Glass Cutting Made Easy

[@MartinFinnerup]

I don't work with glass or anything, but wanted to see kerosene glass cutting after hearing about it. This felt like I was hanging out with my dad or grandad in the garage, learning to build stuff. Great video! :)

[@DirtFarmerJay]

Thanks Martin Finnerup. You're not the first person that has mentioned seeing DFJ as a father or grandfather figure. He really appreciates the opportunity to help men who maybe didn't have another man in their life to show him how to do things. Keep watching and commenting! Best to you, Dirt Farmer Maggie

[@ArtyMars]

My glass cuts immediately improved after watching this, thankyou so much!

[@DirtFarmerJay]

Arty Mars, glad to hear it. Thanks for writing! Best, DFJ

[@jj.w.7817]

THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR DEMONSTRATION OF GLASS!👍💯

[@philtorres2975]

Best glass cutting technique I have seen.

[@KJ-qw3mc]

Hey, watching a few of these videos, and one from a glass studio actually explained that glass is an amorphous solid, and thus the structure will try to rejoin immediately upon being disrupted. The oil actually penetrates the cut you just made and prevents the bonds in the glass from rejoining, which is one of the ways the oil aids in glass cutting. Thought it was interesting and worth sharing!

[@DirtFarmerJay]

K J, this is a great insight! Thanks for sharing! Best Regards, DFJ

[@ItsMeHello555]

A southpaw.. always knew you were a smart one.. love your videos and teaching style! Thank you for taking the time to share your stuff.. ~a fellow lefty..

[@mcamodell]

Your explanations are extreemly helpful, thank you very much for taking the time to make this video!

[@DirtFarmerJay]

Glad you like the episode!

[@russwalls8947]

I appreciate how thorough you are and down to earth no doubt you know you stuff thank you for contributing I wish internet was around when I was younger I'll take advantage of the expertise of guys like you while I can

[@rachelkeino]

Its never too late to adopt new skills. Please take the advantage now

[@stoneysscapes7544]

@@rachelkeino get busy living or get busy dying!!! Stephen King

[@billquinn3994]

I do a lot of oddball music boxes with glass inserts in the lids looking like mountain ranges carving this is the first time I looked at a glass cutter not the first time but I’ve been searching all over and this guy seems to know what he’s doing I still don’t know what I’m doing but I carve curves and wiggles and mountain ranges out of my mirrors

[@George-hl3qj]

Thanks for sharing your wise advice to youngsters introducing glass cutting.

[@DirtFarmerJay]

Our pleasure! Thanks for watching and for your kind words! Best, DFJ

[@rroe5718]

Really enjoyed this detailed video, but when getting ready to order a glass cutter, most come with multiple replaceable cutting heads. I'm not sure with sizes, but the current one says two cutter heads.....6-12mm & 12-20mm. Any suggestions concerning cutter blade size?

[@SureshBopitiya]

That was really awesome. I got myself a pencil cutter and have been trying to cut a straight line in a piece of 5mm thick glass for my aquarium all afternoon. Tomorrow I'll try again with your tip (keeping the tip upright) and hopefully succeed. I was impressed with how small an edge you can cut too.

[@DirtFarmerJay]

How did it turn out? Best, DFJ

[@SureshBopitiya]

@@DirtFarmerJay I can now cut glass thanks to your tips! I also found out that I can use a tile cutter with a diamond blade to cut glass as well. Thanks again.

[@FireGoddess45]

Thanks for the tip on using oil. I didn't see that in the first video I looked at. Also the parallel hold. Good tips.

[@DirtFarmerJay]

Thanks for watching and commenting Marg Olson. Are you learning the art of stained glass or just getting back into it? Best to you, DFJ

[@billquinn3994]

Sorry I sound like an idiot but snapping glasses so hard I usually just cut it with a grinder and diamond blades and now I’m learning how to do it this guy has been fantastic

[@DirtFarmerJay]

Bill, glad to help you acquire a new, cool, skill! Thanks for writing! Best, DFJ

[@mkandnewyorkie]

This was SO helpful, thank you!

