marking glass to be cut with Revolution XT

This is the main board for discussing general techniques, tools, and processes for fusing, slumping, and related kiln-forming activities.

Moderators: Brad Walker, Tony Smith

Post Reply
seachange
Posts: 223
Joined: Tue Apr 18, 2006 1:19 am

marking glass to be cut with Revolution XT

Post by seachange »

Hi,

Just got the XT, haven't tried it yet, waiting for better weather to take it out to the veranda.

In the meantime I am preparing some test patterns to cut. Need to cut a lot of small pieces (about 1 1/2 x 1 1/4").

They have 2 curved sides and I am wasting a lot of expensive patterned dichro getting these right, therefore the test on the XT.

My question is: can I glue a strip of paper with the outline of several of these small pieces (I print this from InDesign), put some sort of grease or something on the paper so it does not dissolve with the water, and cut through the paper? The paper has to last long enough for me to make the 4 cuts, so it can't be destroyed in just one or two passes. I also have slightly thicker paper, like an extremely thin card.

Is this how it is done?

Or do I have to cut and glue each template separately, so that I can cut around the perimeter of each template without touching the paper?

The first method would be a lot faster (a lot less cutting of templates with scissors).

I am trying to prepare several good pieces with templates glued and ready, so that after I have played a bit with some waste glass I can get some of the real work done in the same day. It is winter, therefore don't have that many good days to use the saw outside.

I'll very much appreciate your insights, as always.

All best wishes, seachange
Andre Zunino
Posts: 7
Joined: Fri Jun 05, 2009 10:49 am
Location: Fremont, CA

Re: marking glass to be cut with Revolution XT

Post by Andre Zunino »

I've never had a lot of luck gluing a pattern down. It always seems to slide on me a bit. Typically I will either use an oil based marker, like the DecoColor pens, or use a regular sharpie and then go over the marking with either a glue stick or vaseline so that it doesn't wash off while I'm cutting.

I guess you could also glue your pattern down, then go over it with a glue stick. Never tried that, but you could test it with some scrap glass.

Edit: Glue sticks are usually water based, so if you have lots of cuts, or they are intricate it's not the best choice. For a couple of quick cuts its usually fine, but if your going to be at the saw for awhile, the vaseline might be better.
Mike Jordan
Posts: 94
Joined: Mon Nov 06, 2006 11:13 pm
Location: Hillsboro, OR
Contact:

Re: marking glass to be cut with Revolution XT

Post by Mike Jordan »

What I have done using my Taurus glass saw is one of two things... I take a printed pattern and use the wide clear packing tape and tape over the whole thing or I will trace the image if I'm using clear or transparent glass with a sharpie and then use the packing tape and tape over the tracing.

I have found that I can cut out quit a bit this way before the water finally starts to get under the tape and dissolves the glue. It also starts to loosen up as I near the end of my cutting, but I can usually still finish the cutting.

I've used this method to cut a lot of patterns and it works pretty consistently. The glue on the tape also acts as a lubricant to the blade (this method is used in wood cutting on jig saws to cut out patterns for the same reason and is where I learned it).

Mike
It's said that inside each of us is an artist trying to get out. Well mine got out... and I haven't seen him since.
seachange
Posts: 223
Joined: Tue Apr 18, 2006 1:19 am

Re: marking glass to be cut with Revolution XT

Post by seachange »

Hi Andre and Mike

Many thanks for your replies.

Managed to test my XT today, very cold outside, but no wind or rain.

I ended up trying two ways of marking:

Tracing around the pattern with a black marker and covering the mark with vaseline. This worked very well (on clear and light colored glass). Preparation is quick, tracing around the template is faster than cutting and gluing each templates. And the template can be used to trace around it multiple times.

Smaller templates printed on a strip of standard printer paper: Covered top of the paper and all edges with vaseline. It lasted long enough to make all the cuts. The paper did not move on the strips where I had spread the glue properly on the whole of the strip with a brush (used water based glue).

On another strip where I only spread bits of glue along the edges and a bit along the center, the paper started to lift after a while (even so it was also covered with vaseline).

From this experience I think I will try to trace around a template on any glass where the mark is visible. For dark glass gluing the template is a workable option...and I'll get a big pot of vaseline :)

Regarding the glass, I tried float 3 and 4 mm, and tekta 3mm (1/8"). Also BE thin, but broke a couple of pieces. Don't think it is good for dichro, fired or unfired, got lots of chipping on the dichro (get this also with a fine grit (600) on my grinder if I try to improve the edges).

Dichro that has been capped with a layer of clear (fired) works well.

Many thanks for your help.

Best regards, seachange
David Jenkins
Posts: 174
Joined: Wed Apr 29, 2009 10:35 pm
Location: Cypress, Texas

Re: marking glass to be cut with Revolution XT

Post by David Jenkins »

You can also use ChapStik to cover Sharpie marks so that they don't disappear in the water.
Dave Jenkins
Glass at Harbor Gates
Cypress, TX
JestersBaubles
Posts: 705
Joined: Fri Feb 25, 2011 12:01 am
Location: North Logan, UT
Contact:

Re: marking glass to be cut with Revolution XT

Post by JestersBaubles »

I have found grease pencils to stay on better than covering a line with Vaseline. Plus, the pencils come in a variety of colors.

