Tapping

It still has it's uses, just not as much control, so there is more scrap, generally speaking. Like anything else, the more you do it, the better you get. For someone that uses that technique exclusively, they are probably very good at it. I use it when I need to, usually on 1/4" plate, use it alot then for beveled pieces.

I have notices that tiffany teachers teach tapping. Kilnforming teachers avert from it.

If you tap *exactly* opposite the score, it opens well. If you hit a bit on one side, it runs between the scolre and tapping point, leaving sharb slanted edge.

Straight scores run against the table end or putting the ball end of your cutter under glass and pressing with ahnds on both sides.

For difficult curves try first: lay the glass score down on some soft; a rubbermat, old towel. Press with your thumb following the score from opposite side. (Easy with cathedral, guesswork with opals). That gives a nice controlled run. If it does not help, use running pliers or Mortom M-80.

-lauri

Such profound bullshit. will you never get tired of getting kicked in the nuts?

If you are hitting the glass that hard, change your cutting technique, cause you are creating more problems than you are solving...... but then you are used to that, aren't you.

I cut clear plate, for beveling, I sometimes tap, no chips anywhere, or they would be visible when assembled, and after beveling. just tap lightly, DIRECTLY UNDER your score. you should not be smacking so hard as to make anything weird happen.

Yes we tap all day.... sounds like an Italian wedding in my shop. We don't tap the straight lines, or the slight curves, or the small pieces. Big deep curves are meant for tapping. We can then break them out in one step without multiple cuts and breaks. In a production shop, speed and ease are the goals. If you're at home you can cut and cut and grind all day if you want to achieve perfection.

Thanks for the insight on tapping. I avoided it on several earlier pieces but what I'm working on now has a lot of deep incuts and I was starting to get a lot of bad breaks. My rule is if I ruin two pieces in a row, I cut as close as I can on the third and grind the rest out. Tapping helps. I've also been using a custom-designed grozer that Javahut made for me that does a great job on the inside curves.

Michael

some deep curves and especially s curves just won't break out w/any other method(that i have used). I usually start the break with runners on each end, then tap from where it is already splitting. ON the reverse of the score line! off center will cause CHIPPING! you can see the break as it follows the score. watch for fractures , tho. m(the hottest glass babe in town according to the folk tales)

If I recall it right, it was Bert Weiss who had a tapping tool. A screwdiver is ground rounded - a thin round tip - placed on the reverse of the score and tapped with a light hammer. He used it for float glass over 100 mm thick. Might work on thinner transparencies , too.

-lauri

Hence the need for the hammer....

Quote "(the hottest glass babe in town according to the folk tales)"

While this is a non binary group, links to photos are just fine and, in fact, encouraged, I have heard.

SORRY, that was my typo. Correct is 10 mm

-lauri