Cutting Spectrum Baroque - total frustration

Mira · Post by **Mira** » Mon Feb 16, 2004 5:11 pm

I'm trying to cut spectrum steel blue baroque into long pieces for a project. Problem is, my score seems fine, but my cut tends to just curve off along with the steel gray swirls in the glass. I've made sure to keep my cutter straight, I'm using the morton system, applying even, but gentle pressue. I cut other glass like this all the time. I'm totally loosing my mind - I'm doing this for a friend and it's her glass. I basically shattered a half sheet of glass and only a got a few of the pieces I need from it. I'm so embarassed.

HELP! (boo, hoo, hoo)

Mira

Bellknap · Post by **Bellknap** » Mon Feb 16, 2004 5:32 pm

Are you cutting on the smoothest side? Even if not I would try fliping it over and trying again, just a shot. Good luck...I know about the tears. It is just like you are burning money! Lydia

Geri Comstock · Post by **Geri Comstock** » Mon Feb 16, 2004 5:34 pm

Which side of the glass are you cutting on?

Certain glasses are simply a nightmare to cut. When I did stained glass, I worked alot with Yough and had a terrible time getting straight cuts on certain color combinations. I suspect it's because of the differences of hardness or some other factor between the different colors.

Geri

travisraybold · Post by **travisraybold** » Mon Feb 16, 2004 5:46 pm

sometimes when cutting long pieces of noncooperative glass i will use the running pliers gently on one side, just til i hear a slight cracking, and then use them on the other side.

good luck!

--travis

Gabriel · Post by **Gabriel** » Mon Feb 16, 2004 5:52 pm

Try using the Morton M80 or starting your run from both edges and meet in the middle. I personally use the Silberschnitt running pliers which allow you to rotate them so you can start at the middle.

Brad Walker · Post by **Brad Walker** » Mon Feb 16, 2004 5:59 pm

Sometimes you get a piece of baroque that doesn't cut well. Doesn't matter how carefully you try, it just refuses to run a decent score. My theory is similar to Geri's -- the colors in the glass have different degrees of hardness and insist on being onery.

When I get a piece of baroque like that, I just use it for something else and get another another piece to cut into strips. That works almost all the time.

Marty · Post by **Marty** » Mon Feb 16, 2004 6:28 pm

Geri Comstock wrote:Which side of the glass are you cutting on?

Certain glasses are simply a nightmare to cut. When I did stained glass, I worked alot with Yough and had a terrible time getting straight cuts on certain color combinations. I suspect it's because of the differences of hardness or some other factor between the different colors.

Geri

I got so mad at a sheet of Yough once that I smashed it on the floor.
After I cleaned it up I called Yough and complained about lousy glass
and they sent me a bunch of 8x10 pieces of the same stuff- didn't cut much better.

Glenda Kronke · Post by **Glenda Kronke** » Mon Feb 16, 2004 6:30 pm

Mira Woodworth wrote:I'm trying to cut spectrum steel blue baroque into long pieces for a project. Problem is, my score seems fine, but my cut tends to just curve off along with the steel gray swirls in the glass. I've made sure to keep my cutter straight, I'm using the morton system, applying even, but gentle pressue. I cut other glass like this all the time. I'm totally loosing my mind - I'm doing this for a friend and it's her glass. I basically shattered a half sheet of glass and only a got a few of the pieces I need from it. I'm so embarassed.

HELP! (boo, hoo, hoo)

Mira

Mira, don't be embarrassed, just tell your friend "It's Broke (Baroque)".
(sorry, I just couldn't resist)
g-

Bev Brandt · Post by **Bev Brandt** » Mon Feb 16, 2004 6:45 pm

Marty wrote:I got so mad at a sheet of Yough once that I smashed it on the floor.
After I cleaned it up I called Yough and complained about lousy glass
and they sent me a bunch of 8x10 pieces of the same stuff- didn't cut much better.

The old-timer that sold me a gorgeous piece of Yough said that he just uses the band saw on the stuff. (Apparently, he's not one of the old timers on the stained glass newsgroups that think saws are for wimps only.)

He said: "This is beautiful glass, but even a straight score will run off the sheet at some odd angle." He was right. I used the Youg for a border and those straight scores ran off the sheet if I didn't hold my mouth right.

No one will tell if you use a saw on wacky glass. At least I won't, I swear. And there's an old-timey stained glass guy around these parts that won't tell, either.

- Bev

Liam · Post by **Liam** » Mon Feb 16, 2004 7:38 pm

Ive had the same problem from time to time with baroque. This helped me. instead of cutting along a straight edge, draw with a straight edge, and cut free hand along the line. Some times a straight edge will make your cutter run a degree or two off what it's suposed to, making a funky score. And when all esle fails, try tapping, yes you may have to resort to that. And never let anyone watch you break glass. That's a surefire way to break glass wrong. Don't know why, just is.

