Glass, as one of the most expressive and beautiful materials, has always attracted designers and interior decorators. The glass surface has two serious disadvantages - high fragility and hardness, so processing glass at home is always fraught with significant difficulties. However, the material can be successfully cut, ground, polished and even drilled.
Glass surface processing methods
Manual glass processing requires the use of special techniques and technologies. Most often, a special tool is used for processing glass and precisely selected modes; overheating or uneven load leads to cracking and destruction of the material.
For home use, glass processing is limited to a few techniques:
- Cutting sheet glass into straight pieces;
- Drilling holes and engraving reliefs in sheet material;
- Matting and sandblasting of glass;
- Glass edge processing;
- Polishing glass surface.
For your information! In addition to mechanical polishing, chemical polishing, grinding and engraving are also used. But the use of such methods requires the use of toxic and dangerous reagents, so it is practically not used for household work.
Manual glass cutting
At home, cutting and grinding of edges are usually used. More complex techniques are not used for two reasons. Firstly, to get High Quality the surface requires special equipment, machines for processing glass, and secondly, during mechanical peeling, grinding and drilling, a large amount of tiny glass dust is formed, which is extremely harmful to health.
Cutting sheet glass using a diamond or carbide roller is performed for material with a thickness of no more than 6 mm. Thicker sheets are cut into special devices and machines.
Cutting a glass sheet using a hand diamond is performed in the following sequence:
- The glass is laid out on a flat, clean surface, usually covered with soft wrapping paper used to collect glass shards. The sheet should fit as closely as possible to the lining material;
- A steel ruler is applied to the cutting line and carefully, with minimal pressure, drawn with a diamond tip in one movement, without lifting the tool or stopping its movement;
- The glass is lifted and the cutting line is carefully tapped with reverse side rubber or wooden hammer. When you tap along the line, a large number of microscopic cracks are formed, greatly weakening the strength of the material, and as a result, the glass breaks exactly along the trajectory of the diamond.
For your information! When cutting thick sheets, do not use carbide rollers or tips; such a tool produces a large amount of waste.
In the same time diamond glass cutter, placed on a ballerina, you can easily cut out arcs, circles and even round holes in glass.
Manual glass grinding
The cut fragments, as a rule, have sharp edges and edges that can easily injure your hand or fingers. Therefore, it is necessary to process the edges of the glass using a machine or smoothing on edge wheels. Most often, the device for wiping edges is a low-speed motor with a special abrasive wheel or a wooden block onto which fine sandpaper is glued.
Treatment is carried out with periodic wetting of the edges with water and abrasive paste. The result is a smooth, slightly rough surface. If you use diamond paste or a glass edge processing machine instead of an abrasive paste, you can achieve absolutely smooth edges. In a similar way, glass and mirrors are processed using high-speed precision rollers and a diamond suspension on polishing equipment.
Non-standard glass processing methods
Drilling is one of the most difficult glass processing operations. For these purposes, drills with diamond and carbide tips are used. The high hardness and poor thermal conductivity of the glass surface leads to the fact that under load cutting edge carbide tool, the drilling point instantly overheats and the glass cracks.
Drilling holes in glass sheets
Drilling at home can only be done using a guide at a rotation speed of no more than 200 rpm, with drip cooling with a water-oil emulsion. When passing 90% of the sheet thickness, the load on the drill and rotation speed are reduced to a minimum so that when “exiting” the hole the tool does not split the glass. Drilling equipment for glass processing works on the same principle.
At home, you can process the glass surface of the glass using a copper rod and an abrasive suspension prepared from the finest carborundum emery powder for processing hard materials. If drilling is performed with dry powder, the glass sheet can be heated on a sand bed to 200 o C.
In the old days, glass was successfully drilled, ground and polished using ordinary bars and rods made of bog oak with the addition of burnt and ground lean clay powder. Of course, such processing took a lot of time, but the percentage of defects was minimal.
Industrial machines process and drill glass abrasive wheels made of copper-aluminum bronze with diamond powder applied along the working edge. Most of the heat is effectively transferred to the coolant, so processing performance is an order of magnitude higher than home options.