Dana W.
Buttercup
Posts: 626
Joined: Mon Jan 28, 2008 5:22 pm
Location: S.E. Queensland Australia

Re: marking glass to be cut with Revolution XT

Post by Buttercup »

The best way I've found to retain template outlines while wet cutting is to lightly sandblast and then use a fine Sharpie marker. On opalescent glass this works really well. Use the template upside down and sandblast and mark and cut on the underside of the glass. With cathedral or clear glass the sandblast should fire polish out if you're taking your project high enough. Jen
Peter Angel
Posts: 186
Joined: Fri Oct 31, 2008 9:26 am
Location: Newtown, Sydney, Australia.

Re: marking glass to be cut with Revolution XT

Post by Peter Angel »

Sharpie make an oil-based marker. It takes a few minutes to dry. I suspect it will stay onto the glass but I haven't tested it.
Peter Angel
http://peterangelart.blogspot.com/

A bigger kiln, A bigger kiln, my kingdom for a bigger kiln.
Judith Andre
Posts: 28
Joined: Thu Mar 20, 2003 2:38 am
Location: Lincoln, NE

Re: marking glass to be cut with Revolution XT

Post by Judith Andre »

Disappointing that the dichro chips so badly with this saw. I was looking at it online today. Other than that , do you like it? Is it worth the money? Anybody else have one? I bought the original Taurus ring saw and it was junk. Little plastic parts that wore out FAST. Blades that broke no matter how slow I went . So I'm a little leery of Gemini products.
Judith
seachange
Posts: 223
Joined: Tue Apr 18, 2006 1:19 am

Re: marking glass to be cut with Revolution XT

Post by seachange »

Judith Andre wrote:Disappointing that the dichro chips so badly with this saw. I was looking at it online today. Other than that , do you like it? Is it worth the money? Anybody else have one? I bought the original Taurus ring saw and it was junk. Little plastic parts that wore out FAST. Blades that broke no matter how slow I went . So I'm a little leery of Gemini products.
Hi Judith

have replied to your question in a new post. You are likely to get a lot more comments from other users this way, it might be easier for you to decide then.

Best regards, seachange
seachange
Posts: 223
Joined: Tue Apr 18, 2006 1:19 am

Re: marking glass to be cut with Revolution XT

Post by seachange »

Thank you all for your replies, I really appreciate your help.

I will keep all your suggestions in a file, they will very useful as I try to cut other types and colors of glass.

At present, the marker covered with vaseline got the job done (the pen I used is called Staedtler permanent Lumocolor, size M, black).

They are not cheap, but we have them at home already for other uses.

Now have to grind edges and fuse the test projects (and possibly wait for another not-freezing, not too windy day), before cutting the next lot.

Cutting with the saw (hadn't used a saw for a long time) reminded me of an advice I have seen here many times: do your best to learn to cut by hand.

It is amazing how slow cutting with a saw is, by comparison, and how much fuss with the water, then cleaning and drying everything.

Cutting by hand is fast and almost meditative, cutting with a saw feels to me like work...wet and slow work.

All best wishes, seachange
Terry Gallentine
Posts: 190
Joined: Mon Jul 19, 2004 2:08 pm
Location: River Falls, WI
Contact:

Re: marking glass to be cut with Revolution XT

Post by Terry Gallentine »

I don't have a Revolution XT but I do have a scroll saw that I rigged with a water supply for cutting glass. What I do to mark the glass is to first spray a light coat of shellac on the glass and let it dry. Then I draw the pattern on the shellac coated glass with a Sharpie (silver if the glass is dark and black if it is light). The shellac holds the Sharpie mark while you are sawing and can be wiped off with alcohol after you are done.
Buttercup
Posts: 626
Joined: Mon Jan 28, 2008 5:22 pm
Location: S.E. Queensland Australia

Re: marking glass to be cut with Revolution XT

Post by Buttercup »

[quote="seachange"]
It is amazing how slow cutting with a saw is, by comparison, and how much fuss with the water, then cleaning and drying everything.

Cutting by hand is fast and almost meditative, cutting with a saw feels to me like work...wet and slow work.

I agree, and mostly cut by hand but use the saw for getting the most irregular pieces with the least waste out of a precious piece of flashed or other scarce glass where hand cutting sees the run go to the other side of the glass often causing a lot of waste. I'll use the saw to get pieces roughly the size and shape I want then cut the finished shapes by hand. I just have the Taurus 3 which I never use for straight cuts. Those I do by hand with a straight edge or strip cutter. Jen
Valerie Adams
Posts: 587
Joined: Mon Apr 19, 2004 2:49 pm
Location: Santa Rosa, California
Contact:

Re: marking glass to be cut with Revolution XT

Post by Valerie Adams »

I know someone who used to stick her paper patterns on with a light coating of rubber cement.
Post Reply