Glass Cutting....It's Not Rocket Science

[@jaredhubbell7013]

You're a top notch teacher Mark! I watch all your videos as you don't speed by anything, so it's not just entertaining but I actually learn something with each video.

[@Preso58]

Thanks for that. It's always nice to get feedback on the videos. Very encouraging. Regards, Mark

[@stephenpaul6858]

As a glazier with 40 years of experience I offer a few helpful hints. Try a wood straight edge as the cutter will slide against it much better. When you tap your cut stay behind the run as it gives better control. Make sure you tap directly on the score as it will result in a cleaner cut. You might try pushing your cutter when cutting a pattern. It lets you follow your pattern better.

[@sam_s_]

Those are great tips

[@Jack_C_]

Cheers Mark, very informative and well presented as usual (it's almost like you are qualified to teach)😊

[@ianide2480]

You're braver than I am, touching the edges right after a break, I've only ever done it once when I was a kid. It cut me immediately with a micro burr left over. After that I always used a large diamond file to hit the edges (kinda reminded me of a bastard file with a half moon on one side and flat on the other). It was just a thing I helped my father do (had to be like 35ish years ago). We used Running Pliers instead of parting by hand, usually gave "more consistent" results, but just long runs like you are showing I'd also just do by hand. We also used copper tape + solder for the stuff we made. It's a fun hobby, to bad my experiences doing it was with my father (he was not a good person). Wish I could say fond memories etc, etc, but I cannot.

[@NightsReign]

It's remarkable just how much our environment (especially people present) while indulging hobbies or learning skills, any negative experiences can/will/do dramatically skew any potential of future enjoyment. Even if a lifetime has elapsed since then... I've known plenty of people whose feelings toward anything from cooking, to yard work, to irrationally disliking dogs or cats, will be forever undone by such stressors from their childhood. It's a shame when awful people we'd much rather forget become intertwined with activities we would've otherwise enjoyed...

[@Preso58]

Ian, I must say I have never cut myself when handling glass but the tiny glass splinters cause me some grief. They are hard to find when they get embedded in fingers. The unit we taught at school involved the copper tape and solder assembly. It does require very accurate cutting of the glass though. The traditional lead came assembly is more forgiving. Regards, Mark

[@ianide2480]

@@NightsReign Well there is more to story. My father was an auto-mechanic and owned a service station when I was a baby. He later owned his own home-remodeling business (I grew up in this family business). He was into ham radio and built his own equipment. He was a handy guy and I inherited this same exact desire to tinker. I don't fight it even though he was putz and didn't know how to treat his own children heh I dabble in anything I personally find interesting. My toys and tools are just more modern. CNC router, that I modified the controller and the majority of electronics. 3D printer that I designed from the ground up and built myself. I've always liked computer programming so that has helped TONs with modifying the firmware in both my machines. I've also done computer BIOS/UEFI programming (man I loved doing that because of how much you had to learn about hardware in order to write BIOS code). Now I'm an IT Admin by trade. I fix my own vehicles, and build all my own crap (in home). I have to admit that stained glass, in general, is not my cup of tea, even though I do like the skill required to make some of the pieces. Glass cutting is something I've used hundreds of times and I'm glad I learned it. BUT, you could be right in this one aspect, my view of it could be completely colored by who I was with while doing it. I've thought about it, internalized it, and still cannot say for certain if the story might be different if the situation was different. My father also gave me an Electronics kit from radio shack 150-in-1, when I was like 7. I still push myself to this day to learn more about electronics. Meh, who knows?

[@timogross8191]

A flap disc on the angle grinder is good to remove the sharp edges. Be careful it makes nasty dust, but it works quick.

[@gatoalfa7]

Unexpected and great tutorial on glass cutting. I’m looking forward to add glass to one of my future projects. Thank you very much.

[@joshschneider9766]

As a college educated glass maker this is spot on. Thanks as always Preso.

