So I need new glass in the cab of the '40 chevy p/u, every peice is a flat piece... I have a junked '84 S10 sitting outside and I thought to myself I could use the flat rear window of it to try and make a piece or two for the '40.... Looked in the tech archive and found a post about cutting glass and I think I'm gonna try, if nothing else be a good learning experience... Couple questions though I have after reading the tech archive- says to oil the cutter, with what??? one dude said rear glass is tempered and cant be cut?? true??? how do I know if its tempered or not??? said a Fletcher #2 is a good cutter, any good sources??? whats a good way to mark my lines on the glass?? thanks-
It is my understanding that all late model auto glass is tempered and it will say that on the little id markings in one corner of the glass. I'm pretty sure it can be cut as they cut auto glass. The glass guy I know uses 3 in 1 oil or a typical light oil to oil his cutter. You can use masking tape to mark your cuts or a crayon or a stabilo pencil or grease pencil, or a sharpy. I have even seen guys hold the glass up to the hole and spray it with paint. There are some glass guys on here maybe one of them will chime in.
You can certainly cut laminated glass (2 pieces with plastic in between), tempered will shatter (single piece, might have manufacturer's name and tempered in corner). Windshields are laminated the rest will be tempered.
Tempered glass doesn't shatter, it explodes! Don't go near it with a cutter. Either take patterns to a good glass shop where they can cut, then temper glass, or make them with laminated glass.
I worked as a glazier (glass cutting dude) in a previous life. You will be hard pressed to cut laminated safety glass as cheaply and effectively as a local glass shop. As long as you have templates / patterns, the local glass company treats it as a simple job, and usually charges peanuts for this type of service. If you do want to try it yourself, why not ask the local glass company to show you how. Laminated safety glass is not difficult to cut, but it is harder than regular glass, and to be honest, it will make a lot more sense seeing someone do it first.
you could send a pm to your fellow hamber noname, he has all the answers about glass work. his website below www.oldcarglassguy.com
Dan, Don't even think about it. Glass is cheap, aggravating to work with for a novice, and as pointed out, that S10 window is tempered and will shatter. Don't step over dollars to pick up a dime... Brian
turns out the S10 glass has a slight curvature to it anyhow, dont think it will work...in hindsight, probably just go to the glass shop...thought it would be worth a try but like some of you pointed out some jobs are best left to the pros...thanks-
Some things are best left to professionals, cutting glass is one of them. I have ordered several sets of windows for cars I built from Vintage Glass. The price was reasonable and they offer tinted as well as clear. I think I paid around $400 total for all four doors, both halves of the windshield and back window and both rear quarter windows for my '37 Terraplane. They start out with sheets of glass and put the template numbers into a machine that cuts out the pieces. They grind the edges smooth then send the glass to another company that tempers them in a big oven. The glass is then packed in blocks of foam and shipped to the customer. It took a few weeks for delivery since the guys with the tempering over wait untill they have a full oven, fair enough.
Yes but it's fun to try yourself just to see how it turns out, I'm successful in about 40 % of my try outs but it shows me what I can and cannot do. Kind of the old , Well that didn't work, on to plan B. For sure a glass cutter I am not.
To be honest, I have never tried to cut glass, when I need (flat) glass I just get a pro to cut it for me. I have heard (or read somewhere) that you can cut glass with a sandblaster. The idea (as I remember it) is to lay down two strips of heavy tape on a piece of glass, leaving a narrow gap between the two pieces of tape. Sandblast the gap (replacing the tape as it wears away) until you wear completely through (essentially cutting through) the sheet of glass. As mentioned before, I have not tried this and I do not know what type of glass this will or will not work on. I think the story was based around someone wanting to cut down a curved windshield for a chopped car, so I would assume that would mean they were suggesting this for laminated glass and not tempered glass. ________________________________________________________________ This is NOT a joke ... having learned the hard way I no longer "joke" on the hamb
the S10 glass will not work....Just make a template and get your local glass shop to cut what you need....Thats what you do for flat Glass. On the other hand Curved windshield glass can be cut down for chopped top cars and trucks. Just need to find someone to do that for you or try and learn to do it yourself. Hope this helps.
To everyone that says you can't do it your self: Shut up. I don't know anything about cutting glass but after reading the tech archive, I found it to be pretty easy. If you're good with your hands give it a try. Its not voodoo. You could use that S10 windshield for practice.
