How to cut glass at home. How to properly cut glass with a glass cutter? Advice and advice from experts. Features of working with different types of glass

Glass products at all times enjoyed great popularity: frescoes, dishes and many other things created from scraps of this material have always amazed people with their grace and smooth lines. Looking at this splendor, it seems that to create it, you need to be a real professional with vast experience in working with glass and a lot of necessary tools, and a simple "mortal" will never master this complex science. In fact, not everything is as sad as it seems at first glance, and everyone can get knowledge of how to cut glass at home.

Preparing glass for cutting

A lot depends on this stage, and the preparation process itself depends on what kind of glass you decide to use for cutting. New glass, bought specifically for this purpose, is just enough to wipe, and it is best to use an old newspaper for this (this will avoid streaks and settling of small villi). With used material, you will have to work with much more effort. First, it must be thoroughly rinsed using a special glass cleaner. Secondly, degrease with a cloth soaked in, for example, kerosene and finally dry it indoors to avoid dust getting on the surface.

In addition, the preparation of the glass implies its cutting. As you know, you are unlikely to be able to achieve a completely waste-free production when working with glass, especially if you are planning to get a product of not quite the correct geometric shape. However, accurate calculation will reduce possible waste to a minimum. At this stage, a more rational solution would be to align the longer side of the glass with the longer side of the workpiece. Please note that the resulting scraps should not be thrown away, they can be used in the future to create new products.

What tools should you use?

Many of us are accustomed to believe that glass can only be cut correctly and efficiently with a glass cutter. But what if you need to cut off a piece of glass urgently, but this tool was not at hand? There is another unusual, but no less effective way that helped our great-grandfathers get out of this situation. Such a tool is the usual scissors available from any owner. Let's consider each method in detail.

Option 1: glass cutter

The technology for cutting glass with a glass cutter is quite simple. To do this, you must comply with certain conditions and choose the right glass cutter. Today, the choice of this tool is wide enough that allows you to turn work into pleasure.

A time-tested diamond glass cutter that remains a leader in its field to this day. For home use, glass cutters with a beveled cutting edge are suitable. Such a tool is designed for cutting glass up to ten kilometers and is suitable for any thickness of the material used. From time to time, such a glass cutter needs to be sharpened on a special bar.
Roller. Following from the name, the cutting part of such a glass cutter is made in the form of a roller made of durable cobalt-tungsten alloy. The number of rollers can be from one to six.
Oil. Such a tool works on the principle of a roller glass cutter, with the difference that a reservoir with oil is built into its handle, which is automatically fed to the roller. Suitable for cutting thick glass.

How to choose a good glass cutter, watch the video:

So, having dealt with the glass cutter, place the glass on a flat surface. Mark the glass and get to work. You can use a ruler to make the task easier. It should be borne in mind that the line must be drawn the first time, otherwise a second attempt will lead to cracking of the surface. It is necessary to cut glass with a glass cutter applying equal efforts along the entire length of the line being drawn.

Option 2: ordinary scissors

Cutting glass with scissors like paper is not a fairy tale, but a completely ordinary reality. For this purpose, you will need the scissors themselves (sewing is best for this) and a tank of water (preferably hot). It is necessary to apply markings on the glass in advance, and then, elementary physics is included in the work: the scissors create a microcrack, and the capillary effect completes the process. Of course, the result obtained will differ from that achieved with a glass cutter, but if necessary, this method can help out significantly.

Types of glass and features of work

Cutting ordinary glass is almost straightforward. Not only glass cutters, but also ordinary tailor's scissors do an excellent job with this task. But what to do for those who set themselves the task of obtaining a glass product with a more complex configuration. To do this, you should familiarize yourself with the properties of some glasses.

Tempered glass products... In fact, it is impossible to cut tempered glass at home - it loses its properties. If you want to purchase an item with elements of this material, you should think about cutting it in the early stages. In addition, work with it must be carried out by professionals, since the hardening process of the resulting product can only be carried out under certain conditions.
Corrugated glass... This patterned glass is especially popular for glazing doors or creating decorative interior elements. Unlike tempered glass, such glass is quite capable of cutting independently. Working with it is not much different from working with ordinary glass, the only difference is that the cut is made from the smooth side. A glass cutter is best suited for this.
Acrylic or organic glass Is a transparent plastic based on synthetic resins. No special tools are required to cut it. At home, a metal saw, a cutter and other tools used for edge processing do an excellent job with this task. In addition, a regular office knife copes with glass, the thickness of which does not exceed 2 mm.

