Plexi

[wd4lc]

What size do you need?



Were you thinking of joining glass panes? I was not aware one could do that.

Actually, the thought was just to do a cheesy window look. I measured and it would require 4 panes (not 6) that would need to be cut to size.

A vertical, narrow piece of wood lap jointed over a horizontal piece. The sides of both would be dado'ed (probably with just the table saw blade). The inside of the box would be dado'ed as well. Haven't figured out how I would attach the ends of the cross pieces to the inside of the box sides yet.

[wd4lc]

Cutting glass is not difficult, and successful cuts become a "feel" for the amount of pressure needed. On clean glass it's just enough pressure to produce a score.

The best cutter I've ever used is a plastic oil filled handle, like this one. It also has a replaceable cutting wheel head.

For a straightedge, I make Plexiglas ones like this, which will provide for a long score line. It's easy to make. It's basically an "L" square, that just aligns along the bottom edge of the sheet. Using a grease pencil, lay the edge on the glass, and using the cutter, align the wheel with your mark. Being acrylic it won't scratch the glass, and only slight pressure is needed to hold it in place.

When making the score line start at the top, or the edge furthest from your body, and with a straight edge secured, rock the wheel of the cutter forward and backward one or two times to get the wheel to start right at the edge. Draw the score towards your body, and continue right off the glass.

Separating the glass after the cut can be done as described by holding between the hands. That works OK for 1/8" glass, but thicker pieces need to be "snapped" differently. If you use the edge where the wheel ran off the glass, tap on the underside to produce a crack line, which will run the length of the score.

This works for 3/16" and 1/4" glass and mirror. Using wet-or-dry (silicone carbide) sandpaper...the charcoal grey stuff, on the cut edge will remove the sharpness.

Excellent. Thanks for the detailed information, cabinetman.

I saw someone using a tool to break off the glass as an option. Not positive but I think it might be one of those tile snapper tools.

Thanks, all, for the help. I'll be grabbing a glass cutter this weekend and also (as suggested by poobah) check out the Lowes plexi center for scraps. I've looked at their selection the past couple of weekends but it never occurred to me to actually look inside the cutting booth to see if they have throw-aways.

Either way, I'm still going to play around with the glass thing. It actually hit me that years ago, I did use a tool to cut off the top of a bottle to make a guitar slide. I don't think it was as "fine" a tool that I've seen in the videos. It was a small tool with a rough end. It gave it a rough score. I think I then just knocked the bottle top off.