Liam

Mira · Post by **Mira** » Mon Feb 16, 2004 7:59 pm

Thanks for all the support guys . . .

As soon as Taurus replaces my ring saw blade as promised, I think I'll cut it with that. Maybe it's just too much pressure that it's someone else's glass. I appreciate you guys won't tell on me!!

Baroque joke of the day (from my hubby's tee shirt):

Ques: What is Baroque?
Ans: When your out of Monet.

I guess I'm out of Monet . . . (sigh!)

Geri Comstock · Post by **Geri Comstock** » Mon Feb 16, 2004 7:59 pm

Liam - It doesn't work when someone's watching you because the glass gods want each of us to keep our glass cutting rituals a secret.

Laughing -

Geri

mbeth · Post by **mbeth** » Mon Feb 16, 2004 9:09 pm

Try scoring slower so you're not causing any "skips" in the score. They like to appear where color/texture changes occur.

When you go to break it, hold your breath and just "give-er"!!! Go like h-e-l-l. From what I've been told (decide if this is true or not for yourself) as the glass breaks, it builds up momentum as it runs along the score line. The faster you can break the glass, the better chance you have at it following the score.

Good luck. Some people have trouble with baroques. I'm one of the lucky ones and didn't know it could be trouble when I first started. There are the ocassional sheets that won't cut for crap no matter what you do so I wouldn't feel to bad. Easy for me to say though!

Hope this helps even if it might be too late for that sheet....
Mary

Barbara Cashman · Post by **Barbara Cashman** » Mon Feb 16, 2004 9:36 pm

When the Baroque came out initially, it was REALLY erratic (it bar-oke all over the place). Spectrum told me that the reason for the problem is that they mix glasses that don't really like each other to create the swirl. This is, of course, the good news and the bad news. There is already tension in the glass, so it tends to follow some of the swirls when cutting. Believe me, it has MUCH!!!! improved since its introduction, but I've never heard any different update from their original explanation of the touchiness of the glass. If we get a Spectrum answer on this, it would be a good thing. - Barbara

Dennis Brady · Post by **Dennis Brady** » Mon Feb 16, 2004 11:36 pm

Try "cracking" the strip off instead of running it After scoring, hold the glass on the edge of your work table with the score facing up and 1/8" to 1/4" off the table edge. Hold the glass near both ends. Lift it about 3 in and pull it rapidly down to hit the table. It the strip to break off is too thin to be held in your fingers, use two breaking pliers. You'll usually have more success breaking off long strips than running them.

Lynn g · Post by **Lynn g** » Tue Feb 17, 2004 12:49 am

I tell my students you can always learn something new in working with glass. A year or two ago, I read somewhere that you will have more success cutting glass if you keep a fairly even amount of glass on either side of your score. So now, when I need to cut strips, I start by splitting the piece in half. then I split each half in half, and so on until I have the strips I need. This technique has worked very well for me.

Lynn g

Liam · Post by **Liam** » Tue Feb 17, 2004 8:13 am

Thanks Dennis for mentioning this, I had fogoten. This is the most effective way to break straight lines over long pieces of glass.

Liam

Dennis Brady wrote:Try "cracking" the strip off instead of running it After scoring, hold the glass on the edge of your work table with the score facing up and 1/8" to 1/4" off the table edge. Hold the glass near both ends. Lift it about 3 in and pull it rapidly down to hit the table. It the strip to break off is too thin to be held in your fingers, use two breaking pliers. You'll usually have more success breaking off long strips than running them.

mikefromitaly · Post by **mikefromitaly** » Wed Mar 03, 2004 12:36 pm

sorry but i might do straight line cutting with baroque.....could i have problems?could i break them if i do not observe any tips?
please help me.any help will be appreciate.

thanks

mike from italy

Tony Serviente · Post by **Tony Serviente** » Wed Mar 03, 2004 5:41 pm

I use Baroque extensively, and what I can offer is the observation that when you are doing narrow strips, or any delicate shapes, the biggest problem will be the difference in thickness that occurs where the swirls are. The bigger the difference between thick and thin, the more of a problem it will be to break, which makes perfect sense. I just approach those areas with more care and prayer, and if possible, avoid them. Good luck.

glass1 · Post by **glass1** » Wed Mar 03, 2004 10:54 pm

Sometimes warming the glass helps a lot. You can use a heating pad, a hair dryer, a heat gun, the oven. This works especially well with Youghiogheny.

WarmGlass.com

Cutting Spectrum Baroque - total frustration

Cutting Spectrum Baroque - total frustration

which side?

glass cutting

Re: Cutting Spectrum Baroque - total frustration

straight line cutting