[@Preso58]

Thanks. Nice to know that 8 day course wasn't wasted. Regards, Mark

[@joshschneider9766]

Definitely wasn't wasted at all!

[@gaborbata8588]

What a coincidence! Just the day before, I thought about looking up some glass cutting videos for a repair I need to tackle. I don't even need to do a search now. Cool channel, quality content.

[@Preso58]

Glad I could help! Oh, wait.... did you talk about it with your mobile phone on? You know that your phone listens to your conversations and then recommends KZbin videos based on what you have been discussing or searching for... It's one of those creepy Google things. Regards, Mark

[@gaborbata8588]

@@Preso58 Thank you for your reply. Well, I'm subscribed with all notifications, so I would have got it anyway. But in this case, I didn't talk about it, didn't do a search, and your lantern project was underway long before, so it is really a coincidence. I'm well aware of this listening thing, I regularly spot those KZbin recommendations that are based on my conversations, usually in the evening or the next day. Looking forward to the next episode!

[@JohannSwart_JWS]

I've always wondered how this is done. Even after watching the pro's do it, I still could never cut glass straight. In fact it terrified me. Thanks Preso!

[@Preso58]

My advice is to practice on a new piece of glass. Old glass is more brittle and it nearly always has surface defects and scratches which can make the fracturing unpredictable and erratic. Having a good quality glass cutter helps a lot too. Regards, Mark

[@000gjb]

Great tutorial. I have been putting off replacing a cracked pane of glass, I have no excuses now. Glass edges can easily smoothed out on a bench grinder fitted with a Linishing Belt. In the next video, please mention packing of lead light extrusion to take out the rattle.

[@Preso58]

The grout that I used was made up from linseed oil putty, chalk dust and black oxide. It was messy and smelly but it transforms the finished article. I believe it also strength to the finished window. I also found out that stained glass panes are not rated for cyclonic winds. We were advised to double glaze with structural glass. Regards, Mark

[@westweld]

Very cool Mark I thought it was more complicated than that, the oil seeping to the crack is very interesting

[@Preso58]

It was by pure chance that I read about that. The article had a lot of detail and it was fascinating but just as I was getting into it, the supplier wanted my money and I had to leave. Regards, Mark

[@joell439]

Thanks Mark. I had a vague understanding of how to cut glass, and decades ago helped my father cut some glass panes that needed to be replaced when my brothers and I didn’t pay attention to how we were lined up when tossing the ball 😂🤣😉. I inherited that glass cutter (along with all my father’s basic hand tools). And now thanks to you with your fine credentials, I feel confident to give it a go. This demo was very detailed and concise. Before now I never understood how the little tapping ball was used. 👍👍😎👍👍. Cheers mate……. Joel

[@Preso58]

Yes, the brass end is not just a decoration! Just make sure to practice on new, clean glass without any scratches in it. Regards, Mark

[@Warped65er]

Thanks Mark. Quite enjoyed the learning experience from you about something I didn't even know I would be interested in learning about in the first place. Thanks for taking the time.

[@Preso58]

Glad you enjoyed it. Regards, Mark

[@AmateurRedneckWorkshop]

Great I enjoyed the tips. I spent one school year working in the paint department of Sears and Roebuck. Cutting glass was one of the jobs we did but it was about a million years ago and I needed the refresher. I think all the training I got from them was place the glass here and pull the cutter here and then move this lever. It had an angle iron frame with one part that was hinged to break the glass at the cut.

[@Preso58]

Harold, I have seen glass workers cutting really big sheets of glass and it seems to be effortless for them. I think I would be a bit intimidated with anything over a few feet square. Regards, Mark

[@billbaggins]

Love that front door 😍. Lucky me has a glazier next door, one thing he said that surprised me is that glass has a shelf life, it gets harder to cut straight lines as it ages.

[@Preso58]

Yes, my experience with cutting old glass has never been a happy one. It's hard to score and it fractures unevenly. New glass is a joy to work with though. Regards, Mark

[@Sodabowski]

Thanks for this very detailed explanation of what doesn't seem obvious.