[@Wxsharpe]

Thank you so much for this instruction. You should have been my shop teacher. ❤

[@DirtFarmerJay]

Hey William Sharpe. Thanks for the compliment. I'll bet we would have gotten along swimmingly if I had been! Best to you. DFJ

[@TenderheartTreasuresKy]

Hi! I was searching trying to find the stained glass art videos you referred to in this video- Thanks!

[@DirtFarmerJay]

You’re welcome 😊 DFJ

[@normrodriguez9306]

Excellent explanation and instruction, ... thank you sir

[@DirtFarmerJay]

You are welcome, Norm.

[@DavidMichiels]

The clean way the glass broke blew my mind

[@DirtFarmerJay]

David, pretty cool, huh?!!! Best, DFJ

[@xxwookey]

1:46. Just to be clear, any single pane of glass has negligible thermal resistance, whether it is 'single' or 'double' strength. You have to have double or triple glazing to get a useful thermal resistance. (In metric: W/m2K, I'm afraid I can't do heat loss in your crazy US units) single glazing is 5, double glazing is 2-1.4 (2-3 times as good), and single glazing is 1-0.6. (5-6 times as good - at this point the frame usually loses more than the glass).

[@sarahpea2976]

Enjoyed your video, thank you for making this!

[@悟入木三分]

miracle job for curve cutting.

[@henkfrelink5595]

You arena de best, chapeau.

[@DirtFarmerJay]

@henkfrelink5595 - thanks for compliment! Best, DFJ

[@jerrymurray1234]

I’d love to learn much much more.

[@Sham9909]

Two top professionals: the cutter and the cameraman 😁

[@DirtFarmerJay]

Awwww, gee thanks! We try to put out quality and always appreciate an "atta boy" from our viewers. Thanks a mllion. Best, Dirt Farmer Maggie

[@sherricourtney619]

I really like your videos you explain things in a good way and also show all options with tools

[@DirtFarmerJay]

Glad you like them! Best, DFJ

[@normspafford9025]

Any tips on 1/4 “ glass ?

[@orchardhillband5949]

Beautiful video! Very clear and well done. Can you show us how to use those notches in the cutter? I imagine they're for very small pieces.

[@DirtFarmerJay]

Thanks, Orchard Hill Band! The notches are used to break away pieces from the main piece, or to separate a strip that has been cut. They aren't that precise and tend to take chunks out of the glass. I don't use them myself. I hope that helps! Best, DFJ

[@ralphtamez5492]

Gracias,y bendiciones

[@chessguru900]

I bought one of these and did not cut not even craze or scratched the glass at all.

[@DirtFarmerJay]

Sorry to hear that. This is our go-to method, but it does require adequate pressure to create the glass score. Best, DFJ

[@RedeemedPaladin]

thx, nice grip technique

[@davidhill1220]

Sooo helpful! Thank you! Patricia

[@DirtFarmerJay]

You are so welcome! Glad it was helpful. Best, DFJ

[@mgrant5017]

Cool Video! I Didn't realize it was so easy to cut glass.

[@johncarruthers5020]

"ears are important" you want to hear a constant hiss, not a foul scratching noise from the cut. Neither do you want a 'white' cut. One, it makes for a 'cold' cut, which may open unpredictably and, Two it knocks out your wheel. These were the first words 'old Jack' told me when I started my 7 year apprenticeship at 14 in 1971. I would fetch the stock-sheets from the racks as he called out the sizes, then lift the cut squares away and stack them ready to go (always called 'squares', no matter what shape) sometimes a ton or so of glass a day. The first few weeks cutting on my own bench my hand was a bloody mess until I developed the calluses between the first and second fingers where the cutter rests. All glass waste is 'cullet' from the old Flemish. The regular sized pieces (rectangular or diamonds) for leaded lights are 'quarries', (as in 'quarry tiles'). We progressed to cutting with diamonds. In those days the diamond tips were the size of a dried pea and could be re-set several times over the years. Now they are tiny chips of diamond hardly worth saving. Then on to mirrors, polishing, beveling, bright cutting and eventually after a couple more years as a journeyman I graduated to the stained glass shop.

