Cutting Matching Curves

[lpohlmeyer]

I know this is probably an elementry question, but it wasn’t covered in my “beginners” class that I took a couple of years ago.  I’m trying to cut two different colors of glass to mate up to each other and I’m having trouble getting the curves to “match” close enough so that I know they’ll fuse in the shape I want.  I start on color #1, create a random curve, score & cut the shape.  On color #2, I’m having trouble duplicating the curve. I trace the curve from color #1, but controlling the cutter seems to be the issue.  I’m using a pistol grip cutter.  I’ve googled, etc. and not finding a video or good description of what I might be doing wrong.  Ideas?

Lisa Pohlmeyer

[svb716]

If you can get it to be 95% good the balance can be acheived at the grinder.  I keep my light box next to the grinder, put the pieces next to each other, make a sharpie tick where they touch, grind away the sharpie tick.

[Anonymous]

The trick to cutting along a drawn line is to NOT look at the cutter head (which is what we naturally do).  Train yourself to continually look at the pattern line an inch ahead of the cutter head. The problem with watching the cutter while you cut is that you are continually trying to fix adjust for mistakes after they happen.  Like driving, when scoring glass we tend to go where we are looking.

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Paul
FusedGlass.Org
Helios Kiln Glass Studio
PaulTarlow.com

 

[lpohlmeyer]

Thanks Paul, I tried your approach today and it worked much better. Glad I asked.

Lisa

http:\HeatedElements.com

 

[27suzeeq43]

Lisa

I totally agree with the other comments. When I teach my new students to score the glass on a drawn line, I always tell them not to look at the cutter but a few inches ahead of it. Think of when you learned to catch a ball. You look at the ball, not your hands. Same principal applies. I always teach my new students to score a straight line without a straight edge ruler. It works evey time.

The way you control the cutter is to hold it as close to the cutting wheel as possible. Do not hold the cutter in the center of the handle or the back. Sometimes when I am cutting a textured piece of glass I actually hold the handle with my thumb and pointer finger gripping the metal above the wheel. Total control.

Sue

sarasotaschoolofglass.com

My Book:

Everything You Wanted To Know About Fusing…But Had No One To Ask

[Author]

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