cutter clogs

You ain't sticking that glass cutter down in yer thong between scores, now are ya?

Seriously, I've been using the same 2 Toyo cutters for 10 years. Never had to replace a head. What is the substance that is causing the clogging, and where is the clog? Are you seeing fuzz collect around the axle of the wheel? Is it cotton fuzz, paper fuzz, something from the pattern material? If you are cleaning the glass, wouldn't think it would be anything off the glass, rather something in your shop.

Just a crazy thought....stick the cutter in one of those ultrasonic jewelry cleaners?

Might be the "dipping it in cutting oil" that is causing the problem. I have a lint free towel, soaked in cutting oil, in the bottom of a PVC end cap, (4" schedule 40 from the plumbing store), and every now and then I run the cutter over the cloth. Lubricates the axle and any chips in the "slot" are cleared when running it thru the cloth. Have never had a problem.

I also have problems with the Toyo heads after a while. It seems like the wheel doesn't want to turn. I thought it might be caused by being down in the damp basement.

I'd bet that it's just dirt that's on the glass and accumulates over time. I have one Toyo that has a wheel that is about 15 years old and still scores just fine. Occasionally I'll just spray some WD40 on the axel and once in a while take a needle and dig out the dirt. It's all part of the zen thing about working with glass.

andy

michele wrote:

See? That's why the fine folks at Toyo make cutters with oil reservoirs, just so you won't have those problems. Put oil in the cutter, wah-lah.....wheel turns. Oil repels water, no rust. Clever, eh?

Hmmm based on your clues of not keeping oil in the handle, and only dipping ocasionally here's my guess..... If you push hard with a dry wheel you'll get I never clean the glass or fill the handles. Like the others I have the same ones for years and years. My secret is keeping the entire head submerged in cutting oil 24/7. I also have the habit of rolling the wheel backwards to leave an oil trail on the glass surface before long scores. I wonder if this keeps it rolling free?

Based on your clues of not having oil in the handle and only dipping ocassionally here's my guess. When you push down hard with a dry wheel you tend to get a build up of slag around the head. That becomes sludge when you do dip it and gets caked on. The solution is to keep a little oil in the handle, and do as I do and keep the head submerged in oil 24/7 when not in use. Also rolling the wheel backwards, to leave an oil trail on the glass, for long scores also helps it to keep moving freely.

Call the INS!!! Brady's trying to "teach" again.

One way or the other...yer on that never-ending quest for the Yankee dollar, eh?

Me too, you can ship all the way to Mexico, because by your own statements, the glass business in the USA is going nowhere except fusing and lampworking. Think those mexicans can afford glass pipes?

I do have oil in the reservoir so there is no "wah-lah" for me, see?

Bwaahaaaha! ROTFLMAO! "distribution center"?

I'm sure Hoy's and Warner-Civ and Art Glass House are trembling at the very thought of you competing with them. Convulsing with laughter, maybe.

Yer freaking delusional.

Yup, that's exactly what you should do, why don't you set up a whole chain of them? Coast to coast, you could be the Wal-Mart of glass! What a grand idea....if no one is going to listen to your verbal posturing you might as well DO IT and teach everyone a darn lesson for not listening to you...eh! We can all then say, why I remember when...

"Canadian Products"??? What the hell does Canada produce besides rotgut whiskey and moose poop?

I thought the retail glass business was dead?

As I said, yer freaking delusional.

well, i believe i finally figured it out. I use a sharpie to mark my straight edges, then cut along the line. The sharpie mark must be flaking into the cutter wheel. Problem solved, thanks all. m

Experiment with a lighter score, I think you will be surprised.