Sandblasting and glass engraving
Often the glass surface is subjected to relief processing and matting. To remove shine and make the material translucent, with a uniform matte surface, sandblasting of glass is used. In this case, the plane is blown with a high-speed air flow containing 10% rounded quartz sand. Ordinary washed sand is not used, as marks and scratches appear on the treated surface.
Device for sandblasting The design resembles a paint spray gun and can be easily made even at home. But if in the industrial version the quality of the processed surface is controlled automatically, then at home a certain skill and practice will be required before the glass acquires a uniform surface texture.
One of the most difficult and interesting ways processing is the engraving of a design on a glass surface. The relief can be reproduced manually using an engraving machine and diamond drills. After this processing, a pattern of matte strokes appears on a transparent base.
Conclusion
Engraving work on solid glass or thick tiles using a thermal laser looks most impressive. High density energy and the ability to penetrate to a given depth allows you to create very beautiful spatial patterns, which are almost impossible to produce in any other way. In addition, the laser beam allows you to drill, mill and even weld sheets of material, so that in the near future, glass furniture and interiors will become commonplace.
If glass is cut out for doors, windows, or simply inserted into a frame with a portrait, then there is no need to process the edges of the glass. But, if they are used as shelves, doors, countertops for coffee table, as the walls of an aquarium, etc., then edge processing is required.
Firstly, this is necessary for safety, because... You can easily get injured on sharp edges, secondly, it will give the product an aesthetically attractive appearance, and thirdly, such glass processing will reduce the likelihood of cracks and chips.
Processing the edges of glass and mirrors is divided into two stages - grinding and polishing.
At serial production, in the manufacture of furniture or commercial equipment, glass processing is carried out on special vertical machines. But, at home, you can also do these operations yourself, using available tools.
Let's take a closer look at how to grind and polish glass with your own hands?
To do this, we will need the following tools and devices: a drill or grinder with a rotation speed regulator (we need low speeds so as not to overheat the glass, 1200-1700 rpm), a special attachment with Velcro for attaching the grinding wheels, the grinding wheels themselves with waterproof sandpaper different grain sizes.
We attach the attachment to the drill, put in a disc, first a larger one (100 - 200 grit) and do the grinding. First, we remove all the irregularities and notches, and after that we form the edge of the profile we need.
Grinding can also be done on emery by attaching a special diamond-coated grinding wheel that has a certain profile, or simply a flat one.
The edge of the stele is made different shapes: semicircular (pencil), trapezoidal (euro edge), asymmetrical trapezoidal, or any other. After such processing side faces the glass becomes slightly rough and matte. But, this is not the end.
Having processed the surface with a large disk, we put a disk with a grain size of 300 - 600 grit, and at the end we process the edges with the smallest one - 1000 - 2000 grit.
For better grinding, the surface must be wetted; it is better, of course, to do it under a thin stream of water. But, experienced craftsmen They know how to do sanding well and without water.
After this treatment, the side edges of the glass must be polished, after which the edges become smooth and transparent. Although, in some cases, the edges are still left unpolished, but this is individual.
The difference between polishing and glass grinding is that it is not done with abrasive discs, but with a soft felt wheel with a special paste. You can use regular GOI polishing paste.
Apply the paste to a felt wheel and polish the edges of the glass until shiny, also using a drill with an attachment, a grinder, or placing the felt wheel on sandpaper.
Glass is very fragile material and is afraid of overheating, so all work must be done carefully, without haste and preferably with gloves.
This glass grinding and polishing technology can also be used when repairing a car to remove scratches and small chips on the glass. The requirements for transparency are higher there, so special polishing pastes are used. First, the scratch is sanded with a grinding wheel and then polished with a felt disc with paste.
(Last Updated On: 10/04/2017)
Work with glass is one of the most common types of work performed during home renovation– glass today is very popular in interior decoration and furnishings. Working with glass is labor-intensive and often practically impossible to do at home; for example, straight processing of a glass edge with your own hands, not to mention creating a curved line, will be a task that only a craftsman with extensive experience working with glass and special equipment can handle . However, some types of glass processing can be done at home, thereby reducing overall processing costs.
