The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area General Truck Talk Cutting windshield glass?

Does any one have any good way to cut windshield glass. I need to cut two flat panes for a custom application. The glass came from a mid 60's Dodge van.

take it to a profession glass installer. They have the tools and the know how. Plus it will be a lot cheaper in the long run.

If they break it, they replace it!!!

Cutting laminated glass can be hazzardous if caution and common sense is not used. The way the old glass shops used to do it was to precision cut both side of the glass and then pour lighter fluid onto the scribe and then light it. After the flame extinquished they would break the glass on the scribed line.

countilaw is right! Let the proffessionals do it.

Thanks for the replys. Just trying to learn someting new I think I'll try and see what happens who knows maybe I'll be a pro someday.

Here is my opionion for what it is worth. Draw a template for your custom design. Go ahead and try to cut it yourself. If you screw it up then you can take the template to a glass company. Having cut some tempered glass, I personally would take it to a glass company. Jimmie D.

I had a windshield done localy, cutting flat glass is pretty easy for them, but doin curved,... They sanded mine down, and from what I gather thats how they shape custom cuts.

Hello ttodd, Grant here. I run a waterjet, which is an extreme high pressure cutting system, using water at 55,000 P.S.I. blended with Garnet abrasive, and we cut glass frequently. If you have someone near you who has a "jet", you may want to give them a call. There are a few details they need to know, but if they are a good shop they will handle it with ease. If I can offer details, just let me know, I can step you or them through it with ease. Grant.

I was at a shop last week getting glass cut for a school bus window. They simply cut one side of the glass and very carefully broke it over the edge of the table. He then flipped it over and scribed a line down the same crack and broke it over the table. The last step involved pouring a flammable liquid in the crack and setting it on fire. This softened the plastic enough to cut it with a razor blade. It took just a few minutes to cut then he sanded on a grinder looking tool.
I have used a Dremel tool to smooth glass edges. It was one of the green grinding stones, it cut real easy. Joe

Thanks for the moral support and hints on glass cutting. Being the third tightest man in Christian County I think I'll give it a try and maybe save a few $$.

A tight fool and his money are soon parted!

Seeing as that I have no money invested in the peice of glass I'm going to cut what do I have to lose. If I'm successful I'll be money ahead and will have gained know how, is that foolish. In all my fifty foolish years of not spending money that I didn't need to I've gained a lot of knowlage and at this point in my life feel their's little I can't do. It's not the fact of saveing $20 it's the fact I did it myself didn't hire someone else to do it. I think this forum is here to help people learn not belittle them for being thrifty.