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Quickstart to using a stained glass cutter

By: David Roth

Ok, so you're all set to start your first stained glass project. The
initial step is to figure out what amount of money you have to spend is.
Cutting tools should be the first thing you should look at. A good
cutting tool is essential for any stained glass project. Hopefully, if you
are on a budget, someone can donate a cutter to you. But, cutters are
not very expensive so, even if you have to buy one, its usually a very
small investment. i would start by getting a glass cutter instead of
using a big industrial glass cutter. The best tool is just using a glass
cutter with a reservoir for oil. This simple option will be a low cost
alternative to the large and pricey cutters you find out there. Ok,
besides the cutter and oil reservoir, you'll also need grozing pliers,
breaking pliers cutting oil, and maybe some scrapped glass to practice.
All of this can be found either online or at your local stained glass
retail store. It is very crucial that you wear safety goggles when cutting
glass. You may think its excessive, tiny particles are likely to pop up
from the glass as you cut. it's better to be safe than be sorry.

Glass cutters don't work by actually cutting surface, they make a very
fine score that begins the break. Getting a good score is key to
getting a very clean break. The simplest tool for stained glass cutting is to
just use a simple cutter with a straight shaft and reservoir for well.
One example would be the models that are made by fletcher. The oil
keeps the wheel turning smoothly and ensures a clean cut. This is essential
to getting a good cut. You want to always make sure your oil is right
next to you so you can keep your cutter in mint condition.

Make sure that when you actually score the glass, you are keeping it
perpendicular to the stained glass. Tilting it back and forth may not
make the score as effective. Apply a small amount of pressure when you
push the cutter. it doesn't matter if you move the cutter forward or
backward, that's more of a question of personal preference. Its very vital
that you only score each spot once, don't score twice. This can cause
damage to your wheel and your stained glass cutter, and you definitely
don't want to damage a tool that you just spent good money on. When
you've finished scoring, grip the side you will throw away with the
breaking pliers and grip the other side with the grozing pliers. You don't
want bend the glass in the breaking, but more you want to try to pull the
glass away from each other. This first step is essential to you
becoming a great stained glass artist. Just remember to keep practicing and it
will get easier and easier. The most important thing is to keep a lot
of band-aids around!

Article Source: http://www.articlewheel.com

About Author:
Dave Roth has been teaching stained glass for over 20 years, owns and runs a stained glass supplies retail store in Illinois, and runs a website at www.scstainedglass.com. The store features supplies, stained glass cutters, and tools . The site features free glass patterns, glass tutorials, and other artist resources.

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