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Glass Tips & TricksNewsletters from our past converted to fresh articles about stained glass.
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Cutting Very Thin, Irregular Stained Glass Pieces
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I'm holding a scrap from a project that a student was working on. She kindly "let" me help cut out the thin irregular pieces.
Here's the technique. Start with the most irregular side when cutting out the glass. The piece that is most likely to break wrong. This allows the cutting stresses to be done while the glass is most strong.
I tap the glass until the sound changes, signaling the fact that the score has run and the glass is separating.
Then I can ease the pieces apart with pliers.
I then score the long thin side, making sure that the surface I cut on is flat and clean.
Then I begin tapping under the piece, holding the entire piece and tapping gently along the entire score.
It takes a while. Take your time tapping along the entire score, very gently at the most thin parts. Here, I'm holding the top of the piece and I can feel that both sides are separated.
Eventually the glass gives up and breaks right where you want it to, if you hold your mouth just right!
The finished thin pieces are worth the effort, they make the window look very intricate.