Splitting a dichro

[polishedball]

I have a nice sized dichro used for mixing 640 and 660, it is a very good size and I would like to split it in half and have two. Is this possible? do the coatings tear? Was thinking i'd use a diamond dremel cutting disc.

I'd put it at 1inch square or so, just want to split it in half. Ideas? comments?

[norty303]

I just use a regular glass cutter. Score and snap over a straight edge.

You simply don't cut glass in the way you would with a cutter, you just encourage it to break in a controlled way. I cut quite a few of the dichros from the Casio projectors easily enough, and I'd never done it before.

Essential items:
Glass scoring wheel (can be really cheap, mine is)
A good straight edge

Read up on some of the stained glass or decorative glass forums/websites for how to go about it, and perhaps test on spare piece of glass from your local glaziers first if you're nervous

[LaNeK779]

what norty said!!

just don't go for the dremel option, it will be a disaster

[norty303]

Oh, and you finish the edges with a piece of very fine grit paper.
Do the scoring on the uncoated side

[werner_b]

I just use a regular glass cutter. Score and snap over a straight edge.

You simply don't cut glass in the way you would with a cutter, you just encourage it to break in a controlled way. I cut quite a few of the dichros from the Casio projectors easily enough, and I'd never done it before.

Essential items:
Glass scoring wheel (can be really cheap, mine is)

That´s my experience too. I used additionel a drop a machine oil that makes the cut finer.

Werner

[buffo]

just don't go for the dremel option, it will be a disaster

Why do you say that? I've cut glass up to 1/4 inch thick with my Dremel tool. Though admittedly, you don't cut all the way through it... You just have to score it enough that it breaks along the cut line.

I always use my Dremel to cut mirrors, and I've never had a problem. (I use that because I don't have a glass-cutting tool.)

Adam

[LaNeK779]

i am worried about all the debris flying around acting like a sandpaper on the sensitive dichro coatings

plus, if you are not trained with the dremel, it is very easy to loose control and have the cutter move around all over the surface of the material

the best option for me is a cheap less than 10$ glass cutter, and scoring on the reverse side, then breaking along

[buffo]

The problem I have with the cheap glass cutter is that for thicker glass (1/8 inch and up), it doesn't always split along the score line unless that line is pretty deep. With a Dremel, you can make it as deep as you want. (I used to have a glass cutter years ago, and I got less consistent cuts with it than I do now with my Dremel.)

I've never had a problem with flying debris. Granted, I wear goggles just about any time I fire up the Dremel, but that's just good practice. I've never had a problem with it messing up the optical surface though. (I don't cut very deep - maybe only 1/32 of an inch or so.) I suppose you could cover the surface with tape before you cut it, but I've never bothered...

You have a point about the Dremel having a tendency to "walk" over the work surface, but that is not nearly as big of a problem when using the oxide cutting wheels as it is when using the metal cutting bits. (I never use the metal bits to cut glass.) But yeah, you do need to have a good grip on the tool.

I guess it's all down to what you're used to using. If you've had a Dremel for a while, and are comfortable using it, you can definitely cut glass with it. But if you've never used a Dremel tool before, then you're probably better off with a glass cutter. (Just make sure the score mark is deep enough, and go slow when breaking the glass...)

Adam

[mikkojay]

The lady in this video cuts a small piece of glass-
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XuyOZ...eature=related
She uses a special pair of pliers to break it off, but I have used regular old pliers with a bit of duct tape for cushioning. Practice on a piece of junk glass, then once you get it down, it will be a piece of cake.
-Mike