Common types of glass processing
Most often, glass is subjected to the following types of processing:
- cutting;
- edge processing;
- drilling
Cutting of these is the most common type. Cutting glass is quite simple, but you need to be careful and have at least minimal experience.
The glass should be placed on a level and smooth surface, attach a template along the cutting line - this can be a ruler, wooden slats or electrical tape. Then take a glass cutter and place it almost vertically at the beginning of the cutting line. You need to cut towards yourself, using the glass cutter only once. You should not press too hard on the glass, and you should also not create a point pressure - you should press with equal force along the entire length of the cut. If everything is done correctly, a characteristic faint crackling sound will be heard.
If the glass cutter does not cut through the glass, it should be soaked in kerosene. However, this is only permissible if the tool has not lost its sharpness. If the roller becomes dull, it can be sharpened using fine-grained sandpaper. In a situation where suddenly the cut does not work out, you should not cut along the same line - you need to turn the glass over and repeat the cut on the back side.
Before breaking off the cut fragment, you need to tap the glass from below with a hammer. If the cut is small, then it is more convenient to break it off using special notches on the sides of the glass cutter or pliers.
Do-it-yourself glass edge processing
Edge processing, including straight-line processing of glass edges with your own hands, in ideal must be performed on special equipment, but the price of such a machine is very, very high, so only a few can afford to buy it. Therefore, at home, you have to process the edge of a cut sheet of glass using files or a sharpening stone. Depending on the thickness of the glass, the type of file is selected:
- for thick glass - a personal file;
- for thin glass - a velvet file.
During operation, the file should not be dry; ideally, it should be moistened with a 10% solution of camphor in turpentine; if such a solution is not available, kerosene or even plain water will do.
Straight-line processing of the glass edge should be performed by moving the glass back and forth along a fixed tool. In this case, you need to be extremely careful not to break the glass. You cannot move the glass across the instrument. It should also be taken into account that with such processing the tool quickly becomes unusable. Therefore, it would be unreasonable to use a new expensive tool for processing the glass edge - for this would be better suited old and no longer used for precise work file or whetstone.
When processing glass edges, you should wear gloves and safety glasses, which will protect the worker from damage from small glass filings. Because the main requirement for any work is its safety.
Manufacturing of glass products - difficult process, one of the stages of which is polishing the cut. The strength and durability of the finished materials depends on how competently and professionally it is carried out.
Glass edge polishing - processing by professionals
Our workshop offers high quality glass edge polishing services in Moscow and the Moscow region. The polishing technique with the creation of a transparent edge (Euro edge) is suitable for processing any parts. The finished edge surface takes the shape of a trapezoid. Modern edging machines allow you to achieve high quality and maximum accuracy surface grinding machines. This technology significantly improves the basic characteristics of finished products.
Polishing will not only improve the quality of the glass, but also make it safe for use.
We offer cutting glass polishing services in any volume, regardless of size. Achieving best quality, we use modern equipment and monitor the implementation of each stage of the work.
Professional approach
Our workshop specializes in excellence in everything. To achieve the highest class of polishing, we work on high-precision automated equipment, which allows us to polish products with a thickness of 3 to 25 mm.
Edge polishing - quality, efficiency, guarantee.
Polishing the cut will prevent such unpleasant consequences, like cuts and scratches, will increase the strength of the workpiece, and the edge itself will take on a neat shape.
Glass edge polishing from our workshop is a guarantee of high quality work
Polishing the cut will help to minimize the fragility of glass products and reduce their risk of injury. Our workshop offers high-quality glass edge polishing in Moscow and the Moscow region. The work is performed by specialists using automated equipment. 
We work with products of varying degrees of thickness (from 3 to 25 mm) and sell various options processing. Among the polishing services offered is the creation of a surface with a transparent cut and a Euro-edge. Order glass cut polishing from us and receive quality products in the shortest possible time!
Our workshop offers high-quality glass edge grinding services in Moscow and the Moscow region using modern equipment.
Grinding the glass cut will help extend the life of products
It allows you not only to get rid of sharp corners, but also to achieve ideal smoothness and evenness of the edge. As a result, the surface acquires a characteristic matte shade.