[@Preso58]

I undertook a course in leadlighting many years ago but I found out about the way that glass behaves when it's being scored by reading a trade publication while I was in a glass suppliers office waiting to pick up an order! Regards, Mark

[@TheKnacklersWorkshop]

Hello Mark, I must admit I would not try cutting glass but after watching this I would have a go... thanks for sharing. Take care. Paul,,

[@Preso58]

Thanks 👍 Just be sure to practice on new glass. Old glass is brittle and hard to work with. Regards, Mark

[@jimurrata6785]

Here in America most glass cutters have an E shaped 'comb' at the wheel end. The gaps between teeth allow you leverage to snap off a thin strip remainder, like you've shown. They can also be used for some crude grozing, but this is not for amateurs.

[@Preso58]

Jim, my father had one of those. I can still remember the name on it. It was called a "Red Devil" and it was indeed red. Regards, Mark.

[@jimurrata6785]

@@Preso58 Red Devil and Fletcher were the two big names in glazing tools in this country. I'm looking forward to seeing how the etching, and this project come out. Thanks for the reply!

[@happygilder]

Thanks Mark, this is a great help! I always get an uneven break and now I know why :)

[@Preso58]

Thanks Paul. I did some more glue chipping today and I think I am starting to get the hang of it. I think I needed to have a deeper pool of glue on the glass. Regards, Mark

[@one4stevo]

Never been successful in cutting glass. but with these tips i believe i should have some success Great work btw

[@Preso58]

Steve, just try to experiment with new glass. Old glass is brittle and hard to score and it will always have surface scratches that make the scoring and fracturing unpredictable. Many people give up after trying it with a 50 year old piece of dirty window glass! Sometimes glass merchants will have some offcuts in their skip that they will give you to practice on. Regards, Mark

[@MatthewTinker-au-pont-blanc]

Good stuff!! I knew about the Kerosene/white spirit/light oil, really important, I also heard that the older glass is, the more difficult it is to cut!

[@Preso58]

Yes, old glass is unpredictable and if it has lots of surface scratches it messes up your score line and it may damage the glass cutter. Regards, Mark

[@andrewdolinskiatcarpathian]

Fascinating. Thank you for the clarity of your explanations. 👍👏😀 Andrew (R.O.G)

[@Preso58]

Thanks Andrew. Is that "Rough Old Guy" or "Royal Old Grouch" ? Regards, Mark

[@andrewdolinskiatcarpathian]

@@Preso58 Haha. I wondered if you would notice! It’s “Retired Old Grump” 😂

[@Julian.Heinrich]

Excellent instructions! Thank you

[@ianpendlebury3704]

I remember going to the builders merchants with my Dad in the early 1960's. I used to watch the glass cutters there fearlessly and effortlessly cut 6 foot sheets of glass. I don't know which held the greater fascination; the possibility of expensive failure, or the fact that the tool had a REAL diamond for scratching the glass. They applied paraffin/kerosene with a brush prior to cutting.

[@Preso58]

Seeing someone handling BIG sheets of glass is always impressive. Some of the new engineered glass products are going to dominate the engineering world from now on. Glass can now be considered a structural material. Regards, Mark

[@dale9896]

Well done thanks for that, very interesting the way you explained the process.

[@rogerdeane3608]

Thanks for the tutorial on glass cutting.

[@Rustinox]

Cutting glass is fun. Some years ago i made a few lamps with glass in them. And indeed, new glass cuts better than old glass.