In any case, it is worth remembering that working with any glass must be accompanied by the observance of certain precautions. The presence of thick gloves and goggles are the main conditions for exercising your own safety. It will not be superfluous to take care of the arrangement of the workplace. Since working with glass implies the presence of fragments, cover the work surface with any material that you will not mind getting rid of. Feeling safe will allow you to achieve the best results.

(1 estimates, average: 5,00 out of 5)

Discussion:

Paul said:

For some reason, everyone writes about scissors as fiction. About 25 years ago, I read somewhere about such a method ... and tried it - it was necessary to cut out figured glass. Into a basin of water, ordinary scissors, glass and go! - I myself did not expect it to be so simple! Of course, it was not cut, but pieces were broken off, but exactly in the right place! ..

Not one house can do without glass and, therefore, the question of cutting it arises practically with every renovation. For this purpose, glass cutters are used - diamond, oil and roller. Let's consider each of the above varieties in more detail, but before that, let's figure out how to properly prepare the glass for cutting.

Glass preparation

If the new glass does not need special preparation (it is enough just to wipe it from dust), then you will have to "tinker" a little with the used glass.

To begin with, the glass must be thoroughly washed using special detergents. Then degrease with kerosene or alcohol-containing compounds, and finally dry well after wiping.

It is better to use an old newspaper rather than a rag to wipe the glass. Thanks to this, small lint and stains will not remain on the glass.

Having prepared the glass, you can start cutting it.

Diamond glass cutter is able to cut glass up to 10 millimeters thick

The diamond glass cutter can be safely called the "flagship" among such tools. As a cutter in such glass cutters, diamond is used - the most durable material in the world. Thanks to this, the diamond glass cutter is able to cut glass with a thickness of up to 10 millimeters, while making the most even cut, practically free of chips and requiring minimal processing. The only drawback of a diamond glass cutter can be considered only its relatively high cost, even in those cases when not natural, but artificial diamond is used as a cutter.

Working with a diamond (as well as with any other glass cutter) requires certain skills.

The first step is to prepare the surface on which the glass will be cut. For this purpose, a regular table is perfect, which must first be covered with something soft (for example, carpet or linoleum). Prepared glass is laid on the surface.

Before the main cutting, it is recommended to check the glass cutter on an unnecessary piece of glass. To do this, take the tool with your thumb and forefinger and draw a line across the glass with slightly more pressure than when writing with a ballpoint pen or pencil. If the result is a thin white line, the glass cutter is ready to work and you are doing everything right. If the line is thick and filled with small glass chips, try changing the angle of inclination of the cutter.

The process of cutting glass with a diamond glass cutter itself is as follows. Using a ruler and a square, the necessary markings are applied to the glass. After that, along the side of the same ruler or any even bar, they carry out a glass cutter with a medium pressure. The white line remaining from the cutter is aligned with the edge of the table and lightly pressed against the hanging edge of the glass. If you did everything correctly, the glass will break off quite easily exactly along the cut line.

When working with thick (thicker than 2 millimeters) glass before breaking, it is recommended to lightly “tap” the cut line with a hammer.

If the glass does not break, do not try to re-cut in the same place as the previous one. It is better to shift the markup a little and repeat the whole operation.

In order to better understand the principle of working with a diamond glass cutter, we recommend that you watch the following video:

Master class on working with a diamond glass cutter (video)

Roller glass cutter uses heavy-duty cobalt-tungsten alloy rollers as cutter

In this model of glass cutter, rollers made of heavy-duty cobalt-tungsten alloy are used as a cutter. As a rule, three to six rollers are attached to the swivel head of such glass cutters, which can be used instead of blunt ones.

One roller is designed for an average of 300 meter cuts

One roller is designed for an average of 300 meter cuts, after which it must be replaced with a new one.

Before starting work, as in the case of a diamond glass cutter, it is necessary to prepare the glass and the surface, as well as apply the appropriate markings on the glass.

