[ATM] Cutting 3/4" Plate glass

["Russell Jocoy" <russjocoy@hotmail.com>]

    To all,

      I forgot to check who asked about cutting 3/4" plate glass, but I have 
a few answers.
   The score and break method is hit and miss. The only one I have seen to 
be successful with
this method was James Lerch. I have tried it even by cutting a line with a 
"dremel" tool equipped
with a mini diamond blade at a depth of about 3/16". You would think it 
would break at the cut
line.. but no.. I ended up with broken glass.
       I have a stockpile of 3/4" plate glass to cut into circles...Here is 
my process...
To start with buy yourself a good respirator, glass dust will kill you 
(slowly but it will kill you).
Don't attempt to go cheap an use a "dust mask".
     Make sure your circular saw is double insulated, and is made with lots 
of ABS plastic (most new ones are)  For 3/4" glass you can get by with a 4" 
diameter diamond blade (about 10 to 15 bucks
at one of the depots)   When mounting the blade take note of the direction 
arrows on the blade.
    Now you have your saw  and blade. You will need constant water injection 
to the cutting
site. I used 1/4" O.D. oxygen hose (it is vinyl and has anti-kink grooves on 
the inside)  Rig one end
to a garden hose male coupling and the other to a thick rigid wire  attached 
to the top of the  saw.
  Make a spiral and a loop large enough for the small hose to go through.. 
The wire can be bent
to aim the hose directly at the blade at contact with the glass .
   Cutting......... Wear painters coveralls or trash clothes.   Make sure 
your respirator has good contact
to your face..  Eye protection (full face flip down clear visors rule)...
       Your cutting table should outside and away from animals people and 
ponds. Thick grassey areas
with shrubs is best. The table should have thick carpet that has been wet 
down and some how attached.  You can cut inside but I would not advise this, 
it is messy and clean up is forever...
       Before turning on the water check the blade cutting depth to the side 
of the glass..
You want the blade edge about 1/16" to 1/8" though the other side.  You 
should have already marked your cut line ( I have found that black grease 
pencils work the best).. Now turn on the
water and "ease" the blade into the edge until you penetrate and it will cut 
like butter. I say ease
into the edge because I have cracked a large piece by starting the cut too 
fast..
  Once you make all your cuts, spray everything down into the grass, ground 
or bushes.
  Come back a day later and rinse the white dusk off everything again. This 
glass powder needs
to go into the ground with all of its cousins, thats where they hook up.
  This listing is getting too long.. I will send another listing soon on 
cutting circles out of squares
                       Russ Jocoy
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++


_______________________________________________
ATM mailing list http://www.atmlist.net/