Mixed Media (Glass attempt for a bathroom counter top)

[Holmz]

Well Part 1 of an attempt at relief glass etching.

Got a "Holey Galahad" in course blue after seeing work.
Using a Makita angle grinder (5") the Holey Galahad hit the surface and that was it... it was done.

So I put in a heavy diamond disc for concrete and went hard at it for about a minute.

The whole idea scares me a bit and I put on a 3M mask, which was good because the dust was rooster tailing out like speedboat.
A;so concerned should the glass shatter from the heat, but it was pretty cool.
At the end I hit one ridge line with an 80grit flap wheel, which sort polished it, and did not haze it at all.. I was trying to take it from a ˜20 grit to a ˜60.
Only went in about 1-mm and it looks like I need to go at least 8-mm (The glass is about 16-mm thick ).

At this point I think I will see if a RAS takes these standard angle grinder discs??

I intentionally put in a few 'siping' furrows just to see what it looked like.
I have some special small diamond burrs coming in, but I need to hog out a good deal to get it close.

Bye the way it is for a bathroom counter top, so the whole thing will be LED light from the bottom as a night light.

Probably need to make some depth templates to work out how it looks... and sort out how to make the waves look right... I may need more of a peek in the waves rather than a rolling ocean??

From the top (grinding side):

From the back:

If anyone has done this, then I am all ears.  [tongue]

 

[oldie]

Sorry holmz - no experience at this; but, do take my hat off you for having a go. 

Get the impression that, almost, experimenting / gaining experience of this sort of 'craft.'
Knew someone once, who was a bit of an artist - and produced wonderful etching on glass - flat, tumblers etc; mostly churchy stuff. 
Was very thorough wrt extraction filtering and masks. 

Are you going for the same 'wavy' finish all over - perhaps shells, mermaids etc as well??  [unsure]

Good luck. 

Richard (UK)

 

[Holmz]

[member=9980]fuzzy logic[/member]  more of an ethnic component than mermaids...http://www.inquisitr.com/3419700/vi...led-will-floki-follow-ragnar-back-to-england/

Turns Ragnar is played by an Aussie, so I figure I should "ave a go". [wink]

 

[Picktool]

Is it possible being you scuffed aleady that you could glue-chip it w/ animal hide glue?

I've always wanted to try this along w/ smaltz bkgds.

See here:http://letterheadsignsupply.com/how-to-glue-chip-glass-instructions

Not what you're after? Thats cool, others may be interested.

 

[rst]

As a glass and plastics fabricator and installer, this is one of those yes you can...but it will take forever to grind and polish this to a finished look.  It's kind of the theory that...yes you can build a house with nothing but an axe, but why would you!  There are art glass' available, at least here in the US, that have the effect you are looking to achieve.  And it really should be tempered as tempered glass will withstand much more shock than plain glass.  One sharp knock with a glass or glass container and all that effort you expended to get your look will be so much landfill material.

 

[Holmz]

[member=25351]rst[/member] Thanks I'll try looking again some more.