An interesting enough way to mark glass is as follows. A straight line is drawn on the table surface with a marker or pencil. On the glass, only two small marks are made along the edges in the place where you want to make the cut. Further, these marks are aligned with the line on the table, which will correspond to the cut line.

Along the line of the cut, it is carried out once with a roller glass cutter (for a guaranteed even cut, it is better to use a ruler). Please note that the roller glass cutter must be pressed slightly harder than the diamond cutter. In addition, unlike a diamond glass cutter, which must be kept at an angle when cutting, the roller must be positioned strictly perpendicular to the glass.

You can break the glass with light pressure, aligning the cut line with the edge of the table, or placing matches under it on both sides.

Since the edges of the glass after cutting are quite sharp during work, it is advisable to use protective gloves.

Oil type tool

An oil glass cutter differs from a roller glass cutter only in that it is equipped with a special container from which oil is supplied to the cutting roller during operation

By its design, an oil glass cutter differs from a roller glass cutter only in that it is equipped with a special container from which oil is supplied to the cutting roller during operation. As a result, the cutting effect is greatly enhanced, which makes it possible to cut thicker glass.

Many people like to do minor home repairs with their own hands, because it is so nice to feel like a master. Replacing broken glass is a fairly simple task for an experienced builder, while the rest should learn how to cut glass correctly and master some subtleties so that the preparation of a workpiece of the desired shape and size does not turn into a bad mood, damage to several glasses or even a little bloodshed.

Glass, for all its fragility, is a fairly hard material. The traditional tool for cutting it is a diamond glass cutter. As the name implies, the cutting tip of this tool is made of diamond, the hardest and hardest mineral.

Glass professionals value their instrument very much; to protect it from premature damage, they wear it in a special case.

For household work, when the need to cut glass arises periodically, in one-off cases, a roller glass cutter is more suitable. The tool is much cheaper than a diamond equivalent due to the use of hard alloy in the cutting part, rather than an expensive diamond.

Preparation for work

In order to obtain a piece of glass of the desired size with an even edge without chipping and chipping, you should prepare the surface on which you will be cutting. Typically, this is a table with a sturdy, flat tabletop and sufficient space: the edges of the workpiece should not be suspended.

The tool must be of good quality. The roller glass cutter is convenient in that a dull cutting wheel can be easily replaced with another.

The wheel is replaced as follows: the screw in the tool head is loosened and another one is put in place of the damaged one with one turn, which is then fixed with the same screw.

The surface of the glass sheet is cleaned of dust and debris, since the slightest obstacle during cutting can ruin the result.

Be sure to prepare a ruler or even block of sufficient length.

Cutting technology

Glass markings. On opposite sides, the required length is marked with a marker, and a straight line is drawn with a ruler on the plane of the table.

Then the marked edges of the glass are aligned with the line on the table. The method is, of course, only suitable for transparent glasses.

The ruler or rail is laid parallel to the line of the future cut so that it does not interfere with the tip of the diamond cutter or the roller of the glass cutter to move freely exactly along the marked line.

You can make sure that the roller is on the line by experience: by installing a ruler, apply a glass cutter and visually assess the accuracy of the coincidence of the cutting tip or wheel with the marked line.

Firmly pressing the ruler, draw a strip along the mark with a tool.

It should be borne in mind that you should not put too much pressure on the glass cutter to cut the glass correctly. The most important thing is to guide the tool with the same pressure on the glass plane and constant speed. It is recommended to release the pressure at the edges of the glass. This will help avoid chipping and chipping in these areas.

We hold the glass cutter correctly

How to properly cut glass with a diamond glass cutter

It needs to be held slightly tilted to the right to the plane of the glass. Its cutting tip does not move, so the furrow is carried out by one of its edges. The diamond trace is thin, almost imperceptible. However, this does not prevent them from being used for cutting glass of considerable thickness.

How to properly cut glass with a roller glass cutter

Such a glass cutter is kept strictly perpendicular to the plane. This situation is due to the structure of the wheel, where a change in the angle of inclination will not allow the cutting edge of the roller to affect the plane of the glass. Note that when working with this type of glass cutter, the groove is more noticeable, usually white.