[@DirtFarmerJay]

Wow, John Carruthers - what a great contribution you've made! Thanks for sharing your long-term experience and craftsmanship. We love hearing from people that worked in a craft and will share so readily. Thanks both for watching our video and then taking time to write with so much detail. I hope you'll become a part of our viewer family and weigh in on the content as we go along. The best to you and yours! - DFJ

[@chetfoster6836]

I have a need to cut a piece of glass 60+ inches long… How do you snap it when dealing with something that big

[@DirtFarmerJay]

Chet, it's the same principle. You need a good, consistent score line with no gaps or double cuts going from edge to edge. It doesn't matter if the score is straight or curved, it's the same approach. Once you have a score, you can use a running pliers gently at one end to get it started, and go to the other end if you need to complete the cut. I actually use my hands more often than the running pliers. Form a fist with your hands, palms towards each other, thumbs on top. Grasp the glass on top of the glass on both sides of the score, about 3/4" on both sides of the score. Grip firmly, then roll your hands to put "up" pressure on the underside of the score, and "down" pressure on the glass to the right and left of the cut. Let me know how it turns out for you! Best, DFJ

[@missarcene4345]

Thank you.

[@Motorhawk2]

When cutting glass one inch or thicker I used to use an old Shaw cutter dabbed on to oil soaked tissue before cutting then I used a hammer, bolster and thick electric cable to separate the two parts. When I was given a oil filled cutter I noticed that the cutting wheel was about half the size.

[@DirtFarmerJay]

Motorhawk2 - thanks for sharing your experience. It sounds like you have been a professional glass installer/fabricator if you've been working with glass that thickness! I've worked with glass up to 1/4", but nothing like what you describe! I don't know the reason for the smaller wheel on oiled cutters, but I've seen the same thing for cutters used for stained glass artisan. I suspect it has to do with the cutter being consistently lubricated and the score being made more easily and to the same depth. Thanks for writing! Best, DFJ

[@Motorhawk2]

@@DirtFarmerJay ​ I worked In optical engineering making Lenses, Instrument Windows, Prisms, Mirrors and Filters for Scientific Optical Limited in England. Seeing your piece of art glass reminded of the filter glass. Until I worked there I did not know that there was such diversity in glass from sheets of float glass to blocks of quartz and opal backed. Tempex/Pyrex was often the worst to work with using the old style cutters. For really thick sheets and blocks we used use a Clipper saw with diamond blades with coolant/lubricant.

[@DirtFarmerJay]

Motorhawk2 - what a great career! I'm learning a bit right now about high temperature glass, pyroceram, and such. We are producing an episode about the type of glass used in natural gas-fired wood log heater stoves. As you know, it's not your typical window glass. Depending on the distance to the flame and the operating temp of the firebox, the glass may be tempered or actually ceramic. Thanks for writing and best to you there in the U.K.! - DFJ

[@frommygarden8423]

Love this

[@mikehaddox512]

Cool stuff! 😎 thank you sharing guys!

[@DirtFarmerJay]

You're welcome. Thanks for writing! Best, DFJ

[@marcia3308]

I liked your video but I didn't see anything about cutting the mirror that is hanging on the wall. I need to cut a piece of it. Some ideas to do that ?

[@lee-jaynewman503]

Cool man cheers for you're time and HQ-VID

[@user-pg6jl7jw7s]

You make it look so simple.

[@DirtFarmerJay]

Thanks Jim Jarzen. Been working with glass most of my life. Best to you, DFJ

[@johnv6059]

thanks Jay for the quick response.

[@libbyhood6674]

A very useful and informative video, thank you Jay x

[@DirtFarmerJay]

Thanks for watching Libby! Let us know if you have a subject matter that you'd like us to address in a future video. Best to you! DFJ

[@HEYL0W4]

Hey jay, awesome video! I'm going to be cutting 12mm glass is there any tips you have for that?

