Glass cutters - all made the same?

[chookie]

I purchased a pistol grip, oil chamber glass cutter from ebay and have been using it for my projects. Nothing too hard so far, consisting of straight lines on squares, triangles and so on. When it comes to petal shapes, elongated ovals, I come over all hot and bothered and it all goes pear shaped (if only I was that clever  )

I mark out my shape on the glass, clean my cutter from any debris glass and let it oil onto the wheel. I then cut - towards me - the first side. If I am lucky I will get it right. The next side is where it all goes wrong. I sometimes break the shape when I press down with the cutter and then throw it into the shards jar. Most times though the shape is completely off and I start again.

My cutter isn't a Toyo or other expensive brand, just a generic one from online. I suppose you get what you pay for. How much better would the branded makes be compared? What are the unwheeled variety like?

Is my cutting technique wrong? I stand up to cut and cut towards me as cutting away feels very odd.

Practice makes perfect as they say. I am not wanting to waste glass. Transparent feels better than opal, am I right?

[jeannette]

I don't have much experience myself, but all the curly shaped cuts I have seen on you tube have been away from you.
I think it's about practice and technique and perhaps you are pressing a little too hard, to cause the break. There is also a little cutting video and PDF on the bullseye site.
Good luck.

[chookie]

Thank you for the info, I shall go and have a look at it later on  Maybe I am a bit heavy handed when cutting, I haven't got the pressure right yet.

[jeannette]

I think I dreamt that   it was on warm glass!
http://www.warm-glass.co.uk/images/pdfs/Bullseye%20P&T-%20Improve%20Your%20Glass%20Cutting.pdf
Doh, anyway here you to.

Oh but I don't know about anything other than toyo as that is what I use. I have the pencil shaped on, though.

[chookie]

Yes, the pencil one looks good. My unbranded pistol grip has a head that turns, leaks far too oil from the head a lot when cutting and it's bulky too. I may have just answered my own question.....

[Zeldazog]

I always felt that I had less (directional) control on curves with a pistol grip cutter - in classes, I usually only recommend them for people who might have difficulty with their hands (such as arthritis, etc) or who don't seem to be able to apply enough pressure for a decent score.

With something like a petal, and similarly circles, you have to have a "run-off" point - so, you can cut the curve one side, but then when you try and do the "mirror" curve it breaks - the glass wants to follow the path of least resistance, which is generally a straight line out towards the edge of the glass - so you might find that you have to cut one curved side, then when you do the second side, you have to cut from point to outer edge of curve and run off to the edge - break, then carry the curve back inwards.... if that makes sense?

I used to have a quick and easy circle cutting video bookmarked, will come back if I can find it, it was the best one I have seen...

Edited to add:

http://www.glasscampus.com/tutorials/videos/

There's a couple of videos in here, one general, one specific circles - I notice he's using a pistol grip, but to be fair, if its Dennis (Brady) in the videos, he's been cutting glass for about 20 years I expect, therefore probably doesn't struggle with a pistol.... 

[Glyn Burton]

With glass the price it is skimping on a decent cutter is a false economy I cut a lot of glass and only ever use a Toyo. I think there are 6 on my bench at any one time so I can always find one, I have the pencil type and the broader headed type which I like for long straight cuts. It sounds like you are pressing too hard you would be surprised how little pressure you need. I would buy some horticultural glass from a glass merchants (its the cheapest) and just practice cutting until you you feel confident and relaxed. For the cost of a few pounds a 2 ft square in Jersey is £3 you can practice without the pressure without the worry of wasting expensive glass.

I just read your other post that you are a newbie interested in fusing, you can always fuse the horticultural glass that you cut of course just dont try and mix it with your Bullseye as it is a different COE. Welcome to the forum and if you are ever in Jersey come and say hello.

[Pat from Canvey]

I used a simple green balled end cutter for years with no oil, just replaced the wheel when the old one needed to be replaced. Glyn's idea of using horticultural glass is good. I've also fused with it for practice. Here's a panel I made years ago. About the only one I still have a picture saved,

Mostly done with a simple cutter, but very intricate shapes done with a diamond band saw. I always found that it was more of a question of keeping the cutter absolutely perpendicular to the line of cut and this comes with ppp. I've never used oil, it just has to be cleaned up afterwards. It's only in the last year or so I've treated myself to a silberschnitt cutter that also doesn't use oil. When I first started to cut glass, the tutor had us cutting a fleur de lys from window glass. You might also find that http://tempsfordstainedglass.co.uk/acatalog/info_GRINGS.html   helps breaking out your curves.

[chookie]

Wow Pat, that's awesome     I have heard of people using cutters with no oil and wondered how I would get on. I am going to have to experiment with styles of cutter, cheaper glass and oil/no oil combo's. Thank you everyone 

[chookie]

Pat, do you have the  silberschnitt hobby carbide cutter with the wooden handle or is there another model that you have? I see that the description says that you have a good view of the head whilst cutting. I think that this is part of my problem.

[Pat from Canvey]

It's the Silberschnitt 424.0 DBGM from Bohle, I believe it's this one.
http://www.bohleamerica.com/shop/Glass-Cutting-Supplies/Glass-Cutters/Easy-Grip-carbide-glass-cutter::13.html
It took a while to get used to and I still go back to the ball end cutter for cutting strips from full sheets where I need to use a rule for a straight cut.

[chookie]

Thank you Pat, it looks good, nice and slim on the nose and I would be able to see where I'm going too, great price to boot 

[Stephen Richard]

Chookie,
You will find that you need little pressure, and a flat surface to successfully score and break glass.
I have a note on my blog that may help you.
http://www.verrier-glass.blogspot.com/p/about-verrier.html