[@Preso58]

That is my experience too. It's fun to cut and it's hard to cut when it's old and brittle. The glass I was using to make the lamps was old and I could tell it needed a lot of extra pressure to get a decent score line. Thanks for watching, Regards, Mark

[@MattysWorkshop]

Gday Preso, as always a very informative videos and that’s the was I like’um, your a bloody good teachers mate, throughly enjoyed watching, Cheers

[@Preso58]

Thanks Matty. We aim to please! Regards, Mark

[@Blackcountrysteam]

Very informative Mark I did lead lighting at school but that was a long time ago and I wouldn't know where to start now

[@TomLaios]

As a leadlighter for over 25 years, not a bad demo. Here are a few pointers to make cutting easier 1) Ditch the ruler and invest in an "L" square instead. A 450mm long one is infinitely easier to hold than those rulers. I bought those rulers at the start of my career and haven't used them since. The Glass cutter's L square is pricier but will save you many dud breaks. 2) Get a jar lid, a piece of rag to put in it and soak it in machine oil. Dip your cutter into it every score. The reservoir's in the cutters are notorious for either not allowing the oil through, or allowing too much. 3) You don't need to mark the glass with the texta. All cutter heads are to the centre either 2mm or 2.5 mm .Leadlight cutters are always 2mm. You just add 2mm to whatever dimension you are cutting. So if you need 60mm strips you measure from the right-hand edge of the glass 62mm.That is assuming you are right handed. For large sheets of glass ,you hook the tape measure to the left edge of the glass and move the L square 2mm LESS, VERY IMPORTANT. So many beginners fuck up the size by forgetting which edge of the glass they are measuring from. 4)When you score correctly there is no need to tap the cut. You leave a splay of glass at the impact point. Your demonstration of hand breaking was spot on. For 3mm glass, you will get a cleaner cut without the tapping.

[@Preso58]

Thanks for the tips. With regard to tapping the glass, I have heard anecdotally that old glass is harder to break than new clean glass. We used to buy new glass for students to make leadlight mirrors. It was so much easier to score and break than the old (and scratched) glass that I was using in that demo. When I used to demonstrate to students I showed how to do the cut with and without tapping the glass. You are correct that snapping without the tapping process makes for a much cleaner cut. Regards, Mark

[@TomLaios]

@@Preso58 the age and scratchedness of the glass is immaterial , the way it was annealed matters. I have cut 150 year old drawn glass that was like butter. Whereas some new chinese crap broke where it felt like.

[@erikisberg3886]

Great video instruction and work! I have had a similar glass cutter for decades, works really well. It was quite expensive back in the 1980:s. The special oil that came with it hardens over time, it can be very difficult to clean it. White spirit seems to work better for me. This is a little funny, I have old bottles of sewing machine oil that does not seem to harden at all over time. I also have a small can of clock oil from my grandfather that is still perfect. But the expensive light spindle oil I use does oxidize to som extent, as most other oils seem to do nowadays.

[@Preso58]

That's interesting. I have a small bottle of light sewing machine oil that must be over 50 years old and it's still good. Regards, Mark

[@gasonthebrain3738]

Nice one Mark. Thanks.

[@sheph7]

Gorgeous glass work on the entry door, stunning. In general, are the edge corners of cut glass normally sanded to reduce the sharpness for handling? I seem to remember the glass I have had cut for me had, while not rounded, not sharp corners. Nice informative video thanks.

[@Preso58]

I have never bothered to clean up or smooth the edges of cut glass unless they are oversize. With stained glass work you tend to fit the pieces as you cut them so there is minimal handling. The biggest issue when cutting glass, for me at least, is the tiny splinters that end up in your fingers. I've never cut myself when handling cut glass. Regards, Mark

[@IBWatchinUrVids]

Looks like fun, but, having only just finished the video, should I already be bleeding?

[@ewildgoose]

I’m curious how you would approach cutting bottles? I’ve seen many techniques but none have been very successful for me!

[@Preso58]

I have done it before by making a frame into which you can place the bottle. It has a cross section like a "U" shape and as long as the bottle has parallel sides it can be rotated in place and the glass cutter can be held in a wooden block and bought to bear against the outside face of the bottle. The base of the bottle should be up against an end stop so that you can rotate the bottle against the wheel of the glass cutter. You have to go one complete revolution without skipping any of the surface. Once you have a good score line just tap the score with the ball end of the cutter and it should fracture evenly all the way around. Regards, Mark

[@Andrew_Fernie]

Thanks for the tutorial Mark 👍

[@rallymax2]

Great educational video Mark. Really enjoyed it.