Breaking glass along the cut line

It often happens that the glass splits into two halves at the cut site from a light touch when trying to move or lift it. However, this does not always happen, for other cases the following methods are used:

The glass is moved to the edge of the table so that the cut line protrudes slightly beyond the edge (about 1 cm). Then, with the handle of the tool, they begin to lightly tap on the incised line, in the direction from one edge to the other on the seamy side of the glass.

While tapping, you need to hold the side on the weight. At some point, micro-vibrations from tapping sometimes unexpectedly lead to the desired result.

Under the glass on both edges, the lines are placed on one side on a match, and then slightly pressed. This method is easier and safer, since both parts lie on the table, this allows you not to fear that any half will slip out of your hands and break.

Sometimes the section to be cut is very narrow. To separate such strips in the glass cutter, special grips are provided in the form of recesses in the head part, they are inserted into the edge of the glass and gently pressed down, after which the glass breaks exactly along the notch.

Do not neglect safety precautions and first you need to thoroughly study the issue of how to properly cut glass with a glass cutter. Protective goggles and gloves will protect you from minor accidents such as a cut or falling glass chips into the eye. Experienced glaziers say that the correct movement of the glass cutter is accompanied by a clear sound.

To cut glass smoothly and accurately, you do not need to be a hereditary glazier, a high-quality glass cutter and a little preliminary practice are enough.

Today we will tell you how to properly use the two main types of glass cutters, we will touch on the aspects of the choice and the technique of working with them.

Safety engineering

Glass cutting is a rather traumatic process. There are three main risk factors:

microscopic glass dust that irritates mucous membranes;
small needle-shaped shards that can damage the eyes when rebounding;
sharp edges of workpieces.

Cutting glass, even on a small scale, must be carried out with glasses and cotton gloves. If you plan to work on this front for a long time, then a regular petal respirator will not interfere.

Most injuries result from excessive force being applied to the instrument. The probability that the hand with the glass cutter will slip off from excessive stress is quite high, this can not only lead to serious cuts, but also guaranteed to ruin the material.

And, of course, the traditional source of injury is human inattention. There is nothing worse than a glass splinter, so do not feel the cut edges by touch before sanding them, and do not cut the glass over a canopy or on your knees. Keep your work area tidy, especially on the floor, prefer closed clothing, and do not place sheets of glass at too steep an angle.

Glass cutters: which is better

In the matter of choosing a tool for cutting glass, more than anywhere else, there is a dependence on professional training. Roller glass cutters are great for training and occasional use, diamond tools are preferred for experienced cutters.

Roller glass cutters differ from diamond cutters not only in appearance and design, they have a different effect on the material. The main advantage of the roller tool is the absolutely clear marking process. It is almost impossible to make a mistake when using such a glass cutter, but the quality of the edge and the speed of work usually leave much to be desired.

In addition, rollers, as a rule, have a short service life. Depending on the cost and, accordingly, the alloy used, one roller can be designed for 200–500 m of cut, subject to the operating rules. After that, it needs to be replaced, which is not very convenient for large volumes of work, moreover, not every model of glass cutter provides such an opportunity.

More or less experienced glaziers use practically indestructible diamonds for cutting: it is easier to learn how to use them once than to change the rollers every 40–60 minutes. These two types of tools do not have any other fundamental differences: of course, there may be additional "gadgets" such as a breaker or an edge grinder, different shapes of handles. But these are all secondary signs that determine the convenience of work, but not the basic technique.

As for oil glass cutters, this is a way to eliminate the ubiquitous glass dust, and an attempt to bring a roller tool closer to diamond in terms of durability. An attempt, by the way, is quite successful: in the presence of lubrication, the roller can perform several kilometers of cut, which is still far from a diamond tool, but not bad. The only criterion for the quality of such a tool is the reliability of the lubricant supply mechanism: with the working pressure, the roller should leave a small dot, but not a spreading spot.

Preparation of the workplace

When cutting glass, the quality of the result is determined by the convenience of work. Regardless of whether you just want to shorten the mirror or are going to earn extra money by sharp, the place should be equipped taking into account several requirements. But the approach to their execution can be completely different.

The first is the soft surface of the table, to which dust and grains of sand cannot be pressed by a sheet of glass. For professionals, brush skirting boards are recommended; for a one-time job, an old carpet or a soft dense sheet will do. The size of the table should allow the part to be placed on at least 2/3 of the area, while the cutting line should be entirely on the table.

