Glass and board Cutter

[swanlinnet]

Hi

Could anyone suggest a good glass cutter whcih is not a wall-mounted one ?

While a wall-mounted glass and board cutter is perhaps an imminet purchase I
wondererd if anyone could suggest something that will do the job in the meantime.

Many thanks.

[Dan]

I have a KeenCut that offers for the cutter to be on a stand or wall mount

[Nigel Nobody]

A good quality, oil filled hand cutter and a straight edge with rubberised, non-slip bottom would be the least expensive and excellent quality option for you until you can get a wall cutter.

[mikeysaling]

i have a keencut excaliber - 3000 i think (wall mounted) i have never ever been able to use it for glass!! so now i just use it for mdf and mountboard - i recommend anyone thinking of a wall mounted glass cutter - try it first ! i really have tried to master this machine for glass but no - cannot get success. Agree with nigel no probs with cutting that way.

If you areuneasy about cutting larger sheets try using a frame co EASY glass cutter (lion page 85 5169) with something like a logan adapter a rule or keencut safety edge - easy peesy.

[swanlinnet]

Thanks for the help here.

Would the oil filled cutter mentioned in Nigels' post cut backing board?

This is the reason I ask:

I shouldbe taking delivery of a Keencut Gold Mount Cutter hopefully by this week. But I have nothing to cut backing board or glass with.

I have heard so many conflicting reports concerning the wall mounted glass and board cutters Mikey mentions.

Just really looking for something to cut backing board and glass really. Whether this is one piece of equipment that will do the job or two separate
pieces of equipment isn't really imporatnt. It's just we need something to cut the backing board and glass.

Many thanks

[mikeysaling]

i really do recommend you try a wall mounted cutter before you buy - i just cannot get on with my 3000 for glass but you may have better luck - and its an expensive bit o kit just to cut backing board.

getting your sea-legs so to speak - backing board can be handled with a stanley knife and a good sturdy straight edge. The glass also as above can be cut with the item i mentioned earlier BUT glass cutting is a matter of confidence - if you have a local glass retailer ask him to show you (you may have to purchase from him for a bit ) offer to be an apprentice for a day a week (whatever) and learn how to handle and cut glass - i did this locally and its the best weeks work i ever did - in fact it was the one big thing that i really learned about framing - HOW TO HANDLE AND CUT GLASS SAFELY
glass is dangerous stuff if you don't know what you are doing - eye protection hand protection foot protection etc etc - pay attention to these things.

safety in your workshop is very important - you have a lot of very sharp bits of kit and they have to be respected from the morso to the cordless drill (no long hair to get tangled etc etc)

suppose im going on too much - enough for now

good luck

[swanlinnet]

Mikey Thanks for this .....Just what I needed ....I realise the wall-mounted cutter is costly in contrast to hand tools that I could use.
And I shall be following your suggestions, on this note.

Thanks

[Roboframer]

I used an oil filled glass cutter for YEARS - it's brilliant but the day I invested in a wall mounted combi-cutter I never looked back.

Not sure what you are on about Mikey - I can literally cut glass with my eyes shut on my excalibur - which I think is the system 5000 - but before that I had the system 4000 - bought second hand after some serious hammer.

These days the oil-filled thing - (which has serious sentimental value!) just gets used for slivers, which the Ultimat is not too hot on - although I have been told that the Feltcher (sp) is

[mikeysaling]

hi robo - ultimat - do you cut glass on the ultimat? don't under stand that?

[Dan]

I am useing hte Excalibur 1000X and have had great success in cutting backing board, glass and plexi. Not sure what problem you are having with cutting glass on yours. I used to have a Terry-Fletcher, also a nice machine, but when we moved and sold our old store the Keencut was nice since it came with the stand.

[Roboframer]

Sorry - KEENCUT - was talking about wall mounted maxi-slashers - meant the system 4000-5000 - excalibur ..... Keencut anyway.

One day a CMC or a head for MY CMC will be able to cut glass and soon after that I won't be responding to posts like this from common or garden franers because I won't remember how I did it - thank-you very much.

