Cutting up pot melts

[dawn]

I have decided to have a go at a pot melt.  What I want to know is how do you cut them up?   I am sure somewhere I have read that you can use an electric tile saw.  If you can do you need a different blade than the one supplied.

Thank you

Dawn

[Sulis (Hazel)]

Hi Dawn,

I've used a tile saw to cut glass rods, made sure to get one with a water feed, or manually keep it wet to control the flying glass chunks. And therein lies the problem - they can rip the glass quite a bit. It was a standard blade though with the diamond coating. I'm not sure though how it would handle something as potentially thick as a pot melt and could struggle if it's uneven too.

Do you have a fancy shape in mind?

Good luck!

[dawn]

My brother has bought me an electric tile saw which is water fed.  I have tried it with the blade supplied but it does not seem to run smoothly.  I cannot find the information I have seen previously - no doubt when I do not need the information I will find it - typical!

I don't have any particular shape in mind.

Dawn

[Sulis (Hazel)]

Hi Dawn,

The tilesaw may not be ideal for your purposes. I guess you'd have to compare it to something like a taurus ringsaw - the cutting part goes in one continuous direction which means that the glass is less chewed up as there is no back and forth 'sawing' motion. I don't think a tilesaw would ever give you very smooth edges and it's ability to get through thick sections may be a bit hit and miss.

If it's not that thick and not too uneven, you could try the old fashioned scoring and tapping method?

I'd be very interested to find out how you get on, or if anyone else has any suggestions?

Good luck!  xx

[Zeldazog]

I;ve used a water fed tile saw at Uni, and it does cut through, but tends to break off before the end of the cut - could possibly try cutting into the middle from each side.

I would say same as Hazel, try the scoring method - in theory, the pot melt should be about 6mm thick (that's how thick glass likes to be), which is cuttable (is that a word?) this way - although you might want to practice on scrap glass if you don't cut much this way usually, as it might take a little practice. It might also help to have some grozing pliers to grip it with if its a bit small to break.

[Chameleon]

Im with everyone else on the scoring method with the grozing pliers, alt you can do it with a dremel with a diamond bit ..keep it wet ! slow going but quite neat only really any good for small pieces, but quite useful for interesting shapes

[Sulis (Hazel)]

Hey Dawn, I'd love to see pics if you fancy posting any. A pot melt is something I have wanted to try for a long time, but just haven't got round to yet. But I'm a sucker for pot melt pics. It's the crazy scientist in me I think 

x

[dawn]

Thank you for replying.

I promise once I get around to doing it (the pot melt) I will post a pic.

Dawn

[BlueMoon]

I've cut them using a wet tile saw. (circular blade with a water mist) It works well. I've got some pictures of one I did last year that had 25 drips of glass coming out the bottom of an Ikea kitchen utencil  holder. It was a lot of fun to make. I didn't cut up the pot melt though...just left it attached. It's quite the conversation piece at the store. There are pics here  http://www.austinbluemoon.com/gallery/thumbnails.php?album=31

[dawn]

Next time I am ikea I will have to get me a couple of those utensil containers. 

Dawn

[Pat from Canvey]

If you want the pot melt to have a smooth surface, let the melt drip until all the glass has seeped through. Then you get a neat disc that you can slump into a bowl. I have a diamond bandsaw that I sometimes use to cut melts (haven't done any for some years). Monumental masons or tile shops will have an industrial size tile saw with a 10 inch blade. See if a local shop will cut the melt for you if you only require a straight cut. I'm still amazed that people here don't seem to use garden terracotta pots for a melt as you can drill extra holes and get different patterns in the melt.

[julieHB]

Let me know how you get on - I have a ring saw and can cut it for you if you so wish.  Afterwards it needs to be either polished on a lapidary machine or firepolished in the kiln to get a glassy, smooth look.

[ThermalShock]

Oh my goodness  , I so have to have a go at this!!!!!  Do I set my kiln to a full fuse? or do I need to put in a special programme??  How high does the pot need to be off the shelf - or doesn't it matter? 

Jude

[Dennis Brady]

I'm still amazed that people here don't seem to use garden terracotta pots for a melt as you can drill extra holes and get different patterns in the melt.

Terra cotta saucers and pots have a nasty habit of cracking during firing.  That's why so many have switched from pot melts to screen melts and use metal molds to catch the melt.

[Dennis Brady]

Oh my goodness  , I so have to have a go at this!!!!!  Do I set my kiln to a full fuse? or do I need to put in a special programme??  How high does the pot need to be off the shelf - or doesn't it matter? 

Jude

Here's some examples of what you can do with screen melts:
http://www.vicartglass.com/products/screen%20melts/screenmelts.html

Here's how:
http://www.glasscampus.com/tutorials/pdf/SCREEN%20MELT%20USE%20INSTRUCTIONS.pdf

Here's the firing schedules:
http://www.glasscampus.com/tutorials/pdf/Screen%20Melt%20Firing%20Schedules.pdf