Finger pulls in glass doors

[Knot Competent]

I'm seeking how to make finger pulls in small glass doors, and was shown one which was obviously made by applying the glass to a grinding wheel, leaving a gouge about 50mm long and 15mm wide.

Has anyone attempted something similar, presumably using a slow speed grinder with a water bath?

My plan, given encouraging noises from here, is to have a horizontal table hinged at one edge and spring loaded on the opposite edge, on which the glass is placed, with a slot through which the grinding wheel would slightly protrude when the table was pressed down. The glass would be placed on the table and slowly pressed down, so that it gradually came into contact with the wheel. Total travel would be about 4mm.

Anyone got any experience in this area? I'd appreciate advice.

Regards, John

PS I know it isn't woodwork, but it is related.

 

[BradNaylor]

My local glass merchent charges about £3 to do this before the edges are polished and the glass is toughened.

I think I'll leave them to it!

 

[jasonB]

As Dan says its easier to get your glass supplier to do it at the same time as the edges are polished and before it is toughened.

Jason

 

[Chems]

Nothing worse than glass dust floating around either!

 

[Knot Competent]

But there's a certain amount of glass dust around anyway, as I have to cut the doors from sheet, then polish the edges myself. It's SOOOO much cheaper to do it that way!

So, nobody has any experience of this sort of thing? I'm surprised. There's usually an amazingly broad band of experience here.

John

 

[jasonB]

Who is going to do the toughening?

Should not be any dust as you should be working the edges wet.

Jason

 

[BradNaylor]

Who is going to do the toughening?

I suspect that you are intending not to have the glass toughened.

This is both dangerous and illegal.

Forget the whole idea and order finished doors from a specialist glass processer. I had two done a couple of months ago - 1000mm x 550mm with holes drilled for hinges and handles - and they cost me about £35.00 each.

Sometimes there's just no point messing about!

Cheers
Dan

 

[jasonB]

I suspect that you are intending not to have the glass toughened.

Thats what I was suggesting but in a less direct way.

Sliding doors even in small cabinets are quite at risk:
-Could fall out the slots if not properly sized or become stuck
-Edges easily knocked by items being taken out of / put into cupboard
- Being slid shut too hard.
- Poorly polished & cut edges could have stress raisers that may crack at any time.

Jason

 

[dickm]

Not what you want, I guess, but if some sort of pull stuck on to the glass would suit, my daughter happens to be Pilkington's "sticking-things-to-car-windscreens" specialist, and can give far more advice on this than anyone needs