Cutting reeded glass

[Packard]

I am guessing that I have cut somewhere between 1,500 and 2,000 pieces of glass when I was a picture framer.  Much of it was cut on a Fletcher wall-mounted glass cutter, the gold standard for precision glass cutting. 

However, I was not successful in my attempts to cut reeded glass.  Both tries resulted in ruined pieces of glass. 

The problems were cutting across the reeds.  There must be some technique that I am unaware of.

This is reeded glass (below).  Any tips or suggestions?

And this is the Fletcher glass cutter (Home Depot lists it for $2,700.00!! [eek])

 

[Peter Kelly]

Tile saw? Seems like wet cutting with an abrasive blade would be the safest option.

 

[Packard]

I have a tile saw.  I did not think of that.  It’s like a baby table saw, so large pieces are difficult. 

I will do some internet research.

Not only was it difficult to cut (I ruined two pieces), but it was more treacherous too.  I cannot recall when the last time I cut myself on a piece of glass, but I did so on the reeded glass.

There is reeded glass film that you can apply to regular glass, but I don’t know how convincing the illusion is.

 

[Peter Kelly]

You could always just order the pieces cut to size and have them shipped from Peninsula Glass, they do have 5/32" narrow reed. Edges are all seamed so you don't get injured when handling.
https://www.onedayglass.com/our-products/square-rectangle-5-32-thickness-narrow-reed-tempered-glass

Must be tempered for them to ship to you though.

 

[woodwise]

When working with very difficult materials like this, I have had good success cutting on a water jet.
There are likely local companies that offer this capability, some have been very friendly and reasonably priced.

If you do decide to go this route, I would strongly recommend attaching the glass to a spoil board. You could probably use something like cardboard. The goal is to protect the surface of the glass from scratches when it is loaded onto the bed of the machine.

 

[Cheese]

Peter brings up an interesting point, for large glass surfaces the glass does need to be tempered. I built an outside door with a full view narrow reeded glass insert and had Brin Northwestern, a local outfit, cut the glass panel for me, they probably used a water jet.
However, their larger concern was tempering the glass because of the different thicknesses across the glass surface.

Everything worked out well but make sure you ask the right questions before you grease their palm.  [smile]

 

[twistsol1]

For difficult to cut, heavily textured stained glass, I've used a water cooled diamond bandsaw. They start around $600 for a small one and the few times I've needed one I just bought time in a glass studio, but that was decades ago.

 

[Packard]

I “inherited” this glass as a byproduct of remodeling an original-to-the-house guest bathroom. 

I wanted to use it because it was free. 

I am certainly not interested in investing $600.00 in order to take advantage of two pieces of free glass.

I was hoping someone out there had experience cutting this stuff.  It clearly does not behave like conventional glass.

 

[rst]

As a forty year glazer, I always cut by hand.  I have fluted in between all the studs above eight feet in the wall between my kitchen and bathroom, tops are angled to match the 8/12 pitch of the shed roof.  I covered the studs with 1/4" oak ply enclosed the glass with 3/4" oak quarter round.  I just use a square, put kerosene on the cut line and break as I would any other glass.  With heavier glass it's good not to use a new cutter as it will "freeze" quicker.  They actually make cutters with a flatter cutter angle but I"ve always use the same cutter for everything.

 

[Packard]

My guess is that a hand cutter would have fared better.  The guided cutter on the Fletcher probably did not follow the contours as well as it needed to. 

I will store that information for future cuts.

 

[rst]

Good luck to you