Anyone who has ever tried to cut glass knows how tricky it is. It’s one of the hardest materials to cut, which is why you see so many intricate and beautiful pieces of stained glass rather than just blocks or rods of glass. That being said, there are ways to cut glass that aren’t as scary and challenging as you might think. There are plenty of DIY tutorials for cutting glass that don’t involve a lazer or chemicals! The best part? These techniques are super simple and can be done in no time at all with common household items and tools. Read ahead for more information on everything from hot wires to safety scissors, along with step-by-step instructions on how you can use them to make
Safety Scissors
Safety scissors are just your standard household scissors that are designed to be especially safe for cutting different materials, including glass. While traditional scissors can sometimes not be sharp or strong enough to cut glass, safety scissors are designed to make this process (relatively) simple. And if you’re new to cutting glass, using safety scissors is the best way to avoid breaking your nails in the process. If you’re only planning on making small cuts of thin glass, you can get away with using traditional scissors. However, safety scissors are ideal if you’re trying to cut thicker glass or a larger amount of materials. For example, if you’re trying to cut a large sheet of glass, traditional scissors may not be strong enough to get the job done. Whereas safety scissors are specially designed to cut through these materials without breaking!
Hot Wire Cutters
Hot wire cutters are an ideal option for slicing through thick or large pieces of glass. However, if you’re only trying to cut small pieces of glass, you may not need these. Hot wire cutters work by heating up a thin wire (often tungsten) to super high temperatures, which is why they are perfect for cutting through glass. Because the wire is so hot, it will easily and quickly slice through a piece of glass. These cutters don’t use any blades and can be used on a variety of different materials, including metals, plastic, and glass. However, you must be extremely careful when using hot wire cutters as they can be extremely dangerous. Touching the heated wire or trying to cut through a large piece of glass with low temperatures can cause serious burns and other types of injuries.
Manual Glass Cutters
Manual glass cutters are exactly what they sound like—tools that you manually use to cut pieces of glass. These cutters are typically very cheap and can be found in most hardware stores. Manual glass cutters are easy to use and great for small projects with small pieces of glass. However, if you’re trying to cut large pieces of glass or especially thick materials, you might struggle with these cutters. When cutting thick pieces of materials, you’ll need a lot of force to get the job done. With manual glass cutters, you are only applying pressure to the handles. So, you won’t have enough force to cut through thick materials. You can, however, use manual glass cutters as an alternative to power tools. If you have a particularly large piece of glass that you need to cut, instead of using a larger, more powerful tool, you can use these manual cutters. Manual glass cutters are best suited for small, thin pieces of materials. They can be used to cut small, thin pieces of glass, plastic, and other materials.
Electric Glass Cutters
Electric glass cutters use rotating blades to effortlessly cut through thick or large pieces of glass. Electric glass cutters are ideal for larger projects, especially if you’re trying to cut large pieces of glass. Manual glass cutters won’t be able to get the job done, and hot wire cutters will be too dangerous and powerful for smaller pieces of glass. These tools work by using rotating blades to easily slice through a piece of glass; they are a great option for anyone who is looking to cut large pieces of glass. Electric glass cutters are similar to manual glass cutters, except they use rotating blades instead of handles.
Conclusion
Cutting glass typically requires a ton of effort and skill. However, there are plenty of ways to cut glass without breaking your nails. If you want to start cutting glass at home, you’ll want to make sure you have the right tools for the job. Manual glass cutters, hot wire cutters, and electric glass cutters are all great options for cutting glass. They are particularly effective for cutting larger pieces of glass.
