Can a cheap glass cutter cut 1/4 inch mirror?
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- Опубликовано: 3 янв 2021
- I got this bathroom vanity mirror for free after it was taken out of a house. The only down side was that it was broken on one edge. The plan is to cut it down to be slender and tall dressing mirror that I will hang in the hallway of my house.
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This is an amazing video! Loved watching your process and learning from. Thank you so much for sharing!
Never cut 1/4 before but have done a lot of various thicknesses of stained glass. When trying to run the score by tapping it's done from the backside which wouldn't work well with mirror due to the inability to visually monitor your progress. Rather than simply snapping the length of the score especially a long one like yours, use a set of running pliers or crescent wrench to start a crack on each end then gradually run the cracks toward each other.
Thanks for the tip Larry! I did eventually figure out that crescent wrenches were helpful (after filming). Thanks for watching!
Your straight edge is only holding it at the ends. Wood doesn't work for that unless you make a strongback, but you don't really need it to hold the mirror after you score it. Take the straight edge off after you score it deeply.
Tap it from behind on either end to start a crack on your score, then work towards center with tongs. Gently encouraging the crack to break.
Either that or score a groove in it, like a serious score, then put it over a straight piece of pipe or dowel. Tap both sides of it with your GLOVED palms and it will break along your score, provided it's a perfectly straight score line. Then polish the edge with 150 and 300 grit to take the edge off.
1/4" is tough for the first time cutting glass. If you have a mounted straight edge, you can score it more than once if you have to, but that's asking for trouble. (It will dull your glass cutter very quickly. Even good ones.)
A wetsaw with a glass cutting blade will cut it also. Don't try to DIY tempered glass, but a regular mirror would be fine.
Also if it has peel and stick backing, you need to cut that with a razor blade aong your score line. Some cheap imported glass doesn't have conventional silvering, just a vinyl backer.
This is a TON of great information! Thank you for sharing!
Thanks for a real life experience. I'm planning to do this.
Best of luck. My failures didn’t bother me too much since I got the mirror for free.
@@MakingSawdust that's the problem for me. My mirrors are expensive and big and boring. I want to make my tiny little house look luxurious. I'm glad I stumbled upon your channel.
I've never done anything like that. But just watched a video where the person said to first cut through the reflective film on the back side of the mirror using a large box cutter and running it along several times. This frees it up to break properly. Then when you turn it back over with the reflection up, you'll be able to see that cut and run your cutter along that line scoring the glass.
Thanks for the tip!
Love this video. It shows how not to cut glass mirrors.
Can't Disagree! Barely made it work. Thinner mirrors are such a piece of cake to cut but this thing was a monster.
I loved the video...he is a realist
Thank you so much! It didn't go how I planned, but it worked out well enough (barely). Thank you for watching!
Gunna try it tomorrow. Was trying to do same but luckily I tested on a piece already FU and it definitely was not working, so this will help alot.
Thanks for watching! Let me know how it goes. I barely got something useable.
@@MakingSawdust Luckily I got the old mirror off the street free. LOL I'm gunna try and double or triple-score it. But thanks to your video I know what I'm up against. I already broke a piece trying and was baffled cuz always heard glass was so easy to cut......
I measure mark the front & on the back too so I’ll know where to tap tapping it works good for me.
Even on mirror a 1/4 inch thick? I will have to try that!
Oh no! I’m glad u made this video. My idea to be cheap won’t work.
For first timers cutting 1/4 inch thick mirror like me, I only recommend this method if you got the mirror for free and don't care if you end up throwing the whole thing away. I barely got something usable out of it. Thanks for watching!
All I kept thinking is where is your safety glasses lol
I hear ya!
Thanks for uploading: As an engineer (although I dont do much glass cutting): I think you're asking the right question :)
From what I can tell you've set up a good "clamped edge", so you get an even "score". the depth of the score (from your experiment) appears to be crucial. you mention lubricating the cutting tool... I wonder if that effects "score depth"? (possibly more friction is needed, especially with cheaper "cutters")? I'm also wondering if one can "score twice" (so depth of score evens out)?
