Technical TECH WEEK: cutting curved windshield and other glass Update with new windshield

These are practice videos of cutting glass with wet saw. If I was to cut the real pieces I would wrap both sides with tape.
Use a new blade , take it real slow. The videos are real time but I will go slower with the real deal.
I used a table type wet saw and made a top for it. I made it so that the blade would just go thru the glass thickness.
I have cut several pieces, it works great. Glass is smooth to touch.
As you can see in the one video I cut a pretty tight curve.
A full windshield would take 2 people. One to feed it and one to keep the cut off piece in line. Enjoy. This is laminated glass. The big piece is a 54 chevy windshield.

https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=4205857749438479

https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=4205836152773972

https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=4202839413073646

 

Wow! Great idea. Thanks

 

It’s too bad you linked the video to Facebook. No chance I’m going to allow Facebook access to my info to watch ANY video. Any other options?

 

Don't know how to save to laptop. My son shot the video and sent to me thru facebook messenger and I uploaded from there. Sorry ,I need a tech article for saving video to laptop. lol
Video's are in my albums on profile page. album with 31 model a truck.
I still can't figure out how to get them here.

 

Is that a tile saw? Diamond blade? looks like a great idea. would like to try it myself. Larry

 

This has been bugging me for a while. I have a hard top 1953 Chrysler. I've got some delamination around the edges of the windshield. I might have some difficulty finding a good replacement since early hard tops are fairly rare. Enough sedan windshields are available but taller, but might fit if I can cut one. Good to know there might be another option other than the flame and cutting wheel method.

 

@fastcar1953

Are your practice pieces laminated safety glass....i.e. automotive windshield/side glass?

Ray

 

@Hnstray Yes they are laminated. the one is a 54 chevy windshield.

 

Laminated. I forgot to ask that to be sure. Cool. Figured it probably had to be since its curved.

 

Great job. My luck with glass is not good. I broke out in a sweat just watching.

 

ask him if he can upload them to youtube, and send you the links

 

Plays normal by hitting play on my work laptop and FB is blocked on it.

 

I’ve used these to make pocket cuts in mirrors for outlets years ago.

 

So did I, and I am a glazier by trade. I will definately be trying this...............

 

OK I will be the one to ask. What is a wet saw?

 

A saw with a liquid feed onto the cutting area, usually water with a cutting lubricant added. This application would use a diamond-encrusted tile/glass cutting wheel. The water provides lubrication and, more importantly, cools the material you are cutting. Heat is the enemy in this situation as it will induce expansion in the material and cause it to fail (crack).

This is a pretty cool Tech Week thread. Thanks @fastcar1953 .............

 

This is a great video and well done. Maybe you should of just broken the glass so we all would know that it is real! Thanks for sharing.

 

Fantastic

 

I used a Ridgid wet saw . one that you use for cutting tile. It was a diamond blade. This is the saw I used. https://www.homedepot.com/p/RIDGID-...FyRugy-dyRAaAs_IEALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds#overlay

 

OK I get it now around here they use a small portable one with a hose attachment to cut floor and bathroom tile. It doesn't have a reservoir but directs water onto the blade.

 

The glass cutting videos are the first three items on this page:
https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/media/albums/31-model-a.46984/

You can also play them above without being a part of Facebook.

 

You can buy a saw cheap. Menards has this one for 80, I think we paid 40 for ours.

https://www.menards.com/main/tools/...7277164171.htm?tid=5579141145544744770&ipos=2

 

If you dont already own a tile saw, I caution you on buying one - youll get ideas of doing tile work - it sucks.

Harbor freight has tile wet saws as well, the table is bigger than the menards version, get the larger motor if possible.

 

So the very blade that came with the saw (if so supplied) for tile cutting is what's doing the cutting?

 

That’s a great video !!

just to clarify , I have a wet cut tile saw. With a rather expensive Bosch diamond blade on it.

will this work ?
Specific speed of the saw?
Specific blade ?

crap I wanna chop a top now just so I can cut the glass, ya made it look easy !!

 

That almost makes it look too easy. Those tile saws pop up for sale every so often when people finish their home remodel project and decide that they don't want to store them .

I snagged this wet sander for glass a couple of months ago when it popped up for sale locally. I need to build a stand for it.

 

Thinking that this means you could actually avoid having to use lexan or sink the end portion of the rear glass into the package tray when chopping a hardtop. Right?

Edit:
Wrong.

 

The glass is what keeps me from chopping stuff with curved glass. I don't want to use Lexan. Thanks for posting.

 

Good Tech! Thanks for sharing.

 

Cool tech ! They also make high quality tile blades like this for your angle grinder. When cutting tile with them we like to hold a soaked sponge close and let the water run out as we make the cut when a big wet saw is not an option. Ive always thought it might could work on cutting glass for chops. Thanks for sharing !