How to cut thick glass with a glass cutter. Cutting glass at home - features of working with and without a glass cutter. How to cut a glass circle

One of the most difficult questions that every craftsman who decides on independent glazing of a house faces is the question of how to cut glass. Proper preparation for cutting glass and the quality of the tool determine how even and correct the desired cut will be.

Glass cutting: we select tools

Before you cut the glass of the required size, you need to decide which one glass cutter will be used. There are two types of this cutting tool - roller and diamond. The roller tool is capable of cutting glass with a thickness of one to four millimeters. Such glass cutters are available with one, three or six rollers, each of which is designed for a cutting line with a total length of up to 0.35 km. Currently, roller glass cutters are produced with reservoirs for oil, which greatly facilitates the cutting of glass. In addition, such a tool has an extended service life - each of its rollers is able to cut about 5 km of glass up to 20 mm thick. The set of oil glass cutter has two rollers, one of which cuts glass up to 10 mm thick, and the second - from 10 to 20 mm. When cutting, the roller tool is held strictly perpendicular to the glass.

Diamond glass cutters are more expensive than roller cutters. Such a glass cutter "takes" glass up to 10 mm thick, and its guaranteed "mileage" is up to 10 km. Since even a diamond grinds down over time, such glass cutters provide the ability to change the cutting edge - for this, the locking screw is loosened and the stone turns 90 °. There are also glass cutters with artificial diamond, but they are able to cut glass no thicker than 5 mm. If the glass cutter does not have enough skills, you should choose diamond glass cutter with a curved edge, while an experienced craftsman will need a glass cutter with a cutter in the form of a tetrahedral pyramid. Hold the diamond glass cutter during cutting at a slight angle, the correctness of which is determined empirically. A glass cutter that is in the correct position relative to the glass leaves a colorless thin line.

Also, to cut glass, you will need a flat, not too hard, clean surface, preferably covered with a thick oilcloth or soft cloth, a thick wooden ruler and pliers. In the event that you want to cut glass along a curved line, you need to make a pattern from plywood or chipboard.

Important! Since cutting glass can be quite traumatic, gloves should be worn before work. It is worth paying attention to shoes - they must be quite durable so that the glass does not cut the foot if accidentally dropped. Clothing on the cutter should be made of dense and thick fabric, which will also help to avoid accidental injuries.

Glass cutting: preparation

Before cutting, the glass must be washed with clean water and, if possible, degrease gasoline. If the glass is intended for installation in a window frame, you should accurately measure the distance between the ledges in it (rebates). At the same time, it must be remembered that the dimensions of the cut glass on each side should be two millimeters smaller than necessary. So, for example, with the required sheet size of 500x500 mm, glass should be cut out with a size of 496x496 mm. This will allow the wood frame to expand and contract with the weather without putting pressure on the glass. At the same time, the cut glass must overlap the ledge in the frame by at least 4 mm, otherwise the wind will penetrate through the frame.

Tip: It is more convenient to use a roller glass cutter to cut corrugated glass. In addition, corrugated, frosted and patterned glass must be cut from the smooth side.

A craftsman who is not very experienced in cutting glass, before starting to cut a large sheet, should practice on small pieces - this will help determine the correct angle of inclination of the glass cutter, as well as make sure that it is in good condition. If glass cutting will be carried out with a conventional roller tool, then the line of the future cut is moistened with turpentine.

Glass cutting: getting started

The prepared glass is laid on the table in such a way that the sheet is entirely on its plane. A thick ruler is laid strictly along the line of the future cut. The diamond glass cutter is taken in hand like a pencil and applied to the ruler in such a way that the marking of the diamond on it is turned in its direction. To prevent the ruler from slipping, you can glue a regular fabric patch on it. The glass cutter moves away with little or no pressure, making sure that the strip at the cut site is thin and colorless - if it is thick and white, then you need to turn the diamond over or reduce pressure on the tool.

