How do I cut a retangluar hole in a sheet of glass?

Question

Online sources are very abundant on information about cutting bits off your piece of glass, but how about cutting a chunk out of the middle?

Answer 1

It is not easy. Most glaziers won't do it as it takes to much time and it is to easy to break the glass. You won't get a square edged hole.
You start by cutting diagonal lines across the square then make a round hole in the glass make the edges touch the side of the square you then cut smaller circles in the corners of the square. you need to connect the two circles with two lines then carefully break this out. Like I said it is hard to do but possible.

You will need a glaziers knife or glass cutter dip the tip into a light oil. A hammer and pincers will also be helpful

Answer 2

It somewhat depends on the glass that you are trying to cut. If it is window glass, this is impossible. Even if you could cut it out without it breaking on the seam, it would soon break on a seam.

A better bet would be to incorporate the hole into the pattern of whatever you are doing. It will end up looking like a portion of a stained or leaded glass window. Actually, that is exactly what it is.

I have done some rather intricate cuts on stained glass and it is actually easier to work with, in some respects, than window glass. It cuts better than window glass except in straight lines. Window glass is great in straight lines. Some stained glass is not quite as good for straight lines, some is the same.

I predict that once you start tapping the piece that you are trying to remove, the scrore line will go the rest of the way across the glass.

If I absolutly had to do this, I would drill holes at the four corners of the part to be removed. I would then use a cut-off wheel on a Dremil to cut the score line. I would also cut some criss cross lines in the part to be removed, in order to weaken it.

Perhaps the holes at the four corners would allow you to score the lines with a glass cutter, but I doubt it.

Again, the best bet is if you can incorporate the hole into a design and use stained/leaded glass techniques. A foil technique would lessen the harshness of it.

Answer 3

It's so easy. Get yourself a 3" electric straight grinder and a diamond cutting wheel. Both are incredibly inexpensive, especially those no brand Chinese makes. Tape down a metal straight edge against the line you want to cut and saw it away on all four sides. Then turn it over and cut the uncut corners. Make sure the glass is on a solid cuttable surface when you do this to prevent the inner piece from falling out and causing an unwanted cracks. To clean and remove the sharp edges, get a diamond honing/sharpening bar set (comes in various coarseness) again very inexpensive and worth having for sharpening knives, scissors, etc. Since the honing bar has square corners, you'll get a perfect square corner on your glass.

Answer 4

You need a hole at each corner of the glass hole. Bore with a glass boring drill.

Use a fairly thick piece of glass.

Score the lines between the holes to the part of the hole nearest each other,

Score diagonal lines between the corners in the same way.

flip the glass over, pray briefly, tap lightly in the middle of the hole.

repeat until it works or you run out of patience and change the design.

Answer 5

This might be best handeled by a glass shop. But if you want to do it youselfe I would get a nice sharp glass cutter and etch out the area you want to cut out.

Inside the area your going to remove, i would make some smaller squares and then start tapping on the glass to get a piece out on the middle. Once you get a small section removed from the middle of your rectangle, then you can work you way to the edges.

Again, I would take it to a glass shop, but it might be best to get a piece of scrap glass to practice first.

Answer 6

Its doubtful if you can do it yourself. Glass shops have the proper tools and experienced personnel for that work. Once the hole is cut it must also be polished to eliminate any sharp edges etc.
Remember that all glass cannot be cut. Tempered glass for example is cut to size fdirst and then run thru a tempering furnace. that is the type of glass used in shower doors, auto side windows, etc.

Answer 7

If you are not sure you can safely drill the holes without breaking the glass then don't drill. Buy 6 small capital L shape picture hooks and screw them onto the wall. 2 at the bottom of the glass either side to rest the glass on, 2 at the top either side to hold the glass back and one each side of the glass so it wont move sideways. You wont even notice them when there up.

Answer 8

Get a glass cutter. It will score the glass. You will also need a glass cutters hammer. This is just a little chisel thing that you tap on the glass after you make your score cut.

Answer 9

VERY CAREFULLY