1/4 inch jaw running pliers

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Birdzilla44
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Joined: Mon Jan 25, 2021 10:56 am

1/4 inch jaw running pliers

Post by Birdzilla44 »

I need to make 1/2 inch wide glass strips, squares, and triangles. Are there any small jaw running pliers that can do this?
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Re: 1/4 inch jaw running pliers

Post by Brad Walker »

Do you mean 1/2" thick glass? Or something else?
Birdzilla44
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Re: 1/4 inch jaw running pliers

Post by Birdzilla44 »

Half inch wide, standard 3 mm thick
Brad Walker
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Re: 1/4 inch jaw running pliers

Post by Brad Walker »

If you want to cut half inch wide strips out of 3mm glass, any running pliers will do the trick.
Birdzilla44
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Re: 1/4 inch jaw running pliers

Post by Birdzilla44 »

Thank you. Must not be holding my mouth right or need better running pliers. Any suggestions ?
jim simmons
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Re: 1/4 inch jaw running pliers

Post by jim simmons »

bow, turn around 3 times and look to the east. Seriously, Bullseye has a good tutorial on cutting glass.
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Re: 1/4 inch jaw running pliers

Post by Brad Walker »

Birdzilla44 wrote:Thank you. Must not be holding my mouth right or need better running pliers. Any suggestions ?
I have two.

First, you want the distance between the top and bottom of the running pliers to be slightly less than the thickness of your glass. If it's too close together (i.e. all the way closed) you won't get good results. Use the screw on the running pliers to adjust the distance

Second, check your cutter. If you don't get a good score you won't break cleanly.
jim simmons
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Re: 1/4 inch jaw running pliers

Post by jim simmons »

Also make sure that the running pliers are perfectly vertical throughout the cut.\
Also. keep the pressure the same through out the cut.
Birdzilla44
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Re: 1/4 inch jaw running pliers

Post by Birdzilla44 »

Thank you - I will give that a try.
Birdzilla44
Posts: 7
Joined: Mon Jan 25, 2021 10:56 am

Re: 1/4 inch jaw running pliers

Post by Birdzilla44 »

Thanks all. Now I am trying 2 - 3 mm strips from standard glass and some complex curves. Not very successful. I need a better diamond pencil. I think I need to expand to a glass saw. There are several ring saws and band saws for glass. What or which is the best for complex shapes to be fused? I hate bubbles, but it is what it is.
Buttercup
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Re: 1/4 inch jaw running pliers

Post by Buttercup »

Hi, are you trying to score the glass using a diamond pencil made for marking lab slides etc? They're not designed for making the score line which then allows you to run the score and snap the glass. If the score line is not continuous the run can veer off and the glass will break in the direction of the 'veer off'.

Have you tried a regular glass cutter? Here's a selection. https://www.ebay.com/b/Carbide-Glass-Cu ... 7023255563

My personal choice is the pistol grip cutter.

As Jim suggested, check Bullseye's tutorial. good luck
Buttercup
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Re: 1/4 inch jaw running pliers

Post by Buttercup »

Regarding the rest of your question re: best mechanical equipment for cutting glass, for most shapes, nothing will give you the precision of a freehand cut once you become proficient. If you want to make 'unnatural' cuts, such as a cutting an inside point, possibly a leaf shape, out of a piece of glass, leaving the surrounding glass intact, then a ring saw or a bandsaw with a fine blade is the tool. A ring saw won't give you sharp points, but a band saw will.

As for repetitive strip cuts, you can buy a strip cutter or make one from instructions available on-line. fusedglass.org used to sell the plans.
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