Roller glass cutter is taken with the thumb, ring and middle fingers and is carried along the glass with pressure, which is carried out on the end face with the index finger. The cut line when using a roller tool should be white. It is impossible to re-draw along the same line with either a diamond or a roller glass cutter. In any case, if the line is not the way it should be, you will have to make a new cut at a distance of at least 1 mm from the first one.

After that, the glass is moved on the table so that the cut line coincides with its edge. Further, from the bottom side of the cut, the glass is tapped with the head of the glass cutter, then holding the part of the sheet lying on the table, break off the one that is on weight. You can do this with your hands or with pliers (but always with gloves), on the ends of which pieces of rubber hoses are put on.

In order to cut glass not in a straight line, you need to draw the desired figure on it using a pattern. After that, a rectangle is cut out into which it fits. Unnecessary pieces are gradually cut off, the figure is reduced to an 8-, 16-, and then to a 32-gon. The small remaining parts are "bitten off" with the help of recesses on the glass cutter.

Once the glass has been cut, its edges will be sharp and possibly slightly jagged. To get rid of these flaws, the edges of the glass are treated with fine sandpaper.

Glass products have always been very popular: frescoes, dishes and many other things created from scraps of this material have always amazed people with their grace and smoothness of 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 mere "mortal" would never master this complex science. In fact, not everything is as sad as it seems at first glance, and anyone can get knowledge on how to cut glass at home.

Glass preparation for cutting

A lot depends on this stage, and the preparation process itself depends on which glass you decide to use for cutting. New glass, purchased specifically for this purpose, is easy enough to wipe, and it is best to use an old newspaper for this (this will avoid streaks and settling of small fibers). With used material, you will have to work, spending much more effort. First, it must be thoroughly washed using special glass cleaners. Secondly, degrease with a cloth soaked, for example, in kerosene and, finally, dry in a closed room to avoid dust on the surface.

In addition, the preparation of glass implies its cutting. As you know, you are unlikely to achieve 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, an accurate calculation will reduce possible waste to a minimum. At this stage, a more rational solution would be to match the longer side of the glass with the long side of the blank. Please note that the resulting trimmings should not be thrown away, they can be used in the future to create new products.

What tools to use?

Many of us are accustomed to believing that it is possible to cut glass correctly and efficiently only 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 ordinary scissors available to 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. To date, the choice of this tool is quite wide, which allows you to turn work into pleasure.

• A diamond glass cutter that has stood the test of time and remains a leader in its field to this day. Glass cutters with a beveled cutting edge are suitable for home use. Such a tool is designed to cut 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. As the name implies, 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 of oil is built into its handle, which is automatically fed to the roller. Suitable for cutting thick glass.

To learn 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 up the glass and get to work. You can use a ruler to make things easier. It is worth considering the moment that the line must be drawn the first time, otherwise a second attempt will lead to cracking of the surface. To cut glass with a glass cutter, you need to apply the same effort 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 quite an 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 mark the glass in advance, and then elementary physics comes into play: 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 greatly help out.

Types of glass and features of work

Cutting ordinary glass does not cause almost any difficulties. Not only glass cutters, but also ordinary tailor's scissors do an excellent job with this task. But what about those who set themselves the task of obtaining a glass product with a more complex configuration. To do this, it is worth familiarizing 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 should be carried out by professionals, since the process of hardening the resulting product can only be carried out under certain conditions.
• corrugated glass. This patterned glass is especially popular in glazing doors or creating decorative interior elements. Unlike tempered glass, such glass is quite capable of being cut independently. Working with it differs little from working with ordinary glass, the only difference is that the cut is made from the smooth side. For this, a roller glass cutter is best suited.
• Acrylic or organic glass- This is a transparent plastic created on the basis of synthetic resins. No special tools are required to cut it. At home, a metal saw, cutter and other tools used for edge processing do an excellent job with this task. In addition, with glass, the thickness of which does not exceed 2 mm, an ordinary stationery knife does an excellent job.

