How to cut glass - we make smooth and accurate cuts. How to cut glass with a glass cutter? Tips and tricks from the experts How to cut large glass correctly

The reasons leading to the need to insert glass yourself are different for everyone. It can be naughty children and bad weather. But, when, nevertheless, the glass breaks, it must be replaced.

Glazing of large surfaces, such as loggias or balconies, glass in doors or roof windows, should be carried out by professionals. Firstly, this is due to the size of such glass surfaces. They are big, and you need to know how to cut the glass properly and apply force so that they do not burst. And in case you need to replace damaged glass small size, for example window, then you can do all the work yourself.

Glass cutting rules

Consider how to cut glass correctly. Since few people are engaged in professional glass cutting at home, you may only have a glass cutter from specialized equipment and tools. It is quite portable and handy tool, but even here it is worth knowing how to cut glass with a glass cutter. It must be remembered that a diamond glass cutter is better suited for cutting ordinary glass. And for corrugated - roller.

Before starting work, the glass must be washed with water and wiped with a soft cloth until completely dry. After you need to place the glass on a completely flat surface. It can be any table of suitable size, previously covered with a cloth so that the glass does not slip.
First you need to measure the window opening and transfer the measurements to the glass. It is best to do this with a marker, it is easily washed off and the marks are clearly visible.
It is worth remembering that perfectly flat frames can be when they are new. If your window frames have been standing on the windows for some time, then they already have a certain bevel, so it is worth measuring the glass 5 mm less than the size of the frame. So it will be easier to insert it and there will be no need to cut off the excess around the edges. This is difficult because the glass cutter does not cut too narrow strips of glass.
Glass is cut only under the ruler. In order for the cut to turn out even, the ruler must be of sufficient width and must be firmly fixed on the glass surface. You can pre-buy a special ruler, which has a number of rubber inserts that fix it. Or make one yourself by gluing pieces of rubber to the edges of the ruler.
Before cutting glass, you need to correctly position the ruler. It should not be located exactly on the marks, but taking into account the protrusion of the glass cutter and its width.
You need to know that if you are going to work with frosted or patterned glass, then it is cut with a smooth reverse side.
If you have unnecessary small pieces of glass, then first you need to practice on them, because. It takes some skill to handle a glass cutter.

glass cutting technique

The secret to cutting glass with a glass cutter is to position the glass cutter correctly. From the far edge of the glass, the glass cutter is led along the ruler along the marks towards itself.
The tool must be in practically vertical position, the way you usually hold a pencil. The glass cutter's diamond should point towards the ruler.
The main thing is that the glass does not burst, all movements must be performed without pressure. No need to put pressure on the glass cutter itself, or on the ruler with your hand.
When you are already bringing the cut line to the edge of the glass, then for 3-5 mm it is better to weaken the pressure even more so that the glass does not break off along the edge.
Once you've drawn the line, make sure it's thin and colorless. If it has a certain thickness and a pale white color, then this means that the position of the glass cutter was incorrect, and the pressing force was large.
After the line has already been drawn, in no case, even if the result is unsatisfactory, do not draw the glass cutter along the same line again.
If there is a need for a second cut, then a new line is drawn 1 mm from the first line.
When the line is finally finished and has the right size and color, then the glass needs to be broken.
This is done on the edge of the table. On the reverse side of the cut line, tap the glass cutter head to move the glass at the beginning and end of the cut. This is done until a slight crack appears. After that, you need to break the glass on the corner of the table very carefully, applying force only to the cut points, otherwise the glass may crack.

Not one house can do without glass and, therefore, the question of cutting it arises in almost every repair. 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 glass for cutting.

Glass preparation

If the new glass does not need special preparation (just wipe it off dust), then you will have to “tinker” a bit with the glass that was in use.

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.

To wipe the glass, it is better not to use a rag, but old newspaper. Thanks to this, small villi and streaks will not remain on the glass.

Having prepared the glass, you can start cutting it.

The diamond glass cutter is capable of cutting glass up to 10 millimeters thick.

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, a diamond glass cutter is able to cut glass up to 10 millimeters thick, while making the cut as even as possible, practically devoid of chips and requiring minimal processing. The only drawback of a diamond glass cutter can only be considered its relatively high cost, even in those cases where not natural, but artificial diamond is used as a cutter.

