Cutting glass question

[drfu]

Does anyone have great tips on how to make a three sided cut on a glass terrarium. The cut will go down either side from the top of a rimless tank down 6" and then accros 6" to make an opening. This is going to be a turtle basking area attached to the top of another aquarium.

 

Some notes.

Terrarium is a one piece curved 3 sided piece of glass, rimless, it is not tempered.

Own a Dremel, have a diamond point carving tool for cuts.

 

Picture with green panters tape is the area i want to cut out. Thanks in advance for any tips/tricks on how to do this since i cant simply score, snap of a piece.

[KickinRocks]

Hey,

 

Have you ever cut with the diamond blade? If not, I have and I can say the blade cuts through glass like a hot knife and butter. My only suggestion would be to cut slow and make sure to have water either in a puddle or flowing across the cutting surface. Also if your looking for a real clean cut; you should go very very very slow. The bit likes to take out chunks.

[drfu]

No, i have never cut glass ever, let alone with a diamond blade with my dremel, just bought the bit yesterday. Thats great to hear that it cuts nice!

 

This the bit i have, will this work or should i get a cutting wheel as well?

 

I was thinking of a spray bottle with water to cool the area or should i try to submerge the area somehow in water? to

Hey,

 

Have you ever cut with the diamond blade? If not, I have and I can say the blade cuts through glass like a hot knife and butter. My only suggestion would be to cut slow and make sure to have water either in a puddle or flowing across the cutting surface. Also if your looking for a real clean cut; you should go very very very slow. The bit likes to take out chunks.

[Exquitas]

Following for answers. Probably have to cut holes in my bigger tank myself for my future (large) Reef Tank

[drfu]

Well, did my cuts yesterday, okay success. Went through two diamonds bits and the guy @ home depot said use a diamond cutting wheel instead. Wish i started with the wheel as my cuts would have been a bit straighter.

[Muddy Waters]

if cutting thin glass with a hand diamond wheel glass cutter, lightly clamp a straight edge on the glass, so as to have the cutting wheel on your line to be cut, use firm pressure and draw cutter along the straight edge, its ok to go over it again just be sure to follow the same cut.

 

slide the glass and the straight edge, to the edge of your work bench and clamp it down again, then firmly grasp the scrap edge of glass that is getting cut off, roughly in the middle, then what I do is give a good whack on the back of my hand. I've also had success grasping both end of the scrap part and quickly pushing down. .... holding a 1 by piece of wood that spans the length of the glass and grasping the wood and the glass in one hand, also works quite well.

 

practice on a spare piece of glass a few times. the key I feel is getting a good score in the glass, don't let the "sound" of the wheel bother you push down on it.

 

I have cut glass for many a picture frame, mind you there may be way better more efficient ways to go about it, this is just the way I know.

[masterbuilder]

Drfu...you can sand the edges straight with a sanding block.

[drfu]

Drfu...you can sand the edges straight with a sanding block.

 

I used ,y sanding bit, much better, a sanding block sounds like a good idea too