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

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Discussion:

Pavel said:

For some reason, everyone writes about scissors as science fiction. About 25 years ago I read somewhere about this method ... and tried it - it was necessary to cut out the figured glass. In a basin of water, ordinary scissors, glass and go! - I didn't expect it to be so easy! Of course, it didn’t cut, but pieces broke off, but exactly in the right place! ..

Reading 7 min.

Glass is used in many areas of life. It is often necessary at home to replace a cracked window, a latch in a fireplace, an apron in the kitchen, or to make a canopy from plexiglass, to glaze a greenhouse. And the work is to be done with a fragile and traumatic substance. To avoid injury and significant consumption of fragile material, you need to know how to cut glass.

Types of glass cutters

First of all, you need to remember that glass can be different: ordinary window, tempered, plexiglass, acrylic, corrugated and ten more options. Also, even the usual one can be quite thick or, conversely, thin and very fragile. Depending on the type, the tool and the cutting method are also selected. But using a glass cutter is the most common option.

The construction market offers several options for glass cutters:

• diamond can cut glass almost any thickness and its service life is long. As a working element, a diamond is used, which, if necessary, is easily turned by a non-sharpened face;
• roller has a working part, which is made of an alloy of cobalt and tungsten and characterized by increased strength. The number of rollers varies from one to six and they can be replaced;
• oil has rollers and a reservoir of lubricant that flows to the surface and reduces friction. When worn, the roller itself and its fastening require replacement;
• with circular function, which allow you to cut circles. Most often, an ordinary oil glass cutter is mounted on a special device with a scale that allows you to set the diameter of the circle.

Before cutting glass with a glass cutter, it must be prepared:

• clean from dirt, possibly wash and wipe dry;
• remove the slightest dust, since the smallest particle that the glass cutter stumbles upon can become a source of cracking;
• if used glass is used, it is also degreased with kerosene;
• cutting lines.

Safety regulations

The approaches to how to properly cut glass with a roller or diamond glass cutter are the same. The main thing is to follow certain rules and remember about safety:

• wear protective equipment: gloves and goggles;
• put the glass on a flat surface and check that it fits well and does not vibrate;
• strike at the ends of the cut line so that it is possible to loosen the pressure and avoid chipping the edge;
• a diamond glass cutter is taken at the base of the handle and is carried out without much pressure along the intended line;
• the roller glass cutter is clamped with a pinch between the thumb, ring and middle fingers, and the index finger is responsible for pressure. It should be pressed to get a whitish incision;
• on the reverse side, lightly tap along the notch line;
• move the glass to the edge of the table and break off along the cut line.

There is a relationship between the width of the glass and the width of the strip that breaks freely:

Masters have their own style in working with glass surfaces, but you should follow some general recommendations on how to cut glass correctly:

• there is no strong pressure on the glass cutter so that the edges of the cut do not crumble;
• one line - one incision, it is impossible to “cut” again in one place;
• glass cutter movements must be quick and confident. Optimal: 1 m in 2 seconds;
• to the edge, the pressure decreases, which allows not to crumble the edges;
• mark the table, not the glass itself.

How to replace glass cutter

Not only professional tools will help when cutting glass, but also not quite ordinary ones, such as scissors or a grinder, for example. They can easily cope with such work under certain conditions.

Scissors do not cut glass in air, but you can cut glass with scissors in water. In a liquid, gravity is less and the scissors do not make an incision, but a microcrack. This crack acts as a capillary for water to enter. Capillary water has a wedging effect on the weak points of crystallization and the glass breaks off into pieces.

There are several ways and options for cutting thick glass. The simplest is to use an oil glass cutter if the thickness is not more than 20 mm. But as an option, The dimensions of the tool should be small and convenient. The diameter of the circle is the smallest, then it will be easier to work with it.

Plexiglas: glass or plastic

Not all types of glass can be cut with glass cutters. There are materials on the construction market that either cannot be cut at home at all, or you need to familiarize yourself with some rules to cut them, and some are cut very simply.

