cutting glass

[Dan Williams]

I was wondering if anyone had an idea on how to cut the stem off of wine/champagne glasses? What I want to do is, you can buy these type of glasses pretty cheap at good will stores and I would like to cut all the stem off but about 1" so I can turn a wood base/stem and epoxy the glass to the turning.

Any help would be appreaciated

Thanks
Dan W

[David Walser]

I've never done what you are planning on doing, so please take this with a pound or more of salt! Having watched glass blowers, I would assume someone with access to a welding torch would be able to quickly cut off the stem and flatten the remaining stub. Otherwise, I'd do what the I've seen the stained glass shop do when cutting glass rods -- use an abrasive wheel in an angle grinder.

The welding torch sounds like more fun....

[Curt Fuller]

Take a regular glass cutter and score the glass around the stem where you want to cut it off. Then use the steel ball on the other end of the cutter and start tapping the stem next to where you scored it as you turn it in you hand. After a few taps they will usually break pretty clean. The edges will be sharp though.

[Steven DeMars]

Safety Glasses are not enough . . . . trust me . . . wear totally closed goggles. . . when I worked in the field as a tech we had to cut glass tubes to fit in analyzers . . .

One thing about glass, it follows you . . . if you create "dust" it will stick to your sweat and end up in your eyes . . the tiniest of tiniest pieces will have you in the emergency room.

What we found that worked very well and controllable was a "REMINGTON" hacksaw blade . . .It is actually a piece of wire with an abrasive coating that will slice through the stem with no problem without the worry of glass particles going everywhere . . . .Wrap it with masking tape, hold lightly it in a vise with sponge rubber over the jaws.

If you have to have the speed of a Dremel type tool, build your self a simple box with a glass top with (2) holes to put your hands through like a makeshift blasting cabinet . . . . This is what I saw them doing at the supply house where they cut hundreds of these tubes a day . . .

I know my precautions sound overkill, but the pain and complications from glass "dust" in your eyes is not a pleasant experience . . .

[Rasmus Petersen]

Well there is an other way... take som cotton twine, wrap around the stem once where you want the cut, drip with alcohol (DNA) or other flamable. light it let burn for a few seconds. then into cold water it shoud break at the twine. I have done this with wine bottles..

[curtis rosche]

i dont know how well your going to be able to get the stems epoxied on perfectly straight

[Toney Robertson]

Dan, do you have a dremel?

I bought some wine glasses without the base and I did not like how long the stem piece was. So I got a diamond wheel for my dremel and it worked like a charm. The wheel was gold in color. I even used the side to taper the end down so that I could make my stem smaller.

Toney

[Clifford Mescher]

Dan, do you have a dremel?

I bought some wine glasses without the base and I did not like how long the stem piece was. So I got a diamond wheel for my dremel and it worked like a charm. The wheel was gold in color. I even used the side to taper the end down so that I could make my stem smaller.

Toney

That sounds like a great idea. Clifford