'splain to me about 'band saws'

Please disregard this answer. It was more than 100 words.

I don't do SG but I use a bandsaw to make curved cuts in my fused pieces. I'm talking about pieces 1/4" thick and upward. Mostly upward. I can't imagine needing one for single layer glass.

okay...so now i've heard from the guys who don't like the idea of cutting flat glass with a saw...is there ANYONE here that DOES use a saw, band or ring, i'm not fussy..

what are the plus sides to this issue?

they sell the darned things...someone must be using them...

any saw users out there???

ar.

Nor am I making Sg but in fused glass work a saw (I don't have) opens few possibilities

1. To cut 2 pieces of glass at the same time, providing a neat seam between colors. In SG the tin/lead seam is more forgiving, so you do not need the saw.
2. To cut awful shapes where you cannot separate the pieces with running pliers. This is also often against the aesthetics of SG work.
3. As mentioned before, making delicate shapes of thick glass, especially when the thickness is uneven.
4. It makes possible pattern bars. Fusing colors to a rod which is then sawn into slices.

for 1. I use practice and patience for 2. I use Dremel with a cylindrical bit for 3. I cut further away and grind to shape for 4. I have no use (yet) However a band saw is in my dream list, quite far down. Before it comes sandblasting, second and third kiln, lampworking gear etc.

-lauri

I have a small band saw and use it to prepare shapes that could not be cut otherwise before slumping them, it also gets used for cutting colour bar before fusing it and blowing. Good also for cutting tiles to shape. The one I have fits on top of a Krystal grinder , similar to inland, and works surprisingly well although I think I have finally used the best of the blade recently cutting a fair bit of 1" Kugler colour bar..

well, so far, i haven't heard from one stained glass person who's using a band or ring saw....

but until i do, the jury's still out...

ar

The executive summary, though, is pretty short: Dennis doesn't sell saws, so he doesn't recommend them.

For once, I agree with him, but it won't keep me up at night because I know that if he started selling them tomorrow morning, he'd be calling them an essential piece of any "artisan's" studio by lunchtime.

Ok...I'll fess up. I have a saw. Mostly it gathers dust. I use it to make very tight inside curves where hand cutting, grozing, and grinding wouldn't work as well. I probably use it once or twice a year and usually on glass that has a heavy texture (like baroque) that seems to have a mind of it's own.

Can you imagine his dilemma if a manufacturer were to offer a combo bandsaw and belt sander? With a 900*F blade?

While a saw does cut much slower than what one can cut by hand, there are is a usefulness to them. If you use some art glass such as Uro herringbone, drapery or other expensive glass, then a saw would/is useful to avoid as much waste as possible. Glasses such as herringbone and other heavy textures can be difficult to cut shapes such as inside curves...a saw is very helpful here, the same with expensive glass like Fisher and Fremont. Folks with carpal tunnel have found that saws can relieve the pressure that normally comes with using a hand held cutter. There is nothing wrong with using a saw if you want...it's you hobby, your fun and your money. Learning to cut with a hand cutter is obviously a good thing...and probably 95% fster than using a saw to make the same cuts. However, when it come to what I mentioned above, a saw is a useful tool.

Scratch

snipped-for-privacy@gmail.com wrote:

SG guy here. I have a ring saw and use it maybe 5 times a year for weird things like cutting bottles, right angles, drapery glass, etc etc. Bottom line is that it's a non essential toy for SG work. But........ I don't need my IPOD or plasma decoder ring either. I love gadgets and buy everyone I see. If you're not poor and love glass working, by all means get a Taurus ringsaw. You'll have a blast with it!

-- JK Sinrod

About 6 months ago, I purchased the Taurus III ring saw. Aside from practicing on it (which it definitely requires) by cutting on numerous types and thicknesses of glass and attempting every type of cut known to man, I have used it for practical purposes exactly 0 times. Maybe it is a lack of imagination on my part, but I really cannot come up with any truly viable use for it. Maybe, I can see potentially using it for mosaics and for fusing work as stated by others. I've cut some ceramics and rocks/crystals with it. That was pretty cool and might be a viable use for a stained glass artist if you are into adding inclusions in your work.