Working with diamond (however, 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, an ordinary 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 a large tool and index finger and draw a line across the glass with slightly more pressure than when writing ballpoint pen or pencil. If as a result a thin white line remains, 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 the cutter.

The process of cutting glass with a diamond glass cutter is as follows. With the help of a ruler and a square, the necessary markings are applied to the glass. After that, along the board of the same ruler or any even bar, a glass cutter is pressed with medium force. Leftover from glass cutter white line align with the edge of the table and lightly press on the hanging edge of the glass. If you did everything right, the glass will break off quite easily exactly along the cut line.

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

If the glass does not break, do not attempt to make a second cut in the same place as the previous one. It is better to slightly shift the markup and carry out the entire operation again.

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

Master class with a diamond glass cutter (video)

The roller glass cutter uses rollers made of heavy-duty cobalt-tungsten alloy as a cutter.

In this model of glass cutter, rollers made of heavy-duty cobalt-tungsten alloy are used as a cutter. As a rule, on swivel head such glass cutters are fixed from three to six rollers, 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 appropriate markings to the glass.

Enough interesting way glass markup is next. A straight line is drawn on the surface of the table with a marker or pencil. On the glass, only two small marks are made along the edges in the place where the cut needs to be made. Further, these marks are combined with a line on the table, which will correspond to the cut line.

A roller glass cutter is carried out once along the cut line (for a guaranteed even cut, it is better to use a ruler). Please note that on roller glass cutter it is necessary to press a little harder than on the diamond. In addition, unlike a diamond glass cutter, which must be held at an angle when cutting, a roller glass cutter 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 the cut are quite sharp, it is advisable to use protective gloves during operation.

Oil type tool

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

In 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. Due to this, the cutting effect is greatly enhanced, which makes it possible to cut thicker glass.

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 glasses inserted into the window dry out over time and need 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 correct measurements, which will allow us 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 has enough big sizes, several meters in length and width, therefore, accordingly, it has a large weight. In order to transfer such glass to 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.

Diamond - designed to cut glass of any thickness and to work on long time. It is best to use a tool with a beveled handle, you should also sharpen it on a special bar if necessary.
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.
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.

Selecting a glass cutter and putting the glass on the table, mark on it the right dimensions. 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 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. By established dimensions we cut off the glazing beads, and for aesthetics, 45˚ angles are cut off at their edges so that the fasteners touch beautifully. 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

Reading time ≈ 4 minutes

Knowing how to cut glass properly is of the type that can be very useful to know. If necessary, you will be able to replace or install glass or a small fragment yourself without the help of strangers, which, firstly, is pleasant, secondly, it is savings, since you can do without calling the master, and thirdly, such skills can come in handy many more times and being able to cope with such situations means being ready for them. After all, you never know what day trouble will happen and when you will need knowledge on how to cut glass.

How to cut glass with a glass cutter?

To begin with, you should realize that working with any glass products is always associated with risk, so you need to prepare in advance by wearing special gloves and goggles. For this procedure, you will need the glass cutter itself, a little patience and a minimum of knowledge on how to cut glass with a glass cutter. If the glass needs to be simply cut (that is, cut off one of the edges), the task will be completely easy. Take a sheet of glass and clean it before cutting it (if the glass is new, just wipe it with paper, if it has already been used, wash, dry and repeat the operation as with new). Mark the place where the cut will take place (using a marker). Now it's time to decide on the type of tool.

There are three types of glass cutters:

Diamond glass cutter. Is an the best option, however, before making a purchase, please note that the price for it is corresponding, and if cutting glass is just a one-time action, you should not buy it. At the tip of the glass cutter there is a diamond coating, which allows you to cut glass of almost any type and thickness. It is easy to use, the result is almost always excellent, and the service life is much longer than a conventional glass cutter.
Cobalt-tungsten glass cutter. The most common and popular. Gained popularity due to its low cost.
Oil glass cutter. In fact, it is an improved version of the cobalt-tungsten (roller) glass cutter. The difference is that the glass cutter is equipped with a small reservoir of oil that is fed to the tip, making the result more accurate and the process a little easier. Used for cutting thick glass.