[mikeysaling]

well get you sweetie- only one thing to say

[youtube]Xe1a1wHxTyo[/youtube]

[Nigel Nobody]

These days the oil-filled thing - (which has serious sentimental value!) just gets used for slivers, which the Ultimat is not too hot on - although I have been told that the Feltcher (sp) is

I use my oil filled cutter for hand scoring ovals and other shapes!

The Fletcher wall cutter I have will score 2mm from the edge, then I break using my fingers sometimes, but if I'm feeling puny and weak, I use glass pliers to snap it off.

Once you become confident with handling and cutting, glass is not all that dangerous really. You just have to avoid letting a piece slide through your fingers!

[markw]

one of the basic skills necessary for any framer is the ability to cut glass with a straight edge and a hand held cutter. Its not rocket science but getting it right takes practice. An important factor for glass cutting is to have a good cutting surface. My glass cutting bench is covered in ribbed rubber - stops the glass slipping when cutting.

The big advantage of having a wall mounted cutter is that its a much safer way to cut glass - especially big sheets. If you are vertically challenged (a short arse - like me) then physically reaching across a large sheet of glass can be a challenge - wall mounted cutter eliminates this problem. I can honestly say that nothing frightens me more than cutting a large sheet of 2mm glass on a flat surface - before I got a wall mounted cutter in the first months of business (many years ago) I discovered the ability that 2mm glass has to be very unpredictable when you try and lift it from a flat surface. So my advice would be to aim to get a wall mounted cutter as soon as you can. Until then treat large sheets with caution.

Not sure why Mikeysailing is posting negative advice about a wall mounted cutter on the basis that he cant use his. I dont have this model cutter but I am sure someone could help you to get this cutter working properly. Try posting it as a new question as someone here will, I am sure, give you some good advice - might be as simple as needing a new cutter wheel.

[mikeysaling]

well - i was not really aiming to be negative about W/M cutters - its just that i cannot get on with mine for glass and i have tried everything , new blades etc. the machine has a glass cutter pressure adjustment , tried altering that. All in all its safer and quicker for me to cut glass manually. I would be interested in hearing if anyone has a 3000 and how they find it? I would say that 50% of my attempts result in a breakage anywhere from the middle of the sheet down.

[huntvambo]

I've got the Fletcher 3100 and never had any issues with cutting glass, it's accurate, repeatable and relatively safe

Paul
Framed in Alvechurch

[mikeysaling]

yes i actually tried the fletcher in a friends shop and had no problem with it but decided on the keencut 3000 because it had legs and not just the wall mounting. What i didn't realise was the method of separateing the glass after scoring was different. ie on the fletcher there is a handle to do it whereas the keencut you have to use your fingers or thumb to separate . anyway i do get a lot of use out of the machine with mdf and board etc.

[birdman]

I've got the Fletcher 3100 and never had any issues with cutting glass, it's accurate, repeatable and relatively safe

Paul
Framed in Alvechurch

We have a Fletcher 3100 as well. It cuts mdf, other backing board, mountboard, styrene and glass extremely well and I would agree with Paul's comments. It sounds as if Mikey's machine needs adjustment and perhaps refresher training from someone else with a similar machine or a supplier.

For me bench cutting is for small pieces and ovals only. I wouldn't be without my wall mounted cutter.

[wrxsti555]

The best hand held glass cutter is a Toyo TC 17. Used with Filberschnitt cutting fluid.
As for wall mounted machines have allways found the Fletcher 3000 or 3100 much better. Make sure Tungsten wheels are used and NOT the cheaper steel wheels. To prolong the life of the wheel and aid cutting
clean with above mentioned cutting fluid once a week. It is quite capable of cutting 1000 pieces a day!!!!

[IslandViewJake]

I have a Keencut Excalibur 5000. It's probably the most versatile and used tool in my workshop. I do all my straight-edge cutting (as opposed to bevel) with it, from hardboard, foam-board, mat-board, MDF to glass of all types. I've even cut a 5mm thick mirror with it as a favour for a good customer. Most of my stock of mat, foam-board, glass etc. is 32" x 40", but I also have to cut 36" x 48" and bigger on occasion. I really can't imagine what my working life would be like without this machine. Mikeysailing; maybe a long telephone hook-up with Keencut whilst you carry out some adjustments would be the best thing? Life would be so much better after, with that machine working as it should. Good safety tips.