But, at present, the most positive things I can say about it is that it is a nice color of red and doesn't eat much. Considering its original cost and the space that it takes up, I wouldn't recommend it to anyone, particularly someone who is only doing stained glass.

Well now, like I mentioned in another post...it's usually about what glass you are using. It's not always about so called difficult cuts. I truly believe that most folks do not challenge themselves enough and usually end up using the cheap glass...Spectrum, Kokomo, Armstrong. The beauty of the finished product is not always the design as it is the glass. With that said, most folks shy away from the herringbones, the fibroids and most of the real art glass. If you spend the money on an expensive piece of glass, why waste part of it with having to hand cut more away just to get the piece out. with a saw, you can go in and decrease the waste you would normally end up with...then finish cutting the piece out by hand. Have you ever tried to cut a 2" x 1" crescent shaped piece out of herringbone...99% of the time the tips will break...use a saw. Do my saws gather dust, sure they do but they are there when I need them and knowing that, I can buy expensive glass and not worry about whether or not I'm going to wast more than half of just getting one piece cut. Bottom line, learn to cut by hand of course. And as the Glass Guy said...if you can afford one and want one then buy one and be happy. It's all good.

Scratch

FlameNw> About 6 months ago, I purchased the Taurus III ring saw. Aside from

Hey, Scratch! I certainly hope you don't think that I was dismissing what you had to say (who the heck am I to do that, right?), particularly since I completely agree with you and JK and Moonie. I was just stating that for the MOST part...the saw just takes up space. I think I would classify this as one of those tools like a reciprocating saw...you never think about it until you have a job that screams for it. HOWEVER, Arlene was asking for opinions from owners of saws. I own a saw and, as demonstrated, I have an opinion. And I regret that I spent a ton of money for this saw since it is, in the scheme of things, a lesser tool. Again...in my opinion.

Lori

Life is short. Noone can dismiss me unless I let them. :-) I offered my opinon and you offered yours. Others did the same. As you said though, a saw is one of those tools that you rarely use but when you need it...it's there. Now, back to the lemonade!

Scratch

FlameNw> Hey, Scratch! I certainly hope you don't think that I was dismissing what

okay...fighting aside (geez, you are a prickly lot!!) i appreciate the feed back...

at the moment, i am leaning toward NOT purchasing a band saw at least not in the immediate future.

i handle a glass cutter with enough skill to not need the extra expense. however, and giving the fact that i'm paying more for almost everything YOU GUYS use, i may consider a saw purchase sometime down the road.

right now, i have another question...what do you think about a 'table foiler'...??

is that worth the expense?

i have a neighbor here that wants very much to help me...however, his foiling skills suck because his eyesight sucks and he's too 'proud' to wear glasses!! would a table foiler be of use or is it just another silly excuse to keep the economy moving?

thanks...prickly-ness not included...you guys are pretty darned 'schmart' !!!

ar.

Table foiler is one of those gadgets that really work. It's easy to use, saves time and worth every penny. I use it almost everyday. I can foil and crimp over 100 pieces an hour without any of those little annoying finger cuts. Yeah I know Moon I'm a wimp, but I'm gettin' too old to foil by hand anymore.

I got one of those Inland Edge Foilers 20 years ago and use it whenever I am forced into using foil. I don't like foiling, have never liked foiling, and never will like foiling. I don't think there is ANY machine that will ease the boredom and aggravation of foiling. And not foiling eliminates the need to turbo solder. ;

I do whatever they want to pay my real estate taxes of $10,000... YIKES! The table foiler is a huge advance over that Inland piece of crap, which is even worse than the Glastar foiler.