Cutting rim off drop ring vessel

[StaceyG]

What is the best way to cut the rim off a drop ring, so it becomes a "rimless" vase. Any suggestions for best way to cold work that edge, can you successfully use sanding pads, or would I need something like a lap grinder or belt sander?

Stacey

[Bert Weiss]

I invented a circle cutter with an adjustable angle, so I can put the suction cup in the bottom, and score perpendicular to the glass surface. Then a hand held dry belt sander will grind the edge. This won't work on a deep small diameter shape. As long as you can get the cup to stick and there is room to rotate the cutter, it works. I had this rig made a long time ago, and I didn't do a very good design job. But last year, I had a project that needed it and I replaced the wheel with a carbide wheel and it worked pretty slick.

[Pam]

I do it all the time using a Taurus ring saw. I actually cut it twice- first to cut the lip off and then sideways to cut through the thick part. I then use a lap grinder starting with 70 grit then going all the way to polish. I found that the rim gets really sharp, so I use the pre-polish grit to put a little bevel on the outside of the rim. It's important to make your disk thick enough so that when it drops it doesn't thin out too much where you want to grind it. It gets hard to hang onto the bowl when grinding, and I usually wrap duct tape around it to make it stickier.

Hope this helps,
Pam

[StaceyG]

I can imagine its hard to keep it still on the grinder. Thanks for the information. I think this is something I might tackle down the road, since I don't currently have a lap grinder.

Stacey