[@DirtFarmerJay]

Smack Dabble, thanks for the kind words. Indeed, here are a few tips. First, make sure your cutter is in good shape and the wheel rotates freely. Make sure the glass is sitting on top of padding, like an even stack of layers of newspaper, or on a moving blanket. Then, be sure to use light oil to lubricate the cut. I like kerosene. You can brush it on with a flux brush along the cut line path before making the cut. You can mark the cut line under the glass, and put the fluid on top - the kerosene tends to erase the line - so I separate them. It's up to you if you use a straightedge or not, depending on the type and length of the cut. If you are comfortable with freehand, go for it! Make the cut all in one motion with significant downward pressure, and the cutter held in a vertical orientation. Again, all in one motion, starting and stopping, or doing overlapping cuts will not give you the results you want. Now, tap the score from underneath, starting from one edge and working to the other. Light taps until the break line is visible from side to side. Then snap the two pieces apart. Let me know how it turns out! Best, DFJ

[@PrincetonTV]

AT 8:49 , Let the bottom of the triangle hang off the table so the triangle can touch the glass the whole time

[@DirtFarmerJay]

Nice catch! Best, DFJ

[@perceptionofreality3074]

Roughly how much pressure/"downward force", are you putting onto the cutting tool while you"re making the cut.???

[@DirtFarmerJay]

Thanks for the question Perceptionof Reality. You need to put enough downward pressure on the tool to etch the glass. You should be able to hear the scraping sound of it etching. DFJ

[@tomcain4130]

👍 good stuff. Thanks.

[@robertacousins1405]

I need to remove broken mirror fitted in wardrobe. Any advice much appreciated.

[@DirtFarmerJay]

Roberta, give me a bit more information. What is being used to hold the mirror in place? Clips? Moldings? Adhesive? What is backing up the mirror on the inside of the wardrobe? Let me know more and I'll give you my thoughts. Best, DFJ

[@mitchellmanning7887]

Thanks for sharing

[@AshwanikumarSainiARTER]

Nice tutorial can you also teach how to cut a double strength glass?

[@DirtFarmerJay]

Thanks for watching and commenting Ashwanikumar Saini. Cutting double strength glass is done the same way, it just takes a little longer and a little more muscle to score the glass before breaking it. Hope this helps, DFJ

[@chrishansen3002]

Possible mistake: single strength glass is 3/32 inch thick; double strength is thicker, 1/8 inch.

[@metroidmania8833]

Hey Dirt Farmer Jay! I have a quick question. I have already etched a design into a piece of glass I'm using for a Hollow Knight pint glass display case. The pieces of glass were perfectly sized and they were easy to cut. After having fabricated the woodwork for this project, the glass panes are a little too tight so I need to cut about an 1/8 or maybe a 1/16 strip off of one side. The tool I have is just like the orange one you used in this video with an oil reservoir. My question is, if one side of the cut is too narrow to grab, and the tool does not have any notches in it like the old school glass cutters have, how might I snap that narrow of a piece off? (I would have cut it before I etch blasted the design had I known it was going to be just too big). I am going to silicone the panes in place, however, they are still a little too tight against each other and I know they shouldn't even be touching.

[@DirtFarmerJay]

MetroidMania - thanks for writing. You can indeed cut very narrow strips off typical window glass. That is what you are using, right? The trick is twofold: when cutting, assure you have a cut being made that is the same distance from the edge all along the cut. This can be done freehand (if you have sufficient practice and an eye for it), or you can butt the piece of glass against a wood fence, and move the cutter along it. The thickess of the body of the cutter should give you about the 1/16" to 1/8" cut. Second, you need to apply even/consistent scoring pressure as you execute the score. This will assure clean break. Lastly, to break away the narrow strip of glass, you'll need to grip as wide a portion of the strip as you can and roll it down to create the break. You'll do this at the beginning or end of the score - not in the middle. A wide pliers can work, or you can cut a kerf the thickness of the glass on your tablesaw or router table (if you have them, I suspect you do...). That way, you can put the scored edge of glass into the slot, and release the score all at one. Let me know how this turns out! Best, DFJ

[@metroidmania8833]

@@DirtFarmerJay thank you for the reply. I did it sooner than I saw this and, unfortunately, the piece I cut, although it was evenly scored, broke off in several pieces. Fortunately, it did not break beyond the score. I was left with jagged edges and just used my dremel and a foam sanding block and smoothed it out. It turned out fine. The wavy area is behind the framing.