On other vids, guy uses a big t-square under "score joint", then applies gentle pressure to "waste glass area". (I noticed you had to use considerable force ... and I was praying for you all the way, man).
peace. thanks for reading.
Thanks writerNB! It was definitely an experiment. I can't remember if I put this in the video but an adjustable c wrench was useful for breaking off small little bits. Thanks again for watching an commenting!
@@MakingSawdustfor anyone watching today, it's much easier with glass tongs, and you only want that clamp on there while scoring. Also.wear your PPE. Nothing sucks as much as a tiny shard of glass in the eye.
@@jameskirk3 Never heard of glass tongs, seems like a useful tool if you do this from time to time. Thanks for watching, and sharing your wisdom!
Not an engineer; not a glass cutter. Still, I would recommend you use safety glasses.
Thank you for your concern Mary S. And thanks for watching!
Strongly echo the safety glasses comments! And seeing you pushing down hard on a table edge with your wrists facing the edge and no protective sleeves really made me cringe! Think you got pretty lucky when you did this that you didn't get a shard stuck into you. (years of doing stained glass)
Couple things that would make this easier-- use a light oil on your glass cutter when scoring. 3in1 or light motor oil is fine. Dip the tip in the oil and lightly roll it along your straightedge so there's a small bead where you're going to score. Then do the score in a single motion, pressing into the glass firmly while holding the cutter roughly perpendicular.
When snapping the score, put a small board or ruler under the mirror with the score line centered on it, both sides of the mirror on your bench. Then you can press down on both sides of the score and it'll snap on the line, supporting both pieces on the table afterward. It'll keep you from slicing your arms and should make a much cleaner break.
If you have a small strip to break, put a dowel under your score line instead. Plywood clamped on top of the large side, then use a board on the small side to distribute the force as you try to snap. (Kind of like using a shop brake to bend metal sheeting.) But expect it not to work as well. Can also use a tool called grozier pliers to work the strip off in chunks, though you'll need to grind or sand the edge afterward to even it out.
Thank you for the suggestions John. I read your comment a year ago and meant to reply then. When you are cutting stained glass, is it 1/4 inch thick? I have cut plenty or thinner mirror without any issue, but this was a bear.
Next time maybe try pouring HOT water on the score line. I seem to think I have seen that done before. I could be wrong though. I've slept since then.
Good to know! I will look into it and try that next time.
I just destroyed a mirror attempting to cut it with a cutter, no one talks about which size (mm) to use on any of these vids ive watched,,either way I fn destroyed my mirror. Lesson learned sometimes you just gotta bite the bullet and call in a professional
I’m sorry your mirror is destroyed. I didn’t even know there were different size cutters. Only reason I was willing to try myself is because I got the mirror for free. I had originally planned to have it professionally cut.
@@MakingSawdust my apologies for my tone, it was beyond annoying as a do it yoursefer…….
@@Indian21ubet No need Dennis. I understand your frustration. I've cut 1/16 inch mirror that gave me no trouble at all but the 1/4 inch mirror was a different beast and I barely got something usable. Even then it ended up shorter and narrower than I had intended.
Next time try to exert force at the other side of the mirror.. better results..
Der Glasschneider spielt keine Rolle.Entscheidend ist die Qualität des Schneidrädchens.
danke schoen
next time put the camera on the side that your cutting so we can see what's happening. Poor viedo
Sorry it wasn’t for you.
To bad you don't have a clue as to what you are doing... Score the glass, place a no2 pencil under at the end of your score, apply equal pressure each side of the pencil ... IF your score was true the break will run straight...
Just curious how often you cut mirror that is 1/4 inch thick.
all the time , i have stacks of the stuff, so much that i am cutting it up for aquarium bottoms,,, also cutting old glass table tops 1/2" for the sides,,, if i made a video would you watch it? @@MakingSawdust
100% I would watch! Especially if you show trimming just a few inches off instead of cutting it down the middle. @toddwhite3217
Yeah that's what's hard take just a little off ... Like in the real world usefulness ... I just tried my granite polish pads on mirror and they worked pretty good for taking off 1\8 Inch...
Good to know! Thanks. @@toddwhite3217