Features of the grinding service
We care about each client and offer high quality services, which we can achieve with professional processing equipment. Our work is distinguished by a high degree of accuracy.
The polished surface becomes smooth and matte.
The range of services offered includes straight and shaped surface treatment. For grinding, wheels and abrasive belts with different levels of grain are used, which helps to achieve jewelry precision in the work.
The service helps improve the quality of products and increase their safety during use.
Glass edge polishing from our workshop is a high-quality service at an affordable price and in a short time!
When making glass products, glass is cut. But after cutting, the workpiece has a sloppy appearance with uneven and sharp edges, which can injure anyone if careless. To process the edge of glass, you need to perform two types of work: grinding and polishing.
When grinding, the edge of the glass remains rough and not very beautiful in appearance, but at the same time it becomes smooth and safe, and after polishing the cuts become transparent view and become smoother.
The polished edge on the glass gives the glass additional transparency at the end, makes it disappear into the interior, and allows you to feel the full depth and beauty of the glass. Glass with a polished end plays with all the colors of the surrounding light and gives the interior nobility and style.
The rounded shape of the edge can be obtained by processing it using the “pencil” type. This edge looks very elegant after polishing.
Grinding and polishing of glass edges is used in the manufacture of furniture, trade exhibition equipment and products with a visible glass edge.
The edge/chamfer on glass and mirror is a vital feature for glass and mirror transportation and installation. A mirror that is untreated around its perimeter is an extremely traumatic material (the edges are razor-sharp). Glass/mirror edge treatment is important technological operation. It reduces the likelihood of cracking and expands the possibilities of modern design.
There are two types of glass edge processing:
Straight-line processing. Includes the process of edge grinding and edge polishing. With this type of processing using special technology, it is possible to obtain various edge profiles: trapezoid or flat edge with chamfers (Euro edge), rounded edge (so-called “pencil”), edge at any angle in the range of 0 - 45° (beveled).
Curvilinear processing. Allows you to process curved edges of irregular shape. Includes the same processing processes as straight-line processing edges and the same different edge profiles.
Edge end shapes:
Euroedge(trapezoid) - a glass edge polished in three planes: the end and two chamfers at an angle of 45°. Euro edge can be ground or polished. A trapezoidal edge makes the product more aesthetically pleasing and attractive, which helps prevent the possibility of cracks or chips.
Pencil(hemisphere) - with this type of processing, the edge of the glass takes on an oval ellipsoidal shape. The edge surface can be ground or polished. This edge looks very elegant and attractive.
These types of glass edges are used in most cases. But there are other types of processing: Double pencil, Waterfall, straight edge, and others. They are not very common and are used mainly in the manufacture of exclusive products. Most products that require processing of glass edges (doors and shelves in cabinets, shelving and commercial equipment, double-glazed windows, car windows and much more) require just this type of processing.
Facet(beveling) is the processing of the edge of the front side of the glass by cutting it at an angle from 3 to 45 degrees. The bevel can be matte or polished and can be applied to rectangular and shaped (curvilinear) products. The beveled surface is capable of refracting Sun rays, falling on the surface of a mirror or glass, which causes a spectacular play of light, like a scattering of diamonds. Such luxurious glass processing allows us to satisfy the requirements and desires of even the most demanding customers. Mirrors look exceptionally good with facets and will decorate any interior.
Facet
The word "facet" comes from French word, denoting the edge, or rather the plane of a faceted thing. Today this word is used to describe special decorative treatment edges of glass or mirror. The bevel can be made on glass or mirror with a thickness of 4 mm to 12 mm. Minimum size glass suitable for processing on a bevel machine - 50 mm by 50 mm for straight processing and 110 mm by 180 mm for curved processing. The minimum edge width is 5 mm, and the maximum is up to 50 mm. Modern processing of mirrors and beveled glass is carried out using high-tech machines that high accuracy They cut a chamfer from the glass at a given angle and at the same time grind the cut surface. The maximum width of the processed mirror or glass is limited by the capabilities of each specific machine.