When the choice is made, proceed to cutting the glass. In fact, the process is very easy and simple, and if you have at least a modicum of knowledge and skills, you can do it in a few seconds. The glass must be laid flat on a table or any similar object, and then simply go with the glass cutter along the line marked with the marker, pressing it slightly against the glass. If the glass is not cut, it's okay, just break it (the structure is already broken and this will not be a lot of work). If you need to cut multiple sides, just repeat the action. Well, that's all, and now you know how to cut glass with a glass cutter and, accordingly, are fully prepared for this. If you need Additional Information about how to cut glass, the video posted on the page will help you understand this task in more detail.

How to cut tempered glass?

If you have heard that strained glass lends itself to cutting, but do not know how to cut tempered glass, you can not look for such information and immediately forget about this idea. Tempered glass cannot be cut. In fact, it is possible to cut, but in doing so, it loses all its properties and usually collapses even before the cutting is completed. The only way to get tempered glass in the size you need is to cut out regular glass and then temper it (you can use the services of specialists for this).

Before cutting with a glass cutter, you will need to prepare the glass for the upcoming work.

In this case, take into account his condition:

the surface of the new glass is wiped with a newspaper;
the old product is thoroughly washed with special means. Then the surface is degreased with a cloth soaked in kerosene. Glass must be dried and cut.

Design features

Glass cutting technology with a glass cutter provides for compliance with certain conditions. First you need to buy the right tool. A diamond glass cutter can cut glass at home. Its resource is up to 10 km of section in total, and glass of any thickness can be cut. Periodically, it requires sharpening on a special bar.

The roller analogue is equipped with a corresponding element made of cobalt and tungsten. The number of wheels ranges from 1-6 pcs. The oil glass cutter is equipped with a built-in oil reservoir. This tool can also be used at home.

It is recommended to lay the glass or mirror on a flat surface beforehand. Then spend measuring work. To do this, use a ruler. You can not draw a line 2 times, this may crack the surface. Glass cutting should be done evenly, with the same effort. If you cut with one tool is enough a large number of glass, do not forget about the need to sharpen it in time, otherwise the edge of the product may turn out to be crooked.

Before processing glass with a complex configuration, it is recommended to study its properties. Do not cut tempered glass at home. Otherwise, it will lose its properties. The corrugated product can be cut independently. To do this, use a glass cutter with a wheel. In this case, the incision is recommended to be made on the smooth side. An acrylic or organic product is processed with a metal saw and a cutter. For cutting glass with a glass cutter, use thick gloves and goggles. Previously, the working surface is covered with a bedspread.

Rules for working with plexiglass

Plexiglas lends itself well to processing with a cutter, milling machine, stationery knife. The tool is selected taking into account the thickness of the material. This transparent plastic has low thermal conductivity, due to which the cut edges heat up quickly. Therefore, before cutting, it is recommended to cool it. To eliminate the roughness of the cut, use sandpaper.

To process refractory material, special skills are required. Heat-resistant glass is presented in the form of a split system, for cutting which a grinder with diamond disc. To prevent splitting of the product, the cut line is poured with oil.

The grinder can be replaced by a machine with a diamond wheel, which is continuously supplied with a cooling emulsion. A corrugated product will be processed correctly on a flat side. To do this, use an oil or ordinary glass cutter and a soft cloth.

Safety Compliance

When working with a roller or diamond glass cutter, it is recommended to observe the following safety rules:

Use protective equipment- gloves and goggles.
Lay the glass on a flat surface and check that it adheres well to it. There must be no vibration.
Make an incision at the ends of the cut line. This technology prevents edge chipping;
The diamond glass cutter must be taken at the base of the handle. It is recommended to conduct it without pressure along a pre-planned line.
The index finger is responsible for pressing the roller glass cutter.
On the other hand, it is necessary to tap lightly along the incision line.
At the end of the work, move the glass to the edge of the surface and break off along the cut line.

A ruler is used to obtain a straight cut line. It needs to be glued to the floor. double sided tape. Such technology will simplify the fault. In this case, it is recommended to observe the ratio between the width of the coating and the glass. Fragile material is fractured along the notch line.

Conclusion on the topic

When cutting glass with a glass cutter, do not apply strong pressure. Otherwise, the cut edges will crumble. One line is characterized by 1 incision. It is not recommended to re-cut in the same place. The movements of the tool must be confident: in 2 seconds. it is necessary to process 1 m of the product. To prevent the edges of the material from crumbling, it is recommended to reduce the pressure to the edge.

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