Glass cutters

Cliff Swanson · Post by **Cliff Swanson** » Thu Mar 27, 2003 8:46 pm

I need to buy a new glass cutter, and have been considering a Toyo. Does anyone know what "tap" designates in the Toyo Tap Wheel Supercutter. I haven't been cutting glass for very long, and I don't know how the Tap Cutter is different from the regular Toyo cutter other than the ergonomic consideration of the handle.

Thanks in advance,

Cliff

jim simmons · Post by **jim simmons** » Thu Mar 27, 2003 9:19 pm

The "tap" refers to the axle of the wheel. It has ridges/indents in it so that when the wheel rotates, it also moves up and down making a Tap ing motion.

You can't see it, deel it or anything, but I do think that it cuts somewhat better that the regular Toros.

Jim

Bert Weiss · Post by **Bert Weiss** » Fri Mar 28, 2003 1:30 am

Cliff Swanson wrote:I need to buy a new glass cutter, and have been considering a Toyo. Does anyone know what "tap" designates in the Toyo Tap Wheel Supercutter. I haven't been cutting glass for very long, and I don't know how the Tap Cutter is different from the regular Toyo cutter other than the ergonomic consideration of the handle.

Thanks in advance,

Cliff

Cliff

What kind of glass are you cutting? I use the tap wheel cutter and I love it. It is deigned to cut thick glass minimizing flare. If you are cutting 1/8" Bullseye glass, I don't think it does much for you. I swear by Toyo cutters. My favorite grip is called the "custom grip". For me this is the easiest to hold and control of any I have used in 30 years.

Pat Loboda · Post by **Pat Loboda** » Fri Mar 28, 2003 9:15 am

I've used a number of cutters throughout the years. My favorite is one that I bought at the Bullseye Resource Center - yellow barrel. I've had it almost 2 years, and I still love it!

Pat

lohman · Post by **lohman** » Fri Mar 28, 2003 9:21 am

Bert, I like working with thick glass too. What do you consider thick? And can you cut a small radius curve--say 2 inches, with this tap wheel on thick glass?

Bert Weiss · Post by **Bert Weiss** » Fri Mar 28, 2003 10:23 am

lohman wrote:Bert, I like working with thick glass too. What do you consider thick? And can you cut a small radius curve--say 2 inches, with this tap wheel on thick glass?

I have used my tap wheel cutter to cut glass from 3/16" thick up to 1.5". The basic glass that I now use for most work (except lighting) is 10mm (3/8").

As for making cutting small radius cuts, They may or may not be possible to do with a glass cutter. Try a water jet. What I can do is make wavy or round irregular or regular cuts and end up with a square edged piece of glass. This is no small feat. I can make these cuts in 3/8" and 1/2" glasses.

Carol · Post by **Carol** » Fri Mar 28, 2003 12:43 pm

I wouldn't be without my tap cutter. It's great for any hard to cut glass. If you do stained glass and use Spectrum's Baroque you'll know the cuts occasionally "have a mind of their own" no matter how good your score. The tap cutter eliminates this. It's also useful for any heavily textured hard to cut glass. Was very interested to hear it also works on heavy float glass.

It also provides a different grip that say a pistol or pencil cutter...if you're cutting for hours it's good to switch cutters to prevent muscle fatigue.

Carol

Bert Weiss · Post by **Bert Weiss** » Fri Mar 28, 2003 12:54 pm

Carol wrote:I wouldn't be without my tap cutter. It's great for any hard to cut glass. If you do stained glass and use Spectrum's Baroque you'll know the cuts occasionally "have a mind of their own" no matter how good your score. The tap cutter eliminates this. It's also useful for any heavily textured hard to cut glass. Was very interested to hear it also works on heavy float glass.

It also provides a different grip that say a pistol or pencil cutter...if you're cutting for hours it's good to switch cutters to prevent muscle fatigue.

Carol

Carol

Assuming that you are using the custom grip cutter, any of the many Toyo cutting wheel heads will fit on that cutting handle. What is so good about this cutter handle is the way if fits in your hand allowing you to concentrate your strength right through the palm of your hand to the cutter's wheel. Before this one, I used a pistol grip, but the custom is much easier for me to control.

Nice to hear that the tap wheel has benefits beyond heavy glass.

