The Framers Forum

Hi All

I cut 2mm float glass with a TC17 and T-Square, generally without any problems, but occasionally I over measure by 1 or 2mm and then need to cut a very narrow strip off the glass to compensate. This usually ends in a broken sheet of glass.

I think it's possible to cut strips of this width but which pliers are best to use as I can't use my fingers? If anybody has any other tips, I would be grateful to receive them.

Cheers!

Measure twice cut once is the best policy, but I use to cut 2mm off using a hand held cutter and t square (probably still could). Use glazing pliers and also tap the back of the score line with the handle end of your cutter (if it has a weighted metal handle).

Use glazing pliers with glass excess over edge of a table with metre ruler just other side of scored line. Be bold.

Cutting 1mm off is a bit ambitious, but 2mm is possible. Don't use ordinary engineering pliers, get some proper glass nibbling pliers.



The trick is to grip gently near one end, just on the waste side of the score and pull. Don't try levering or twisting just pull away straight. Be firm but gentle. If your score is good the sliver should come off in one bit. If it doesn't, you will have to nibble bits off which will leave jagged points, but nibble as much as you can with the pliers and smooth any sticky-out bits remaining with a diamond pad. If you don't have a diamond pad an old file will work but you won't get as good an edge.

If it's a small piece it's maybe best to cut a fresh one.

Thanks for the tips so far. I had tried tapping the score with the end of the cutter earlier which really helped and I was able to remove about a 4mm piece using normal pliers.

If anybody can recommend a particular set of grozing pliers for the task, I'm all ears...

I've been using normal pliers for years. The framing company who originally trained me also used normal pliers and that's how I was trained.

I was told not to bother trying to break off any slither that is less than the thickness of the glass, because it is normally unsuccessful. I've never tried this, so I don't know how true this is, but I suspect it is true!

Normal pliers here too, I do have the proper ones but they lie in a box along with a lot of other fairly useless stuff. I use normal pliers quite a lot so it's a tool that is kept close by. If you get a proper even score the glass should come away as normal.......agree with the above comment about not going less than 2mm as any less is likely to come away in small bits......your frame should have enought tolerance to cope with 1mm over anyway.
I cut all my glass by hand btw
Never tapped the score either

I have a pair of the fletcher ones made out of a type of plastic. Very good.

These? http://www.lionpic.co.uk/product/Fletch ... 277,0.aspx

I've got them too. They come with interchangeable heads, for both running and nibbling. A real faff to change; I therefore have two sets.

those are the ones they work well and aren't too heavy.

I have those too

I must say, having made maybe 50 frames this year, I'm a *hell* of a lot better at measuring than I used to be. Measuring anything, TBH. Measuring twice and cutting once becomes a habit once measuring once and cutting twice becomes a pain.

I always cut the glass first and make the frame to fit.

I am fine with the glass, but don't talk to me about going dyslexic with on the Morso - the number of times I have cut lengths 10mm short reading the wrong side of the number I want for some reason. Fortunately I always cut the long lengths first.

I also have 2 pairs of the fletcher pliers, each with the different fittings. I have found placing the edge of my wooden measuring stick under the score line and pushing down on the strip at the same time as using the running pliers will usually break out strips down to 3/4mm even though the strip itself is narrower than the pliers. If that fails it is down to the nibblers.

Not really sure why people are needing these pliers so much, I must cut an average of 35 bits of glass a week, often quite a bit more and if I get one that needs trimmed/nibbled a month I'd be lying, more like 5 or 6 times a year

Ah, but how often do you find an offcut just a couple of mm too long and it's use it or break in to a full sheet - especially when it's the posh stuff

Not often, but I regularly find off-cuts that are around 10 - 15mm too short.

So?

Who's going to miss 5mm off each side of a mount?

Ok , I'll concede that one, posh glass offcuts are made to fit..........still dont nibble though, I refuse to put a bit of glass in a frame with chewed edges, as you said, I'd rather lose a few mm off a mount