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I am interested in obtaining a circle cutter. They seem to come in a wide price range and of course I want the least expensive that will work well. I will not give it extraordinarily heavy use. Wouldn't mind if it cut very small circles and currently don't need more than 6'' because of the size of my kiln, although for future use I hope to get a larger kiln. Does anyone have experience with a good one that she/he would recommend and perhaps the supplier who carries it?

Thanks for your help!
Sharon

artisand wrote:I am interested in obtaining a circle cutter. They seem to come in a wide price range and of course I want the least expensive that will work well. I will not give it extraordinarily heavy use. Wouldn't mind if it cut very small circles and currently don't need more than 6'' because of the size of my kiln, although for future use I hope to get a larger kiln. Does anyone have experience with a good one that she/he would recommend and perhaps the supplier who carries it?

Thanks for your help!
Sharon

For small circles try doing a search on "lens cutter" -- they often come up on eBay. Right now someone has a bunch of new ones with with a $15 buy-it-now price (but $10 shipping) -- its hard to tell from the picture but they look decent.

One of my favorite studio tools is the Silberschnitt 24" circle cutter I bought from BE for about $65. I've had several people try it and then immediately order one for themselves.

BE also has a "repetative small circle cutter" that looks pretty cool - but pricey at $275.

I used a Silberschnitt while in school. Loved it and immediately ordered one. Have used it for a year and it has never let me down. carole....

Finally found it, I have a Easy-Cut made by Diamond Tech. It cuts circle from 1/2 to 5 " paid alot more than 10. Don't know if it is just me but I find smaller circles harder to cut than the larger ones. Carole......

Carole Burton wrote:I used a Silberschnitt while in school. Loved it and immediately ordered one. Have used it for a year and it has never let me down. carole....

I also have one, and I find that I can't cut a good circle with the standard head installed. Ragged edges.
I installed the head for thick glass, and it does a fantastic job on all thicknesses of glass.

Jim

jim simmons wrote:

Carole Burton wrote:I used a Silberschnitt while in school. Loved it and immediately ordered one. Have used it for a year and it has never let me down. carole....

I also have one, and I find that I can't cut a good circle with the standard head installed. Ragged edges.
I installed the head for thick glass, and it does a fantastic job on all thicknesses of glass.

Jim

Hi Jim -- can you provide details on the replacement head? Thanks

Paul Tarlow wrote:

jim simmons wrote:

Carole Burton wrote:I used a Silberschnitt while in school. Loved it and immediately ordered one. Have used it for a year and it has never let me down. carole....

I also have one, and I find that I can't cut a good circle with the standard head installed. Ragged edges.
I installed the head for thick glass, and it does a fantastic job on all thicknesses of glass.

Jim

Hi Jim -- can you provide details on the replacement head? Thanks

Sure I got it from BE and asked for the head for thick glass. It has the number "M6" inscribed on it.

Jim

I tried the lens cutter to cut a lot of circles and found I was running thru a lot of heads on it.

I did some research and found that Cutter's Mate was coming out with a new circle cutter. Is is called Circle Mate and it is wonderful. From very small ones to large circles.

I bought one of these circle cutters. It works great.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vi ... 2663825826

The suction cup on mine wore out. I add a bit of floral tack (green gummy stuff) to the bottom and it holds it in place really well.

Thanks for all the information. The Silberschnitt sounds like the popular choice. What size is the smallest circle it will cut?

Stuart,
Where would I get more information on the Circle Mate?


Thanks all!

Sharon

Speaking of the Cutter's Mate, I read somewhere (wish I could remember where) that they are coming out with a strip cutter. Anyone else hear about this, or have any details?

I do a lot of strip cutting, especially on textured dichro, and need something that does a good job with tiny strips--1/4" or so--as well as 1/2" or wider. I've often bought strips this narrow, so someone has one. Suggestions??

daffodildeb wrote:Speaking of the Cutter's Mate, I read somewhere (wish I could remember where) that they are coming out with a strip cutter. Anyone else hear about this, or have any details?

I do a lot of strip cutting, especially on textured dichro, and need something that does a good job with tiny strips--1/4" or so--as well as 1/2" or wider. I've often bought strips this narrow, so someone has one. Suggestions??

they might be water jet cut

daffodildeb wrote:Speaking of the Cutter's Mate, I read somewhere (wish I could remember where) that they are coming out with a strip cutter. Anyone else hear about this, or have any details?

I do a lot of strip cutting, especially on textured dichro, and need something that does a good job with tiny strips--1/4" or so--as well as 1/2" or wider. I've often bought strips this narrow, so someone has one. Suggestions??

Have you tried the "Scoreboard?" I have one and love it for cutting strips. I've never tried 1/4" though.

I recently purchased one on ebay. It arrived with no cutting wheel in the cutter head. I emailed the seller several times but got no reply until I threatened to contact ebay and paypay and to leave bad feedback. Then I had to send digital photos of the bad head. Another 10 days (from CA to MT!-- they must have pushed it out the door with a road map) went by before I got my new cutter head. I've cut 5 circles with it.

I don't expect it will last very long. The quality is about what you'd expect from a Chinese, Indian or Pakistani knockoff (the seller never answered my query about its country of origin). You get what you pay for.

Caveat emptor!

Pam

Posted: Mon Oct 13, 2003 8:15 pm Post subject: Circle Cutter

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I am interested in obtaining a circle cutter. They seem to come in a wide price range and of course I want the least expensive that will work well. I will not give it extraordinarily heavy use. Wouldn't mind if it cut very small circles and currently don't need more than 6'' because of the size of my kiln, although for future use I hope to get a larger kiln. Does anyone have experience with a good one that she/he would recommend and perhaps the supplier who carries it?

Glastar makes a good cheap circle cutter.

I agree that Glastar makes a good cheap circle cutter. Toyo sells the replacement head for it. The sales rep told me that if I liked my Glastar with the head that came with it I would love it with their head. I have not used the Toyo as of yet. Keep forgetting to buy one when I go to my supplier. Nanc

I spent my money and bought a Fletcher lens cutter from a local glazing supply house and have not regretted it. I have used the cutter to mark my most often used circles on the bakelite base so I can slide a strip of glass 1/2" wider than my circle over the mark and cut away. Just have to slide the strip over 1/4" past the last circle to score the next one until the strip is used up then turn it over to run the scores and break out perfect circles Great for up to about 5". After that its back to the suction cup and swing arm cutter.

Best wishes,
Tom in Texas

for those of you who have this cutter, will it also (accurately) cut strips as narrow as 1/4 - 1/2 inch?
thanks...