Amy on Salt Spring · Post by **Amy on Salt Spring** » Fri Mar 28, 2003 1:02 pm

I'm kind of interested in getting Toyo pistol grip since I've heard great things about them, but my concern is that you can't see what you are cutting. When I cut I bend my knees just a little and watch the line I've drawn on the glass while I'm cutting as I cut from away from me toward me (does that make sense)? If I had a pistol grip I couldn't do that because the grip part would be in the way and I couldn't put pressure on it the right way. So I guess my question is, how do you see where you are going with that big grip? (or do I just have a crazy made up way of cutting?)
-Amy

Bert Weiss · Post by **Bert Weiss** » Fri Mar 28, 2003 2:48 pm

Amy on Salt Spring wrote:I'm kind of interested in getting Toyo pistol grip since I've heard great things about them, but my concern is that you can't see what you are cutting. When I cut I bend my knees just a little and watch the line I've drawn on the glass while I'm cutting as I cut from away from me toward me (does that make sense)? If I had a pistol grip I couldn't do that because the grip part would be in the way and I couldn't put pressure on it the right way. So I guess my question is, how do you see where you are going with that big grip? (or do I just have a crazy made up way of cutting?)
-Amy

Amy

2 things. The custom grip is a short barrel with a little swiveling tab that fits in the palm of your hand. You can use it like a pencil grip type of barrel, with the added advantage of the strength of your whole arm, not just your fingers.

I find the pistol grip harder to get fine control of, but your hand is behind the cutting wheel so you can see where you are going. As I think about it. I cut towards myself when following a straight edge, and away from myself when following a pen line. By cutting forward, I can watch the line in front of where I am about to cut.

A tip for anybody cutting glass is to break out from the end of your cut, not the beginning. At the beginning, you could miss the very edge or not have as good a pressure. At the end, you have good pressure and roll off of the edge (hopefully in to the air, not your bench). It doesn't matter if you are more comfortable going forward or backward.

Amy on Salt Spring · Post by **Amy on Salt Spring** » Fri Mar 28, 2003 6:04 pm

Since I learned everything on my own I guess I learned to cut a weird way--but I've been doing it for three years now and never had a problem with cutting so it must not be too bad even if its not technically right. Maybe I'll get the Toro Pistol Grip and teach myself to use it the way you do, so I won't have people laughing and pointing at me if I ever take a class

I always break from the end of my cut so at least I do that the right way! Thanks!
Amy

Jeri D · Post by **Jeri D** » Sun Mar 30, 2003 8:31 pm

how is the custom grip for small hands. My hands are tiny, well they fit my 5' frame, and I use a pistol grip. Never thought i had good control or strength in fingers for regular cutter.

Would you all recommend the tap cutter with a custom grip. Any help with the evil whites and lime green opaque is good in my book

Ron Coleman · Post by **Ron Coleman** » Sun Mar 30, 2003 8:55 pm

Jeri Dantzig wrote: how is the custom grip for small hands. My hands are tiny, well they fit my 5' frame, and I use a pistol grip. Never thought i had good control or strength in fingers for regular cutter.

Would you all recommend the tap cutter with a custom grip. Any help with the evil whites and lime green opaque is good in my book

The custom grip is adjustable by removing the cap that holds the oil and switching the parts around, the handle and a spacer. It should fit about any hand.

The only thing I didn't like about the custom grip cutter is the handle swivels around and isn't tight on the body of the cutter. Everytime I picked the cutter up it took two hands to get the thing lined up, so I wrapped some heavy thread between the body and the handle and that keeps the alignment I like. It still moves but takes a little effort to get it to turn.

Ron

Carol · Post by **Carol** » Sun Mar 30, 2003 9:07 pm

I have really tiny hands and it works well for me. To adjust for small hands, unscrew the brass cap and place the thumb rest on the barrel, then the black ring. For large hands the black ring goes on first. I use the ring finger of my right hand on the cutter head to help direct the score.

C.

Bert Weiss · Post by **Bert Weiss** » Mon Mar 31, 2003 12:22 am

[/quote]
The only thing I didn't like about the custom grip cutter is the handle swivels around and isn't tight on the body of the cutter. Everytime I picked the cutter up it took two hands to get the thing lined up, so I wrapped some heavy thread between the body and the handle and that keeps the alignment I like. It still moves but takes a little effort to get it to turn.

Ron[/quote]

Ron

I don't have that problem, I just pick it up and use it. I guess the fit might be different.

Beth · Post by **Beth** » Mon Mar 31, 2003 2:56 am

I bought the Toyo custom grip, sure I'd love it, but can't use it. In a short time my hand aches - but that's probably because I have a slightly messed up thumb joint/hand and need a wider grip (same with pens). So I use the Toyo pistol grip and like it.

Seems like the custom grip would let you move freer though, everything else being equal.

Beth

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