One of the keys to success in glass cutting is quality lighting. From additional tools, you will need a thick metal rail with a straight edge and a small thin glazing bead for breaking off. Before cutting, all glasses must be thoroughly washed and dried, the markings are applied intermittently on dirty glass, and the workpiece cannot be evenly broken off.

How to work with an oil glass cutter

Due to its amorphous structure, glass has an interesting breakdown pattern. It always breaks "along the shortest path," that is, in the thinnest place. Therefore, the most insignificant scratch is enough, if only it starts from one edge and ends on the other.

The roller glass cutter does not scratch, it pushes the groove, breaking off the edges with many small flakes. The pressure on the tool should be commensurate with the thickness of the glass being cut and, accordingly, the diameter of the roller. Remember also that there is only one attempt to apply the markings; when you pass the risk again, the roller will almost immediately be crushed and dull.

Correctly hold the glass cutter like a handle, using the edge of the palm as a stop and pushing the little finger forward for greater stability. The movement is always directed towards itself, that is, the glass cutter simply reaches for the hand, the necessary pressure is provided by the fingers. The position of the glass cutter in the longitudinal projection is always strictly perpendicular.

All talk about the correct inclination of the handle in the direction of the cut is sheer heresy: a round roller does not matter at what angle it is turned. However, for oil glass cutters, it is preferable to hold the handle closer to the perpendicular position for normal pressure on the lubricant supply wick.

So, putting the roller to the far edge, you need to stretch 3-5 mm to the risk with minimal pressure, so that the markings are guaranteed to touch the end of the glass sheet. After that, the main line is drawn at the same risk, this time with a normal pressure. If the marking is forced to interrupt, you need to start with a small approach to the scratch made and mark the place of interruption so that you can carefully tap it afterwards. The main specificity when working with an oil glass cutter is to provide enough pressure to press the supply wick. Otherwise, such a tool cuts like a conventional roller.

Selection of rollers and lubricants

There are many types of rollers for different applications and different types of glass. For oil glass cutters, rollers are used from the same material as for conventional ones - tungsten carbide or tungsten-cobalt alloy; products made of hardened stainless steel are somewhat less common. As for the cut quality of each material, it is impossible to give an unambiguous answer: all alloys are definitely harder than glass, and the assessment of the convenience of working with them is mostly subjective.

The roller diameter is matched exactly to the thickness of the cut sheet. If the roller is smaller, there may be problems with breaking, the larger one will leave an ugly chipped edge. For cutting with a curved contour or if the glass has an uneven surface, very small rollers are used, but in this case the markings should be very carefully tapped.

The rollers may also differ in sharpening angle. Glass with a thickness of up to 4–6 mm is perfectly cut by a roller with an edge of 135 °, this is the minimum value. The thicker the glass, the more obtuse the sharpening angle is used, in some models the angles reach 160 °.

There are also nuances with lubrication. For the safety of a high-quality tool, it must be filled with a special water-based composition. The oil has a certain consistency, due to which its minimum consumption is ensured, and is easily washed off with water. If not, you can use petroleum jelly: the consumption will be slightly higher, but there are no problems with cleaning.

Raising the skill level: working with a diamond glass cutter

If the resource of the oil glass cutter is still not enough, purchase a diamond one. But be prepared to make a series of test cuts - about a couple of hundred meters in total. This is necessary to determine the individual characteristics of the diamond - the angles of sharpening and turning of the edges.

First, take a close look at the crystal under a magnifying glass. The diamond stone has the shape of a tooth with two slopes - one is flat and straight, the other is steeper and has two faces. The normal direction during work is with a gentle straight edge towards yourself.

The main task in mastering a diamond tool is to find the most favorable tilt of the handle towards / away from you, in which the diamond tooth will scratch out a miniature groove as easily as possible. At the same time, the very markings on the glass are almost invisible, and when the glass cutter moves, a characteristic ringing is heard.

Do not forget that you cannot tilt the diamond glass cutter to the left / right: if the roller is tolerated by a couple of degrees, then when working with a diamond cutter, the scratch will get torn edges and the quality of the edge will turn out to be disgusting. Therefore, train on scraps of glass, fill your hand and form muscle memory: a good diamond glass cutter is enough for many almost for a lifetime.

