I finally got a decent pair of rod nippers, the ones with little wheels on them, to have another go at my own murrini. (I got some of the plain straight tile ones before which didn't do anything but crush the glass).
Now I've had an experimental few tries with it, and thin 4mm cuts like a dream!!! However it's the thicker ones I'm not to great with, and before I turn all my rods into frit :D I'd thought I'd ask the wise sages here!
Do you run the wheels around the rods, then try and break them, or do you just squeeze down and hope for the best? I've heard sticking the lot in a plastic bag to save them flying around is a good idea, but anyone else got any good tips or advice please? I'm going to be using them with boro, so I'd rather get it right and not waste too much on making any more frit! :D ;D
I use the wheels and I just squeeze, up to 7 or even 9mm. The thicker the rod, the more uneven the result though, and I usually put my finger on the end of the rod to stop glass flying off everywhere. Will be very interested to see if anyone has a better method for the thicker cane :)
I just squeeze too and have the nipped end over a little bowl to catch them! But mine are at most 6/7mm in diameter.
I think I heard somewhere that one of those little pipe cutters is good for thick cane. Never tried it though it makes sense to be able to score all the way round it before you snap it off.
Other thing that springs to mind is that as the cane gets thicker it's going to get more shocky so it may be worth annealing the thicker stuff before you cut?
I got some cutters from Manda (Mango Beads) and they are fantastic, I can cut murrini size bits off my rods of glass and I have even cut supplied murrini in half with them.
QuoteI got some cutters from Manda (Mango Beads) and they are fantastic
I was kicking myself after I finally ordered a pair as saw those on there the next day! They do look rather good!
Cheer Sal, I will definetelly try annealing the rods before I try chopping them. So far I've only tried it on clear boro, and the odd soft rod before I have a go at anything too fancy or valuable. I can't imagine using anthing more than about 9mm, but I'm nervous of cutting anything larger than 4mm at the moment!
Hi Glenn,
I have had the mosaic cutters (the wheel ones) for a long time, as I used them for trimming glass for fusing. I cut easily the thicker rods with them without "fritting" it.
What I find to work best is not to have the wheels clamp down on the centre of the rod, but as if you are "nibbling" into them.....if you understand what I mean.
I have been eyeing up those cutters from Manda as well..... ::)