What are chances - tempering glue chipped glass?

[Raymond Chapman]

What has been your experience of glue chipping and carving plate glass and then having it tempered? We may possibly have a job the would include some intricate stage etching and glue chipping but the buiding code requires tempered glass.

Does breakage happen often, seldom, randomly, or what? I just need to know if I have to figure doing two, three or more pieces in order to get one through the tempering process.

If you have done this, is is worth the effort?

By the way, thanks to David Smith for the lead to this customer.

[erik winkler]

Hello Raymond,

I saw some etched and gilded glass plates that where mounted in doubleglass frames with tempered glass.
This for protection against greasy fingers/scratching and vandalism.
Maybe this would be an option?

[Larry White]

Hi Raymond-
There's a big difference between chipped plate glass and chipped tempered glass. A big difference!

Chipping tempered glass never looks as nice. I've chipped plate glass, then had it tempered without incident. All of them have made it through fine. As for tempering depth carved glass, it would probably also temper okay, provided the depth carving isn't to deep. I might even consider doing the glue chipping, get it tempered, then do the depth carving on the tempered glass. Again being careful to not go too deep. Might be a good idea to get a piece of similiar tempered glass and see if you can carve it as deep as you want to go. If it busts, perhaps not so deep.

It's also best not to chip it all the way to the edge, leave a slight clear border around the glass if chipping before tempering.

I'll tell Pat Mackle to chime in....he knows everything.

-LW

[Danny Baronian]

Another option would be laminated glass. Two sheets of annealed glass laminated to a plastic center.

I've heard tempering after glass treatments can amount to a 10% loss, but I think the figures are actually much lower.

I did two doors for a local business and both turned out fine. Ask for specifics from the clients / city. They may have specific requirements for the bug locations.

Check with your glass wholesaler for his recommendations.

Danny

[DAVE SMITH]

Raymond.
If you have an option over there I would go with what Danny has suggested. Laminated glass is what we use here for passing planning procedures on doors and windows. 8.8 gives you a 4 ml panel thickness. Like Larry said probably best wait for Pat's thoughts on this .
Dave

[vance galliher]

Working with tempered glass is always ricky business. I just finished a two-toned etched on four large panels of 3/8" tempered glass that will be back-lite. I first deep etched the large graphic where parts of design went to glass edge (...scary) with very coarse Green Diamond in pressure pot, then the entire bkdg was frosted with 120 grit silicon carbide in siphon pot. Architects has already ordered panels before I got involved with project. Had I been consulted first, I would have instructed them to use either laminated or clear plex. I have chipped tempered, but as Larry stated, it's just not as nice. I have also chipped plate and then sent panels out to be tempered, with success, but I don't like the anxiety. If glass has not been purchased yet , go with laminated. If not, be sure to note on your invoice that since glass is tempered you are not responisble for breakage

[Larry White]

Everyone that works with glass hates laminated.

One wrong flex in the glass...and...."dink"...it's cracked! You know the sound.

....guess it depends on how big the panels are, to how easily they can flex.

Can't stand the stuff...all on account of a depth carved panel I did for Genetech...remember that little incident back then, broke that panel when it flexed...piece of glass alone was around $600. Can't stand the darn stuff...well, that's me...that's me....

[Tony Segale]

Larry White always tells the truth.

[DAVE SMITH]

You reckon?

[Tony Segale]

maybe so.

but, I don't know.

[Raymond Chapman]

Thanks for the answers. It seems that it is not quite as "chancey" as I first suspected. I'll pad the estimate a little for the off-chance that something may go wrong....which it normally does.