[@sreval]

You canot pull off very thin strips of cut glass less than 3-4 mm, unless you are used to cutting glass, but you can use wet and dry or emery cloth to rub down the dges 1 - 2 mm down on small parts.

[@essoproduction8875]

Great explanation thanks

[@DirtFarmerJay]

Thanks for watching and commenting Esso Production. Best to you, DFJ

[@matnaylor8939]

Helps if the glass is warm and very clean

[@tonysmith4801]

I think you meant perpendicular not parallel

[@AngelaEmery13]

Thanks for this video

[@chetfoster6836]

How do you break a cut it is 60+ inches long

[@mohamadabdul4391]

👍

[@stevenjordan6389]

Hey Jay what about the table?

[@DirtFarmerJay]

Steven, are you asking about how the table was constructed or ??? Give me a bit more detail and we'll go from there. Best Regards, DFJ

[@michaelearhart380]

What was that brand of the pencil type cutter?

[@DirtFarmerJay]

mike E - this should help you! "Pencil" Self-Oiling Style: amzn.to/3swEk3z "Pistol-Grip" Self Oiling Style: amzn.to/3JjVnvr Please note that availability changes ongoing, so you may need to find a similar tool from another supplier - but these links should get you going in the right direction. Best, DFJ

[@seniumk]

Can you share the brand of your beautiful gold cutter please? Thanks!

[@DirtFarmerJay]

Sn Kn - of course! It's from VECH Direct, costs $7, we got ours from Amazon. I hope that helps! Best, DFJ

[@JoshKaufmanstuff]

I have a huge piece of tempered glass that I want to cut into 3rds. (65 X 35 X 1/2") It seems too unwieldy to put onto any tray. What is the best way/ tools to cut a large piece of glass like this? Thanks!!

[@argusfleibeit1165]

You can't cut tempered glass-- it will fall into a million shards. That's why they use it for safety glass installation. It has to be cut at the factory.

[@DirtFarmerJay]

Josh, Argus is correct. Tempered glass can't be cut by us "mere mortals", it takes specialized tools to do so. Tempered glass is more of a ceramic than it is the glass most of us are accustomed to. It's much tougher, can't be cut with typical tools, and when it does break, it breaks into a multitude of non-sharp pieces. I hope this helps! Best, DFJ

[@bernardlim9089]

can you please try it on a thicker glass.

[@DirtFarmerJay]

bernard, thicker glass behaves essentially the same way, assuming that it is not tempered. A consistent, continuous score across the surface of the glass is needed in any case, regardless of thickness. However, thicker glass may need to be tapped a bit more on the opposite side of the glass from the score, to assure that the glass cracks and separates where it is intended. We will have more videos produced in the future related to the glass crafts and I will demonstrate what I've described, using thicker glass in one of the episodes. Thanks for writing! Best Regards, DFJ

[@bernardlim9089]

@@DirtFarmerJay very well said. Thank you

[@brenttamatea7578]

what i have done on thick glass like plate glass is i score on both sides i have had pretty good success with that method

[@eknvasanth7245]

superb

[@DirtFarmerJay]

Thanks 🤗

[@robertpitt8418]

How much pressure to apply on the glass cutter, light - medium - heavy ?

[@DirtFarmerJay]

Hi Robert Pitt. Thanks for watching and writing. You want to apply enough pressure to SCORE the glass, not cut it. So you should see a scratched looking line on the glass after you have scored it. Then you separate it by breaking it along the line using stained glass tools. Best to you in your stained glass adventure. DirtFarmer Maggie

[@robertpitt8418]

@@DirtFarmerJay thank you very much for replying to my comment - wishing you lots of fun and a happy new year.

[@johnv6059]

how much pressure do you use?

