tim_atherton2 Posted February 26, 2003 Share Posted February 26, 2003 What's the beast/easiest way to trim a tiny bit off an 8x10 GG? (is there one) - it is just a fraction too wide - say 1mm or less. any ideas Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
john_kasaian1 Posted February 26, 2003 Share Posted February 26, 2003 tim, take it to a glass shop, or better yet a stained glass studio if theres one in your town. You might be able to grind (polish?)off .5 mill off each side with the correct attachment on a dremel but frankly, the prospect of a gg exploding into shards while I'm holding it kind of scares me. I suppose you could also 'enlarge' the area where the gg fits with a little sandpaper. Good luck! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nathan_congdon Posted February 26, 2003 Share Posted February 26, 2003 GG experts such as Bill Maxwell have advised the same to me: don't try it yourself, take it to a glass shop by all means, though making precise modifications in size is a tricky business apparently. Regards, Nathan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robert_a._zeichner1 Posted February 26, 2003 Share Posted February 26, 2003 Get some fine emery cloth and contact cement it to a paint stirring paddle. You have now made a seaming tool. You can use this to "sand" the edge of the gg to reduce its size. It may take awhile as this fine abrasive doesn't remove a whole lot of material. I have broken the edges of glass with such a tool a number of times and have not experienced any spalling of the surface. I would not recommend touching the camera. Glass can be replaced cheaply. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
david_f._stein Posted February 26, 2003 Share Posted February 26, 2003 Similarly, I've used sandpaper or my local glass shop recommends a sharpening stone. GOODLUCK.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dan_smith Posted February 26, 2003 Share Posted February 26, 2003 Emery cloth does work but takes time. A bench mounted belt sander is what I use in making custom ground glass for the round edges of Deardorff backs. Low to medium speed and using oil to help keep temperatures in check as the glass is sanded to size. A good glass shop or stained glass shop as recommended above is one way to go also. Remember that if the ground glass fits very snug you may have a cracking problem when things expand in hot weather. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
upscan Posted February 27, 2003 Share Posted February 27, 2003 Tim: Years ago I had some very expensive stained glass cut from a very large 4X8 sheet. The tradesman marked the spot where the cut would start and proceeded to cut freehand without a ruler. To my amazement the cut was perfectly straight, right accross the sheet. The moral is leave it to the experts. They will probably charge $2.00 for doing it, not worth your trouble. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tim_atherton2 Posted February 27, 2003 Author Share Posted February 27, 2003 We have two glass places in town - I don't really trust either. At one, their idea of accuracy seems to be within the nearest inch. At the other, i once got them to try nmaking me up an experimental plexi ground glass. First, they were only within 1/8th - 1/4" of the dimension I gave them. The plexi was having a frosted layer adhered to it. When I picked it up, the front desk person went back for it. Came back a couple of minutes later try to get her pointy, painted finger nail under the edge of the frosting. This she managed to do before I could stop her, whereupon she peeled half of it off. They had to start from scratch again... Needless to say I don't trust either to do a precision job... hence the question :-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jay_lynch Posted February 27, 2003 Share Posted February 27, 2003 A belt sander with a fine grit belt and water. Grind it slowly.... Place the glass on something flat and let it hang over the edge a little. Start sanding the overhang. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
colin carron Posted February 27, 2003 Share Posted February 27, 2003 Tim, I have done a bit of rebuilding of stained glass windows. Rule one is do not lose any body parts while performing this work. A new screen would not be hugely expensive. One significant thing is the age of the glass. If it is new it will cut or trim quite easily but old glass becomes very brittle and is best left to the experts. There are two techniques used to trim glass. The simplest is called 'grozing' and involves scoring the cut with a glass cutter then nibbling away at the glass edge with pliers. There is an official tool for this called grozing pliers but the standard variety work ok. It tends to leave a rather nasty edge. As suggested above a glaziers or stained glass shop will be your best bet as they should be able to grind the excess off with a wheel. Some will do work mail order. good luck and keep counting those fingers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tim_anderson1 Posted February 27, 2003 Share Posted February 27, 2003 Hi Tim, From one TA to another,I recently replaced my ground glass for my Century 8x10 and needed to trim the corners for the air passing through the bellows. What worked for me was using a rotary tool (dremel) using the cutting wheel attachment .The speed was set to the no2 setting which is one of the slower speeds.Even with a light touch it did a great job. one added benefit was that the glass got almost red hot and the enges didn't need to be rounded for a sharp edge. Hope this helps, regardsTim Anderson Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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