One of the most malleable materials for cutting is plexiglass. It is a transparent plastic with thermoplastic properties. The material is very easy to process, but there is one feature: low thermal conductivity, due to which the edges of the cut immediately heat up. Therefore, before cutting acrylic glass, it is necessary to consider a way to cool it.

Basic tools for cutting plexiglass:

• hand saw for metal;
• a circular saw;
• cutter;
• milling machine;
• stationery knife.

The choice of tool directly depends on the thickness of the glass: thin - with a knife, the thickest with a circular or on a machine. Electric saw blades are used special for plexiglass, but are suitable for copper, aluminum.

It is necessary to work with a hacksaw or a clerical knife quickly. Unlike window glass, the cut line can be drawn several times. During cutting, the blades are cooled so as not to melt the edges of the cut. The resulting cut will have roughness, which is removed when processed with sandpaper.

The low melting point makes it possible to cut plexiglass with a jigsaw and obtain a wide variety of curly products. In the jigsaw, the file is replaced by nichrome wire. which is connected to a transformer with an operating voltage of up to 4 V. The heated wire easily and gently passes through the plexiglass along any path. the cut is smooth and even, requiring no additional processing.

Rules for cutting tempered, corrugated and fire-resistant glass

Very rarely, but it may be necessary to cut fire-resistant glass, for example, for replacement in an oven or fireplace door. At home and without special skills, such a procedure should not be carried out, since heat-resistant glass is a split system of several tempered and non-tempered glasses. But some craftsmen use a grinder with a very small diameter diamond disc. To avoid crumbling while cutting refractory glass with a grinder, the cut line is poured with oil.

If you use not a grinder, but a machine with a diamond wheel, you can cut tempered glass at home. In this case, a cooling emulsion must be continuously supplied to the cutting wheel. You can cut it, but all the properties of such glass will be nullified. The technology for making tempered glass often involves imparting certain properties to an already finished product, such as a fireplace door.

Another type favored by designers and often used in everyday life for decorative purposes is corrugated glass. It differs from the usual one in that it has a non-smooth surface on one side. It is necessary to cut corrugated glass from a flat side with any glass cutter, but oil is preferable. To make it convenient to work, the table is covered with a soft cloth, on which a glass sheet is laid.

Not all wealth can afford to buy and install metal-plastic windows. Therefore, some people prefer to repair old wooden windows, believing that they will serve for some more time. The main problem with their repair is that the glass inserted into the window dries out over time and needs to be replaced, and some may have broken. Going to the store to buy glass, a person can seek help in cutting glass from specialists, or he can carry out this process on his own.

We measure glass

First, you should take the correct measurements, which will allow you to cut off the piece we need in just one time, without redoing it again and again. It would be nice to clean the frame from the paint in the place in contact with the glass to determine the exact dimensions. After that, we take a tape measure or a long ruler and measure the width and length of the area that needs to be glazed. It’s worth considering one point right away - it’s best not to cut end-to-end, but to take a little less, somewhere by 0.5 mm. This is necessary in case there are irregularities on the window. If there is confidence that the window is good, then such a margin may not be made.

Getting Started

As a rule, a whole sheet that a person acquires is quite large, several meters in length and width, and therefore, accordingly, has a large weight. In order to transfer such glass to a flat surface, two people are needed. Yes, and be careful not to injure yourself when transporting glass.

You can avoid cuts by wearing thick gloves or mittens, or, alternatively, by wrapping your hands with a piece of rag.

The table on which the glass will be cut must have a surface close to the ideal shape, not be dusty, and no objects should lie on it. Otherwise, there is a risk that the glass will crack in the wrong place during cutting, and it may simply have to be thrown away. You can sweep the table with a broom or brush off the garbage with a rag, and only after that put a sheet.

Taking a dull tool, you can spend quite a lot of time cutting glass, if it works at all.