[@stevecallachor]

A mate of mine listed himself as an Associate of Sydney Higher Institute of Technology. His real qualification was that he was a returned serviceman and had served as a carpenter (Artificer) in the Army in WW2. He taught woodwork for eons . In about 1976 the boffins cottoned on to this and discovered he had no qualification, only experience. The administrative solution was to send him to evening college to do the Higher School certificate. The real joke is that the evening classes were conducted at the high school where he worked by his peers who taught compulsory subjects in core areas during the day. Stavros

[@000gjb]

Boffins never change, they just get in everybody's way.

[@Preso58]

In my view, if someone is doing the job they are being paid for, leave them to get on with it. Regards, Mark

[@zumbazumba1]

Can you cut glass with tungsten tip scribe pen?

[@Preso58]

I believe there is a difference between scratching the glass and scoring it with a wheel. My laser engraver will leave an engraved mark in glass but it doesn't want to fracture along that line even though it has essentially weakened the glass in the area of the engraving. Regards, Mark

[@pgs8597]

G’day Presso, interesting how the glass fractures along a curve. Cheers Peter

[@Preso58]

When the scored line follows a really tight curve it can get a bit iffy. Sometimes you have to make relief scores into the curve and break it out in smaller pieces. Regards, Mark

[@mchiodox69]

Very good cool technique that I will be trying certainly!

[@keithnicklin8819]

Hi. Do you put white spirit on your diamond stone. I use an ezelap and put WS on it. I think it helps cutting and flushes away debris. Good video.

[@Preso58]

Keith, I get lazy and just use water. I have read many comments about diamond hones and oil. I think the consensus was that oil is too viscous but white spirit would be better than water since it stops the underlying steel from corroding. I should use it, Regards, Mark

[@keithnicklin8819]

@@Preso58 Mark. Just an aside. My Dad was a sb elf employed builder and I used to help in my holidays. One time we went to the local glass merchants for some glass and the lad w gave cutting laminated glass. He saw I was interested and said I could watch. He first cut one side as normal, then turned it over to do the other side. His mate then poured lighter fuel down the line opposite the cut on the first side. They then lit the fuel, waited a few seconds then did the second cut, gave it a small tap and that was it. Perfectly straight and clean. He was using an ordinary cutter 3in1 oil. It looked so easy. Regards Keith.

[@Preso58]

@@keithnicklin8819 Keith, we had some shower screens installed but when the installer put them up the glass didn't fit the opening. They were made of laminated glass and I recall saying to the installer that he would have to take them away and get new doors made. He said "no problem. I'll just cut a bit off the edge". At that time I didn't realise that you could cut laminated glass. He took it down to his truck and did exactly what you described except he used methylated spirits. Regards, Mark

[@swdweeb]

sure glad I've never had to embarrass myself with giving my credentials :-D

[@Preso58]

Well, I have met teachers with all manner of degrees and qualifications and they still made crap teachers. The best teacher I ever met was my old Physical Education teacher who taught me when I was 14 years old. When I walked into the last school I taught at, I heard his unmistakeable voice in the corridor. It turned out that he had been promoted to Head of Department at the very same school I was now teaching in. He had the same qualification as I but he could demonstrate every conceivable sport skill and he could get the best out of any kid in his class. The best thing was he still called me "young Mark" even when I was in my 50's. Regards, Mark

[@Just1GuyMetalworks]

Semi-fluid! 🤯 I thought you said it's not rocket science! 🤣 Thanks for that, Preso. I actually feel a little smarter than I did when I woke up this morning (although, that could be the coffee 😁). Cheers!