There are some things not worth the effort, cutting your own glass falls into this catagory. After they cut it to size they will use a water cooled sander to smooth the edges,a must for roll down windows.
Did you even read the whole thread he asked about cutting the back window of an S-10 which is tempered glass and will explode into a million pieces if you try and cut it. PLEASE DO NOT CUT TEMPERD GLASS As for cutting a laminated front windshield I have seen this done by sandblasting as mentioned above I am all for doing things your self but be extremely careful with glass
Here is what tempered glass does with a centerpunch in just one corner! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8iAdcfFomGA&feature=related
WOW FRONT WINDSHIELD'S ARE TWO SHEET'S LAMINATED TOGETHER WITH A FLEXABLE PLASTIC BINDER BETWEEN THEM! SIDE GLASS IS TEMPERED http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8iAdcfFomGA&feature=related NOW SAY YOUR SORRY
I know you can't cut tempered glass thats why i said to practice with the windshield. its a whole lot cheaper to get a sheet of laminated safety glass and cut your own windshield. and you can sand the edges smooth if you need to just be sure to have a friend with a water hose on your sander. its really no big deal to cut glass.
Just because you have read about it, that dont mean you can do it. Don't talk about things you have never done. I have cut laminated glass, and its easier to fuck it up than it is to get it right the first time. Chanses are its not going to look profesional. Last thing, dont have your friend hold a water hose on your sander to clean up the edges, especially if its an electric sander.
Cutting laminated glass ISNT what you think it is NOR is it EASY....I dont care WTH you say.I am a delivery guy for a major glass company and I have seen it all and done it all.Wanna cut laminated..? You first have to mark out your pattern..BOTH SIDES HAVE TO MATCH..EXACTLY..!!!! No.." Oh thats close" because that wont work.You will need a NEW cutter with a new blade.You will need cutting oil.When you cut you can only GO ONE way..THERE is NO BACKING up over your cuts..!!Outside curved cuts are tricky,inside cuts are even worse..99% of laminated glass breaking is due to inside CURVED cuts.Once you have made the first cut,you will need to flip the piece of glass OVER and then trace EXACTLY when you just cut...NOT varying at ALL..!!!You then take some lighter fluid and light it and EVER so SLOWLY pull the glass away,then cut the laminate with a razor..CAREFULLY..!!!The fluid will warm the laminate so the glass can be pulled away.....LAST but the BEST step....TAKE it to a glass shop..!!
Yoy can buy every piece, including one piece windshield on the online auctionbay for 225.00. Why bother with trying to make something work. Materials+time+time+time????
I have done it, it may not be easy for you but its easier than getting lumpy sheet metal straight. so in my book its easy. Getting grief from the delivery guy. whats this world coming to? 63bigbird Why bother? why bother... coming to this site to tell people where to buy stuff, thats what the yellow pages are for. You guys better go tell this guy to throw his windshield in the trash http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=308929&highlight=cutting+glass
My welding rep schooled me on cutting laminated glass. He spray glued a piece of heavy aluminum foil on the windsheild, marked it and cut it with a plasma cutter. I know I didn't Friggen believe it either.
Just telling someone where something is available. I agree that on chopped cars or glass thats not available it is worth risk to make work. If you can buy realatively cheap why invest in tools and materials to chance that something goes wrong and back at sqaure one minus some cash. If all goes correct then great. Just my .02 sorry I am the yellow pages, comment was uncalled for custom.
Some good tips from LOWONGAS above. Dan, if you want to give it a shot buy yourself a glass cutter with the oil inside and the little metal filler cap. Tempered/toughened glass will shatter if it comes under any stress, any tempered shape is cut before the tempering process. You can cut laminate but, as already mentioned, you need to make a cut on both sides in the same position. After you cut, take the cutter and gently tap the metal filler cap on the cut (both sides), this will make the cut 'run'. Once the cut has run you can gently fold the glass (back and forth) along the cut. If you're cutting any kind of internal or external radius, run cuts at 90 degrees away from your intended template, but be careful these cuts don't 'run' into your finished piece. These cuts will take stress away from the piece as you break along the line. You will need some lighter fluid to melt the laminate between the 2 pieces of glass. If you haven't done this before i would recommend practising on some float (standard) glass first. Good luck.
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