Which glass cutter to choose

There are three types of glass cutters - diamond, roller and oil. Briefly about their advantages and disadvantages.

1. Diamond - designed to cut glass of any thickness and to work for a long time. It is best to use a tool with a beveled handle, you should also sharpen it on a special bar if necessary.
2. Roller. As the name of this glass cutter indicates, the roller part is made of special rollers made of cobalt-tungsten alloy, famous for its strength.
3. Oil - almost similar to the roller, but differs in the presence of the last bottle of oil, which is automatically fed to the glass when cutting. Professionals usually use an oil glass cutter when they need to cut thick glass.

Having chosen the glass cutter and putting the glass on the table, mark the required dimensions on it. This should be done rationally, trying to avoid a large amount of waste in the work. But of course they still will. Having attached an even rail or ruler to the glass on the marks, we draw a line, but only once. A second attempt may result in a crack. We cut the glass carefully, but carefully, applying uniform efforts along the entire line being drawn. Having cut off the glass, carefully move it to the edge and try to break it along the seam with a light movement. It must be strictly on the edge, otherwise, again, you can break the sheet incorrectly.

If you can’t break it off, lightly tap on the seam with a glass cutter or pliers. This is necessary in order to increase the crack in the place where the cutting was made.

Having cut off the necessary piece, carefully remove it and put it aside where it will not interfere with anyone, or immediately install it in the window.

Installation and shutdown

We find the frame we need and insert the cut piece of glass there. Important - it must be closed with a latch, otherwise a gust of wind can open it and loose glass will fall out. If the glass is not inserted due to some interference in the window frame, you can cut that place with a knife or planer. Having dealt with this moment, we begin to fix the glass. Temporarily, for fasteners, you can hammer one nail in the center of all sides, but not completely, as we do this temporarily. We cut off the glazing beads according to the established dimensions, and for aesthetics, 45˚ angles are cut off at their edges so that the fasteners touch nicely. We take out temporary nails from the window one at a time, starting from the bottom. We put the bottom bead and nail it with small nails, trying not to hit them or a hammer on the glass. We also independently install the top bead, followed by the side ones.

Video

Glass has always stood apart among building materials. Fragile, mostly transparent, it is not given to everyone, but those masters who make friends with glass can create real miracles from it: frescoes, mosaics, colored stained-glass windows of incredible beauty. And even simple windows, if they are fitted and inserted correctly, are akin to magic: letting light into the house, not letting heat out of it.

The main wealth of a glazier has always been, is and will be the knowledge of how to cut glass so that its pieces turn out to be the right size and shape, with even, chip-free edges. But if earlier both the glass itself and the tools for cutting it cost fabulous money, so cutting was entrusted to the most experienced craftsmen, but today the situation has changed dramatically. Today, everyone can work with glass, and rarely is a home workshop of a self-respecting owner complete without tools for cutting glass.

Which tool to choose

Glass, like no other building material, requires a good and high-quality tool to work with. Therefore, you need to start with its search and purchase. But if you just go to the hardware store and buy the first glass cutter you see, then there is almost no chance that he will be able to cut glass.

First of all, you need to decide which tool you need. Glass cutters are of several types:

• diamond;
• roller;
• oil.

The diamond glass cutter uses a small diamond as a working tool. Everyone is well aware of the extraordinary hardness of this stone, so it has been used by craftsmen for cutting glass since time immemorial. Despite its venerable age, the diamond glass cutter is still considered the best tool for cutting glass today.

Roller glass cutters use a roller made of heavy-duty tungsten-cobalt alloy for cutting. The standard diameter of such a roller is 6.6 mm, which allows cutting glass with a maximum thickness of up to 4 mm.

The oil glass cutter has recently expanded the list of glass cutting tools. In fact, this is an improved roller glass cutter, in the handle of which a special reservoir is mounted to supply lubricant to the cutting roller. The lubricant binds the glass microparticles formed during cutting, reducing roller friction and ensuring smooth movement, deep penetration of the cutter into the glass. This glass cutter can cut glass up to 20 mm inclusive.