[@bobvines00]

Yeah, semi-fluid is why old window glass looks wavy, sort of like wax running down a candle. Some of the windows at the University were old enough to look like that.

[@Preso58]

There seems to be a lot of debate about how fluid glass is. There has been a wonderful experiment running since the 1920's at the University of Queensland. It features a funnel full of pitch which has been slowly draining out of the neck of the funnel and to date only 9 drops have drained out. At room temperature, pitch is a lot like glass but it does flow. You can google it "pitch drop experiment". Cool! Regards, Mark

[@bobvines00]

@@Preso58 I've seen TV shows on that. And drop #8(?) was missed because they weren't recording and/or watching when it fell -- a _great_ disappointment to the leading researcher!

[@alangrant5278]

By far the best teacher I ever had at school was the one teacher that had no letters after his name.

[@mce1919A4]

Thanks for sharing this.

[@garagemonkeysan]

Great video. Nice tips on glass cutting. Mahalo for sharing!🙂🐒

[@bertkutoob]

Running pliers is what you need if you're nervous with the wrist work.... My best investment yet....

[@CraigLYoung]

Thanks for sharing!

[@dougseag67]

Nice tutorial Preso. I will add glass cutting to my J.O.A.T certificate.

[@Preso58]

Well, I have to ask... what is the J.O.A.T. ?

[@dougseag67]

@@Preso58 . Jack of all trades, of course 😁

[@hodwooker5584]

A good friend of mine used the suffix LDLN for many years. I don’t know if anybody ever questioned what meant. I cannot tell you what it means since this is a polite channel, but if you ever watched a dog lay down in the sun you can figure it out.

[@myfordboy]

Good tutorial Mark. You might want to block the user thats spamming with porn links.

[@DCT_Aaron_Engineering]

Those idiots have been doing that to me also. Impossible to block, as they have and use a multitude of accounts. I had to block them via the use of “key words”. Google should be on top of this. They manage to block any reference to the Wuhan Chicken🦇🦠 virus or Don T.

[@myfordboy]

@@DCT_Aaron_Engineering I have my preferences set so when anyone gives a link in their comments it goes into my "Held for review tab"

[@DCT_Aaron_Engineering]

@@myfordboy Thanks for the info. Much appreciated. Cheers 🍻. Aaron

[@Preso58]

I've just fixed it, hopefully. I didn't realise you could block comments with URL's. Thanks for the heads up. Regards, Mark

[@berniesr]

A nice bit of revision for me

[@peterclancy3653]

I can knock off now, I have learnt a major thing today. Thanks

[@iTeerRex]

One thing tho, the windows are small and low to the ground, decorations on the glass may not show very well. Is it gona illuminate any walls, so that the pattern may show on the wall?

[@Preso58]

I won't be placing the lights close to a wall but the light will shine across the path. The bars make interesting shadows on the path and the garden behind. The glass texture is just so that you cannot see the LED bulb directly. Regards, Mark

[@iTeerRex]

@@Preso58 OK, I did figure the bars would make a nice effect.

[@joandar1]

Very good Mark! I have an ASC, lol, you need an Average Size Imagination for what the C stands for, LOL. John, Australia.

[@alltechinbox]

I am glad it stands for chin ;-)

[@joandar1]

@@alltechinbox lol, John

[@Preso58]

I think I get it! I've got one of those too. 😁

[@densamme1752]

My Grandmother teached me to use the pliers under water to chip away at the glass to make blanks for round glasses. She didn't even score a line first

[@ADBBuild]

You handling glass like that without cut resistant gloves was making me nervous. Glass can be scary stuff to handle.

[@Preso58]

Andrew. I guess I am used to it. However, in all the time I was teaching glass cutting to students, some of them dullards to be sure, not one that I can remember cut themselves. The most common injury, me included, is getting tiny glass splinters in fingertips. Regards, Mark

[@trackie1957]

Fabulous.