Glass products are very popular in interior or exterior design. They are used to decorate both apartments, houses and public spaces. We can often see stained glass windows, frescoes or tableware created on the basis of glass scraps, which amaze with their grace and beauty.

Looking at such things, it seems that in order to do them, you need to have serious skills and have extensive experience with glass, as well as other complex tools. Moreover, few people know that everyone can learn the basics of working with this material. In particular, you can learn how to cut glass for work without leaving your home.

Preparing for cutting

The preparatory stage is one of the most important in the work, the preparation process also largely depends on what kind of glass you plan to cut. So, if it is new, you can simply wipe it with old newspaper or paper so that small fibers do not settle on it and stains do not appear.

If the working material has already been used, then the preparation here will take more time and effort. To begin with, you need to rinse it well using a special chemical agent for glass. Then degrease with a rag dipped in kerosene, and finally dry it indoors so that dust does not fall on the surface.

In addition to such preparation, the material will also need to be cut. Naturally, it should be understood that you will not be able to work perfectly without waste when working with this material, especially when it comes to making a product of irregular geometric shape.

But if you do an accurate calculation in advance, you will significantly reduce the amount of waste generated.

In this case, the ideal option would be to combine the longer side of the glass with the long side of the prepared workpiece. The scraps left after work can not be thrown away, they can also be useful in the future when creating other glass products.

Glass cutter and its classification

Most often, a special tool is used to cut glass - a glass cutter. It is good because it is very easy to use. To properly learn how to cut glass with it, you need to follow the rules of work and choose the right tool of one type or another. And since the range of glass cutters is wide, there will be no problems with this.

Glass cutters are of the following types:

How to cut correctly

Before you start working with this tool, you need to mark it up with a simple or special pencil. It will be much more convenient to cut the material using a ruler with a thickness of at least 8 mm so that the glass cutter fits as tightly as possible. The ruler is placed on the surface of the material, then the tool is pressed against it, and then the cutting process is performed. And so that the ruler does not slide over the surface, you can stick rubber particles on it, which can be taken from a bicycle camera. Place the ruler so that it is slightly further from the marking line.

For homework, a diamond or roller glass cutter is suitable. At the same time, diamond is more functional, but if we are talking about a corrugated surface, then only a roller is suitable. Remember that grooved, matte or patterned surfaces should only be cut from the smooth side.

Cutting should start from the top edge of the glass sheet. Further along the ruler, without stopping, draw the line in your direction. An important condition for the work to be done efficiently is the correct placement of the tool. Here the situation depends on its type:

when working with a diamond tool, it must be held in the hand almost vertically - like a pencil. They lead it in such a way that the mark, which denotes the diamond, faces the ruler. If the work is done correctly, then the cut line will turn out to be colorless and thin;
but the roller glass cutter is held perpendicular to the glass surface. It is best to hold it between your middle and thumb and press down on top of your index finger. In this case, you need to press harder than in the case of a diamond tool. And the cut line is white.

Sometimes the cut glass can break on the edge of the hard glass surface.

Scissor cutting

In addition to a glass cutter, scissors can also be used to cut glass. But this also needs to be done correctly. To work you will need:

the scissors themselves, it is better to take sewing ones;
a tank with (preferably) hot water.

As in the previous case, mark the glass in advance. In the course of work, when cutting with scissors, a microcrack is created, and as a result, everything ends with a capillary effect. All this is elementary physics.

The result obtained, of course, will not be ideal, but if there is a need to do something urgently, then this cutting method is also suitable.

Features of working with different types of glass

If you work with ordinary glass, then cutting will not cause any difficulties. For this purpose, both a glass cutter and simple scissors are well suited. And if you use glass with a complex configuration for the production of products, then things are more complicated. The features of the work will largely depend on the properties of the materials:

Safety regulations

Regardless of what type of glass you are processing and what tool you use, be sure to follow basic precautions. Remember to wear safety glasses and heavy gloves. This is the key to ensuring safety.

It is also recommended to provide for the arrangement of your workplace. Since glass work involves the appearance of fragments, it is recommended to cover the work surface with something, which you will not be sorry to get rid of later.

Compliance with safety rules will allow you not only to ensure high quality work, but also to take care of yourself.

So, now you know how to properly cut glass at home if you need to use it for home needs.