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cutting glass into thin sections



 
 
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  #1  
Old August 5th 03, 07:23 AM
jad_23
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Default cutting glass into thin sections

Is there anyway to cut glass into thin sections? I want to be able to
get a thin piece of the cross section of the thinkness of a 3mm piece
of float glass and am having problems.
I have considered grinding, laser cutting and waterjet cutting. What
is the best of these options or are there other suggestions?

Cheers
jad
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  #2  
Old August 6th 03, 01:21 AM
Mike Firth
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What do you want to do when you are done?
Are you examining the glass? Are you assembling these thin slices? Are
you covering something small?
How thin? 3mm? (Square) 0.3mm? (thickness of 3 sheets of light aluminum
foil)

--
Mike Firth
Hot Glass Bits Furnace Working Website
http://users.ticnet.com/mikefirth/I-UPSUMM.HTM
shows recently changed files, click on link
"jad_23" wrote in message
om...
Is there anyway to cut glass into thin sections? I want to be able to
get a thin piece of the cross section of the thinkness of a 3mm piece
of float glass and am having problems.
I have considered grinding, laser cutting and waterjet cutting. What
is the best of these options or are there other suggestions?

Cheers
jad



  #3  
Old August 6th 03, 11:46 PM
Terry Harper
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Default

"Mike Firth" wrote in message
...
"jad_23" wrote in message
om...
Is there anyway to cut glass into thin sections? I want to be able to
get a thin piece of the cross section of the thinkness of a 3mm piece
of float glass and am having problems.
I have considered grinding, laser cutting and waterjet cutting. What
is the best of these options or are there other suggestions?

What do you want to do when you are done?
Are you examining the glass? Are you assembling these thin slices?

Are
you covering something small?
How thin? 3mm? (Square) 0.3mm? (thickness of 3 sheets of light

aluminum
foil)


We used to cut ~3mm thick sections of irregular lumps of glass by potting
them in filled polyester resin (car repair kits) and then slicing them on a
diamond wheel saw. To get thinner sections we ground them down on a lap
wheel.

I've heard of people making very thin sections with a microtome.

I would try the resin potting method first of all. It's holding the work
piece that is the most difficult part. Potting solves that. AS always, use
lots of water and don't go too quickly.
--
Terry Harper
http://www.terry.harper.btinternet.co.uk/


  #4  
Old August 7th 03, 12:39 AM
jad_23
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"Mike Firth" wrote in message ...
What do you want to do when you are done?
Are you examining the glass? Are you assembling these thin slices? Are
you covering something small?


Yes - I am examining the glass both physically (refractive index) and
chemically (elemental analysis). I want a thin cross section of the
3mm thickness of the piece.

How thin? 3mm? (Square) 0.3mm? (thickness of 3 sheets of light aluminum
foil)


As thin as possible I guess - is it possible to get it down to 0.3mm
without it breaking?
  #5  
Old August 7th 03, 02:28 AM
Harold E. Keeney \(Hal\)
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Default

Have to agree with "terry" about the potting method. Used this many times
while still in
the work force. (retired) Don't know what else
is available in your lab, but we did both refractive
and elemental analysis. The sample should be
small and can be lapped on the lapping wheel
using diamond pastes of reducing micron grits.

Unless you need to get into the organic parts of
the glass, a scanning electron micrscope fitted
with energy dispersive x-ray will give you elements
down to carbon, but not below. Good luck, and
let us know how you finally accomplished it.

Hal

"jad_23" wrote in message
om...
"Mike Firth" wrote in message

...
What do you want to do when you are done?
Are you examining the glass? Are you assembling these thin slices?

Are
you covering something small?


Yes - I am examining the glass both physically (refractive index) and
chemically (elemental analysis). I want a thin cross section of the
3mm thickness of the piece.

How thin? 3mm? (Square) 0.3mm? (thickness of 3 sheets of light

aluminum
foil)


As thin as possible I guess - is it possible to get it down to 0.3mm
without it breaking?



  #6  
Old August 7th 03, 06:02 AM
jad_23
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Default


I've heard of people making very thin sections with a microtome.


I am very interested in this idea. Do you have anymore information
about it? What sort of microtome would you use - some sort of diamond
tipped saw I imagine?

Thanks
JAD
  #8  
Old August 8th 03, 02:19 AM
jad_23
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Default


Perhaps a stupid sugestion , perhaps let it melt down to the right
thickness ??



Not a bad idea - but by melting it down and re-annealing you are more
than likely to be changing the physical and chemical properties of the
glass, which is no good for my application.

JAD
  #9  
Old August 9th 03, 03:51 PM
Henry Halem
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Glass will not cast down to that thin a section. The physical
characteristics of glass will permit it to flow to a 6mm thickness and no
more. As an aside, casting a glass does not change the chemical properties
of the glass as the temperature for casting is below the vapor pressure of
the glass constituents. Annealing thin section of glass is not an issue
either as at 6mm the glass will be more or less self annealed. If you have
access to someone who is a glass blower you can blow glass to sections
thinner than a hair.

jad_23


Perhaps a stupid sugestion , perhaps let it melt down to the right
thickness ??



Not a bad idea - but by melting it down and re-annealing you are more
than likely to be changing the physical and chemical properties of the
glass, which is no good for my application.

JAD


 




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