glass. I had a piece of glass that I needed to trim 1 inch from the length. After scoring, I gently tried to break, but I broke more than I bargained for.

Is there a special tool that will help? Or perhaps it's just not practical to remove such a small slice?

Thanks!
 
Good Morning, Mary-Beth

Welcome to The Grumble!

I assume that you are using a hand-held glass cutter. You need to apply a little more pressure and then lightly "tap" the underside of glass along the score line. This should give you a nice, clean break.

If you're using a wall mounted cutter (Fletcher - C&H) you need to adjust the tension on the cutter head or check the cutter wheel as it might need replacing.

Usually, removing anything less than 1/2" is an act of futility.
 
trimming 1" off is not a problem if you apply the proper technique with a working glass cutter (hand or wall mounted). Having a cutter in good working order with a lubricated wheel is essential. Fletcher-Terry has a description of the proper technique on their web site.

It gets a little tricky when you have to trim 1/8" off.

Remember "practice makes perfect" is an appripiate saying here.
 
There is a special tool! It's called glass pliers, you can get it from United.
They have a little ridge in them, and you gently squeeze the end of the score with them, until you get a snap. If it doesn't run all the way across, you then squeeze the other end of the score. I have trimmed off 1/8 inch with these, perfectly.

It helps if you make a good firm score, and break right away.
 
Another thing that might help is to tap the underside of your score with the handle of your cutter. Tap it all the way across the score line so that it runs totally across the glass. You can see it happening as you tap.
 
Mary-Beth,

The results youget scoring and snapping glass will vary by person and by degree of confidence. I think when you get too confident you get the worst results!

The Fletcher 3000 can cut off 1/8 slices with no real problem. I often can take off 1/16 of an inch from regular glass, and 1/8 off CC. If the score doesn't snap clean the first time then I'll try continuing the snap with a pair of pliers, or by lying the glass pane upside down and pushing on the scoreline from the back.

If cutting by hand be sure the score is clean, when my Fletcher's score gets "chattery" I replace the wheel. Easier onthe pocketbook and piece of mind to replace the wheel than to worry about the glass!
 
Originally posted by Bob Doyle:
...The Fletcher 3000 can cut off 1/8 slices with no real problem. I often can take off 1/16 of an inch from regular glass, and 1/8 off CC...
Click to expand...
Mary Beth,

I have had the same results as Bob Doyle, and this is one advantage of using the F-3000 wall machine. You can achieve similar results when cutting by hand, but experience will help you make the score with consistency.

Some other suggestions...</font>
  • I find tapping the glass doesn't really help, although I realize that some folks have done this for year. Tapping tends to start the glass to bleed in short, random sections. I would always prefer to start the bleed by bending the glass at the end of the score and patiently allow the bleed to travel to the other end.</font>
  • Bob's success on scoring narrow strips of glass is more easily achieved on the F-3000 than the F-3100 because of the full anvil support under the glass.</font>
  • A good, new carbide wheel on either a wall cutter or a hand cutter will stack the deck in your favor!</font>
  • It's important to recognize that breaking pliers come in two versions: Running pliers have little bumps in the jaw, and are used by squeezing the break, while the pliers are held in line with the score, acting similar to the anvil.</font>
  • Nipping pliers have flat jaws and are used to break out larger pieces, while the pliers are held perpendicular to the score.</font>
  • A "good" score is barely visible and barely audible. If you can hear the glass talking back to you, you've got way too much pressure applied.</font>
Jerry mentioned this Fletcher-Terry webpage: How to cut glass

Regards,

John
(Consultant to The Fletcher-Terry Co.)
 
Mary-Beth,

An inch should be no problem to trim. Make sure that your cutter is sharp. Replace them frequently, they’re cheap. Sometimes if the glass you’re trying to trim is dirty, the cutter will “skip” making an interrupted score and cause the break to go any which way. It helps to start with clean glass.

The “cut runner” pliers mentioned earlier are a good idea especially for trying to trim less than 1/2”. “Nippers” are sometimes useful to crush/crumble/chomp away rooster tails that occasionally show up.
 
Hi Mary Beth

There is an excellent article here

http://www.fletcher-terry.com/hardware/tips/cutglass.shtml

I use surgical spirit on kitchen tissue to clean the cutting line, and a fletcher self lubricating hand held cutter. Glass pliers are usefull when removing small pieces. There are 3 main types, Running pliers, Grossing pliers, and a combination of the two.If using a handheld, you need the same pressure as drawing a firm pencil line. Use any mishaps and offcuts to practice on before binning them.

Mick
 
Just a couple more comments about your scoring technique.

1. It should be one continuous, smooth motion. Do not stop and restart, do not re-score.

2. When using a hand scoring tool, if you will have to make two cuts, cut the shorter length first to minimize the length of the second.

Sorry if this seems obvious
 
Hehe... I remember somewhere on the Grumble when we had a rather spirited debate about how little one could trim off a lite of glass. There were all sort of elaborate rituals and techniques for trimming off as little as 1/16". Probably took about ten minutes.

My personal favorite? Get a bigger piece of glass. Life's too short and time too valuable.
 
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