Float Glass Sourcing/Safety Glass Process Questions

[cemoore]

Hi All!
I'm finding my way back to an old stash of Reusche paints and want to locate 1/4" basic annealed float glass (not low-e,starphire) in smaller quantities. Say 24 x 24" max, to cut myself. I think this is going to be a challenge. I can go to the big box stores and readily get all the thin 3/32" glass I want, but I'd prefer a thicker glass. Anyone have thoughts on how/where to acquire without breaking the bank? I'm in Greenville SC/Asheville NC area. I could make a thicker safety style glass from two sheets of readily available thin - which would also work. However, what I'm not doing is getting into an obscenely expensive product like HXTAL. What I make is at best decorative, not museum quality. I think the safety glass route is better if I can find a cost-effective and low investment means of adhering them together. Out of curiosity, does anyone know how glass/concrete artist Ben Young puts his glass together?
Thanks!
Cathy

[Brad Walker]

It's pretty easy to find 6mm tempered float glass. Try a local commercial glass supplier. You can also find it online, but shipping could be the deal breaker.

Not sure about what Ben Young uses, but silicone would work.

[cemoore]

Thanks Brad. I've since found a reference that says Ben Young is using UV cured glue to bind layers.

[Brad Walker]

I've since found a reference that says Ben Young is using UV cured glue to bind layers.

Makes sense. So long as the glass is transparent.

[cemoore]

Brad, was there any particular silicone you suggest? I'm seeing people using a silicone called "Bohle Verifix 2K", which while also expensive the quantity is larger so probably much more cost effective than HXTAL. Plus it doesn't require vacuum degassing. Your comment about transparency was about the UV curing - not working through an opaque glass? That seems to make sense.
Thanks again,
Cathy

[Brad Walker]

Yes, UV glue doesn't work through opaque glass, but if your glass is transparent it's a very good choice. Loctite makes a UV glue that's cures with sunlight and is easy to find (I bought it at my local Wal-Mart.)

If the glass is opaque (you mentioned float, which normally is transparent), then my first choice would be to fuse the two pieces together (works if they're from the same larger sheet), rather than glue. But if you had to glue, a good quality, fresh, silicone from the hardware store (like GE silicone II) would work. Hxtal is a lot of trouble (not to mention expensive) for what you're doing.

On the other hand, if it's clear 6mm float you want, then just get that and skip gluing or fusing two pieces together. It's pretty easy to source and less hassle than anything else. There's also a 6mm fusible glass (like Bullseye Tekta), which may be comparable in price for small quantities.

[Don Burt]

Your query was for 1/4 x 24 x24 annealed float glass. But all the discussion is about making tempered or safety glass. So I'm probably out of synch as usual, but anyway, almost any commercial window glass shop has sheets of 1/4" float that they'll cut into manageable pieces. 3/8" is strong and cheaper. Certainly, several shops in Asheville or Greenville SC.

[cemoore]

My interest in gluing flats together would be in making it more safe for however I want to install...whether in a frame or frameless using an offset from the wall. Also, I'm looking at painting on multiple thinner sheets of float as well and gluing them together for a 3d effect which would also improve safety.

Thanks all, I've got some good starting points here.

Cathy