Cutting Combed Glass

Suzan · Post by **Suzan** » Mon Sep 15, 2003 11:26 am

Hi!

I completed my first combing recently (thanks Tony, for translating Patty's firing schedule into Bartlett for me) and wish to cut it into a circle. I scored an edge and tried to break it with running pliers, but it just won't break. I'm pressing down with all my might! The combed piece is in a rough square about 11", and is at least 1/4" thick, perhaps slightly more at the centre. The edges are well rounded, making it a bit difficult to score at the first edge.

Any advice on scoring and cutting combed glass would be mightily appreciated. My first effort turned out very nicely, and I'll cry if I muck it up while trying to shape it into a circle.

Cheers,
Suzan

Tony Smith · Post by **Tony Smith** » Mon Sep 15, 2003 12:16 pm

I would recommend using a band saw or ring saw. It would be ashame to try to run the score only to find it goes the wrong way in your glass.

The early Taurus ring saws don't handle thick glass very well, but they will eventually cut through if you are patient. You might wear out the bushings in the process.

Tony

Barbara Muth · Post by **Barbara Muth** » Mon Sep 15, 2003 12:32 pm

If you don't have access to a ring saw, you can use a tile saw, using smaller and smaller straight cuts til you are close enough to a circle that you can coldwork it with the handpads.

Not the easiest way to go, but it beats running a score the wrong way.

B