When buying a glass cutter of any model, be sure to require the seller to demonstrate the tool in operation. If the result of the demonstration suits you, you can purchase the instrument, but always the one with which it was produced. Definitely, you should not buy an untested tool, even if they are from the same batch as the demo one, since very often in modern glass cutters the cutting edge turns out to be defective.

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Glass preparation for cutting

It is a mistake to believe that it is enough just to put a sheet of glass on the table and start cutting it. Preparation for cutting, albeit the most minimal, should be. New glass can simply be cleaned of dust and wiped dry with newspapers. It is better not to take a cloth for this, because after it small fibers remain on the glass, making it difficult for the glass cutter to work normally.

If you have to cut used glass, then it must first be degreased. This is easy to do with a clean linen or flannel cloth soaked in kerosene. Then the glass must be thoroughly washed using special detergents for this purpose. And the final stage of preparation will be drying the glass in a closed clean room so that a minimum of dust gets on the cleaned surface.

The preparatory work includes cutting glass, as well as preparing containers for waste. It is better that there are two of them: then it will be possible to put small waste in one, which will be subsequently disposed of, and in the second - larger ones, which can still be useful for other purposes.

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How to cut glass

When cutting glass, you should always follow the principle “from simple to complex”. In practice, this means that you need to start practicing on ordinary window glass, and the cutting itself should be done in straight lines. And only after gaining sufficient experience, you can take on artistic cutting or cutting expensive glass.

The cutting technique is quite simple. First you need to prepare a table or other flat surface on which the cutting will be performed. It is better to cover the surface with 4-5 layers of newspaper, this will, firstly, protect the surface of the table from glass chips, and secondly, more evenly distribute the pressure of the glass on the table, preventing it from cracking.

The glass must be completely laid on the countertop, stepping back from its edge by 5-7 cm. The cutter itself must be strictly opposite the cut mark. It is better (and more convenient) to spread your legs shoulder-width apart in order to securely fix the body and at the same time be able to freely move the body over the incision site. It is this position that gives the maximum chances for a successful final result.

During cutting, the glass must fit snugly against the tabletop, so to avoid vibration, press it against the surface with your free hand, but without fanaticism, otherwise the glass, especially thin, can be crushed.

Taking a glass cutter in your hand, you need to draw a line from one edge of the sheet to the other. The glass cutter wheel must follow the marked line, but must always be strictly at right angles to the glass surface.

There are some subtleties when using different types of glass cutters. They cut with a diamond glass cutter, taking it at the very bottom of the base of the handle, drawing along the ruler smoothly, like a pencil, along the marked line, practically without pressing it on the glass.

If you are cutting correctly, you will hear a subtle crackling sound as the glass cutter moves. A correctly made incision line will be thin and shallow, barely visible against the background of the glass.

Unlike a diamond one, on a roller glass cutter, when it moves along the glass, it is required to press lightly, so the notch line is distinguished by a whitish, clearly visible strip, moreover, deeper than when using a diamond glass cutter.

Glass cutting failures are most often caused by 2 reasons:

• too much pressure with a glass cutter;
• holding the glass cutter several times along the same line.

During cutting, the glass cutter must be pressed evenly along the entire length of the slot.

For glass with a thickness of 2 mm, the pressing force should be from 1 to 1.5 kg, for 4-5 mm glass, this force should be much greater - 5 kg. But the speed of the line does not really matter.

If you, leading a line with a glass cutter, notice that small chips fly off the glass at the cut point, this means that you are putting too much pressure on the glass cutter. To correct the situation, you need to immediately reduce the pressure.

Re-cutting the glass along the same line is unacceptable in any case. This will practically kill the cutting part of your glass cutter, and the likelihood that the chip will go wrong in this case is very high. No matter how hard you try, it is impossible to repeat an exact copy of the first line, imperceptible shifts to the side will be necessary.