How To

• Score & Cut Glass
• Score & Cut Curves

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How To Score And Cut Curves On Glass

In this section we will cover the scoring and cutting (breaking) of curves. Like the scoring of straight lines this skill will take time to master. It might be worth testing on clear window glass until you feel ready to move onto the more expensive glass.

What follows is an overview and a demonstration of the techniques required.

Preperation

Give the piece of glass a quick clean to remove any dirt or dust. Always make sure your glass cutter has been oiled before you start, this lubricates the cutting wheel and helps to prevent chipping and splintering of the glass surface as you score.

Protection

Whenever you are working with glass it’s always wise to use some kind of eye protection. We use a variety of goggles as shown in the picture.

Before You Begin

Check out the following about [how to score], you can either push or pull your cutter along the glass. You will find some cuts easier to do than others. I always pull the cutter towards me following the pattern I have on the glass, this way suits me best. It does take time to learn this and in time you will find yourself using a particular style which suits you. Try both cutting methods, pulling the cutter along the pattern and then pushing the cutter.

Edge-to-Edge

	Mark your piece of glass with a simple outside curve.

	Begin your scoring with your cutter. Keep your cutter wheel at a 90 degree angle to the glass. Make sure you can see the line and just follow it keeping the wheel as close as possible to that line. Do not stop till you come off the glass.

	Next take your running pliers and place them in position to run the score.

	To run the score gentle apply pressure on your pliers and squeeze until you hear the snap of the score. All done, break finished!

Inside Curve

Inside curves are about the same as edge-to-edge ones as long as they are gentle curves. The inside curve becomes very difficult the deeper the curve becomes which then requires scoring it many times then having to nibble out the glass bit by bit, but for now we’ll cover just a smaller inside curve.

Mark your piece of glass with a simple inside curve.

Begin your scoring with your cutter. Keep your cutter wheel at a 90 degree angle to the glass. Make sure you can see the line and just follow it keeping the wheel as close as possible to that line. Do not stop till you come off the glass.

Next take your running pliers and place them in position to run the score.

To run the score gentle apply pressure on your pliers and squeeze until you hear the snap of the score. All done, break finished!

I know it all takes time and lots of practice, even I still break pieces so don’t get disheartened and enjoy your skill. Always try to use the same pressing down force on the cutter right to the end of your score line, if you don’t, it will be harder to run the score to break the glass.

You will hear a sound as you push or pull your cutter along the line, get to know this sound (practicing straight cuts on plain window glass will help). If you press down too hard on the cutter this will result in a gouged score line and tiny chips of glass will be in the score line, you don’t want this so practice, practice, practice. You will master the right amount of pressure on the cutter and get that smooth score line sound. Remember to apply even pressure all the way along your line till you come off the glass, cutter always upright.

If the glass doesn’t break try using the running pliers from the other end of the score line. If it still doesn’t break then you can use breaking/grozer pliers. Position your pliers up against the score line, hold firmly and with a quick downward motion you should be able to finish the break. Be careful, glass cuts aren’t fun, make sure you have a first aid box nearby just in case.


Breaker/Grozer Pliers	Completed Break

Wavy Curves

Next, how about trying a wavy line, this will be reasonably easy now you have gained some experience and skill with all the practice you have been doing.

	Mark your piece of glass with a simple wavy line.

	Begin scoring your glass. Remember to hold your cutter in the right position and don’t forget the oil. Apply pressure as always on your cutter till you come off the end of the glass.

	Next, place your running pliers in position and begin breaking the score, squeeze until you hear the score run.

	If it doesn’t come completely apart then give it a little wiggle, with the hands placed in the right position give it a quick snap up and down with both hands, that should do the job.

	Break finished, job well done.

Cutting a Pattern

We can now move on to scoring and cutting around a pattern. I use sticky backed paper for my patterns or you can draw around a pattern on the glass, choose whichever suits you.

	For this part I have just drawn a simple pattern onto my sticky backed paper and cut around it.

	Peel of the backing.

	Stick to your piece of glass.

	Alternatively you can just draw around the pattern if you wish to keep the pattern.

	Score around your pattern or marked line as close as possible with your cutter.

	Then use your running pliers. Position them and squeeze until you hear the score run.

	If it doesn’t break completely then give it a wiggle.

	Break finished, job well done.

Following the pattern with your cutter or following the lines on the glass is something you will get better at as you go along. Don’t worry if you don’t get as close to the line as you would like to of, you can use your grinder to finish off the piece.

Grinding

If you have not cut as close to your lines as you had liked to you can finish your piece off by grinding it. Although not covered in this section we’ve included a snippet about grinding just for completeness. I like to use the grinders mate for holding the piece to be ground (if necessary).


Grinders Mate	Finishing Off	Grinding Done

Learning takes its toll so use scrap glass, you may be able to acquire this from your local glass dealer, and it’s usually very cheap to buy in comparison to stained glass. Cut larger pieces into smaller pieces first, this will make it much easier to handle whilst you practice and learn.

As with all stained glass crafting it takes time to learn all the procedures but in the end it will give you a great deal of satisfaction and a great sense of personal pride in a stained glass piece which you have made from start to finish.