[@fredjones7307]

That was a very good and useful video..glass a semi liquid, no, and it doesn't get thicker at the bottom over the year's, discuss..

[@Preso58]

I can't recall if Mythbusters ever did an episode on that topic but they should have. Regards, Mark

[@VladekR]

I have CCDL in NT 😂👍👍👍👍

[@Preso58]

I just heard a whooshing sound as that one went right over my head. You'll have to spell it out for me! Regards, Mark

[@VladekR]

@@Preso58 Class C Driving License

[@Preso58]

@@VladekR OK. Got it! Regards, Mark

[@paultavres9830]

My old friend made many stained glass projects I had asked him to teach me but unfortunately he passed away from cancer before being able to teach me

[@Preso58]

Having an experienced tutor is a massive bonus if you are wanting to get into stained glass work. In my view, it's not an easy craft to learn using just books as a guide. I am sure your friend would have been able to teach you a lot. Regards, Mark

[@tinkermouse-scottrussell3738]

Get yourself a pair of running pliers. Play safe from Elliot Lake, Ontario, Canada.

[@RolingRandom]

Very interesting. I always though it was based on luck and buying a spare so you won't break the first piece :)

[@Preso58]

Probably the biggest mistake when starting out is to practice on an "old" piece of glass. Old glass is more difficult to score deeply and it seems to break unevenly. New glass is more predictable and less likely to have surface imperfections and random scratches that can affect how cleanly the break will happen. The glass I was using in the video was an old piece and I could tell that it was not behaving itself. I was too lousy to go and buy a new piece! Regards, Mark

[@sturestensson9187]

Nice and clear video, but I'm flinching everytime you pick up the cut piece, just waiting for you to cut you hand!

[@Preso58]

If it's any comfort, the biggest danger is from the small splinters of glass not the long cut edges. Getting those little splinters out is no fun. Regards, Mark

[@CapeCodCNC]

The best ones have a pair of knockers.... hehehe

[@trollforge]

Yup, not Rocket Science, just a little... Light Surgery... ;)

[@NightsReign]

Have people actually been credential-snobs toward you`? It's baffling how some people can act like that, with the amount of gullible people constantly being duped by "free energy device" videos, and other scammy clickbait. More shameful is how those content creators can't even pretend to _appear knowledgeable!_ Glass is one of a number of ubiquitous materials that's used in or on much of our surroundings, while a vanishingly small minority that has any clue of how to actually manipulate it... Electricity, and all manner of metal, are more glaring examples. These things keep me up at night...

[@Preso58]

I have never put too much importance on credentials. I worked with some highly credentialed teachers who couldn't teach because they were unable to communicate with students. One of the best teachers I worked with was a panel beater who did a two year teaching upgrade. He had a way of talking to students in a way that encouraged them to try. He managed to get the best out of every kid he worked with. Having a good knowledge of your subject matter is only part of the skill set you need. I agree with your appreciation of glass as a material. It seems to be inert and unyielding but once you understand how to process it, it can be coaxed into the most beautiful artefacts. Regards, Mark

[@n00bkill]

Surely it would make more sense to tap the upper surface of the bit you want to break off so that your scored line/crack at the top surface propagates into the material. Also, a good technique I saw for snapping was to put the piece of glass over a wooden dowel and then press gently either side of the score line. Works a treat.

[@Preso58]

Well, I must confess I haven't tried it the way you are suggesting. I was taught by a leadlight tutor and we always tapped it from the bottom. I can also tell you that cutting new glass is a lot easier than cutting old, aged glass. New glass is much more predictable in the way it fractures. I have seen various techniques for fracturing large panes of glass and the method of putting a fulcrum under the score line is great for very thick or large sheets of glass but for smaller stock it is so much easier and quicker to just bend it either side of your fingers. Regards, Mark

[@n00bkill]

@@Preso58 Thanks for the info Mark. I've only recently discovered your channel and I'm enjoying watch your projects.

[@jdmccorful]

Always interesting sessons. Thanks for the look.