[@DirtFarmerJay]

John, you can hear when the pressure is right. You'll get a gentle hiss occurring as you roll the cutter across the surface of the glass. It also depends on the type of glass being cut. Standard window glass takes less pressure than several types of art glass. Hope that helps! Best, DFJ

[@CR30298]

Which is the name of the brand of the pencil cutter

[@DirtFarmerJay]

Carlos - I was able to obtain it off Amazon, but it has since become unavailable. The product description of the cutter I got is: Vech Glass Cutter with Copper Handle, Carbide Cutting Wheel, and Replacement Iron Head, 3-8mm Professional Self-Oiling Pencil Here's are the (previous) seller's search terms for the item: Vech Glass Cutter with Copper Handle, Carbide Cutting Wheel, and Replacement Iron Head, 3-8mm Professional Self-Oiling Pencil Style Glass Cutting Tool for Tiles, Mirror, Stained Glass-GoldenVech Glass Cutter with Copper Handle, Carbide Cutting Wheel, and Replacement Iron Head, 3-8mm Professional Self-Oiling Pencil Style Glass Cutting Tool for Tiles, Mirror, Stained Glass-Golden I hope this helps! Best, DFJ

[@barbross9541]

Ayy I saw you today in real life

[@Kikilang60]

I've been doing this my whole life. The only problem I have is, the cutter stops scoring.

[@DirtFarmerJay]

It could be one of two things. Either you are not pushing down hard enough when scoring the glass or your cutter needs sharpening or replacement. It's easy to ease off the intensity of the pressure on the cutter after you've been cutting a lot of pieces. Maybe take a break regularly. Best, DFJ

[@charisma-hornum-fries]

You don’t wear gloves while cutting glass? I really hate those glass splinters getting in my hands and fingers.

[@DirtFarmerJay]

Well I guess I have done it so many times, I don't even think about it. I use a brush to brush away the slivers before I start handling the glass. Thanks for watching and commenting. Best to you in your stained glass endeavours. DFJ

[@NormBaker.]

Jawboning ends at the 9 min mark. Then glass cutting.

[@DirtFarmerJay]

Why thank you, Norm! Sounds like another channel may be to your liking. We attempt to tell the why behind the subject as well as just showing the technique, but if that doesn't appeal to you, that's fine. Best Regards, DFJ

[@NormBaker.]

@@DirtFarmerJay To date. My whole life . I have never been able to get regular older window glass to break at a score mark. Not even close. After of watching hours worth of glass cutting. I am still not close to getting glass to break on a score mark. Warm glass, cold glass. Trying all different kinds of surfaces to cut/break the glass on.

[@DirtFarmerJay]

Norm, I've seen this issue before in the classes I taught. It always boiled down to one of two issues. Either the cutter was so dull that it wouldn't do a nice score (lubrication with a light oil such as kerosene is key as well), or down-pressure on the cutter was insufficient to create the score needed. I could literally hear if the score was being done correctly. When the score is happening, there is definitely a high-pitched "SCRITCH" sound through the whole cut. Don't give up, you can master this. Best Regards, DFJ

[@NormBaker.]

@@DirtFarmerJay I am cutting used 3/32 standard window glass. I have used cutters and carbide. I cant see how a carbide could be wrong. A very visible mark from end to end. Oil or mineral spirits yes.

[@davidcatanach2620]

Do we trust a tutorial on cutting glass from someone whose list of necessary materials includes a box of bandages?

[@DirtFarmerJay]

In a word, yes! Even the pros will cut themselves once in a while. Better to be prepared! Take Care, DFJ

[@davidcatanach2620]

@@DirtFarmerJay thank you for the tutorial, I wore eye protection and gloves while cutting the glass and removed them while fitting the pane to the frame..and cut my palm, haha, you were 100% correct👍

[@pinkrainbow4316]

Very inaccurate video . Never use kerosene when cutting. Sparks can happen and kerosene is seriously flammable

[@DirtFarmerJay]

@pinkrainbow4316 - thanks for writing. I've been a part of this craft for many years and find that kerosene is commonly used as a cutting fluid. It is very oily, and obviously it can burn as evidenced by its fuel use for the old time lanterns. However, it has a relatively high flash point of 38 °C (100 °F) or higher. As you probably know, the flash point is the temperature at which the substance will generate a flammable vapor near it's surface. It is very unlikely to catch fire, even if sparks are generated because the temperature needed to generate vapor are highly unlikely to be maintained long enough for a flame to get going - in contrast to a wick where the flame keeps warming the fuel to flash point. I think the bigger objection to it is the odor. Some people find it off-putting. I don't. Thanks for watching and commenting! Best, DFJ