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How to smooth a rough glass edges into a sparkling smooth surface.

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How to smooth a rough glass edges into a sparkling smooth surface. Sam Nickaby 07-18-2006
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Posted by Sam Nickaby on July 18, 2006, 10:17 am
Is it possible to cut glass so straight and flat that when you slide the glass in
parallel that you cannot see the seems. I am building a magician's prop
and I need to cut glass so that when I slide them pass each other the
seems will fit so precisely that they can become invisible. The Japanese
have done it. Also, I've separated glass into two pieces and join
them temporary and the seems have disappeared. The trick now is to
be able to slide them in parallel without showing the seems. This means
that to two glass will have to extremely straight and smooth.

What kinds of tools can I use to lap the edge of the glass to get it so
smooth and flat that the surface of the edge of the glass is as smooth the
face of the glass itself?

Thanks






Posted by Moonraker on July 18, 2006, 10:40 am

> Is it possible to cut glass so straight and flat that when you slide the
glass in
> parallel that you cannot see the seems. I am building a magician's prop
> and I need to cut glass so that when I slide them pass each other the
> seems will fit so precisely that they can become invisible. The Japanese
> have done it. Also, I've separated glass into two pieces and join
> them temporary and the seems have disappeared. The trick now is to
> be able to slide them in parallel without showing the seems. This means
> that to two glass will have to extremely straight and smooth.
>
> What kinds of tools can I use to lap the edge of the glass to get it so
> smooth and flat that the surface of the edge of the glass is as smooth the
> face of the glass itself?
>
> Thanks
>
Lots of variables here.

How big are the pieces? How thick is the glass? Just POG (plain old
glass)? No patterns or textures? Clear in color?

This glass has to sit edge to edge in a vertical position and the top piece
has to slide on the bottom pieces' top edge?


If you are talking about pieces of glass that is the size of your hand,
there are several people on this glass forum who do beveling and could do it
for you. Any bigger, and I think you'd better be looking for someone who
bevels mirrors or table tops.

It is possible to grind the edges of glass perfectly straight..well, within
reasonable tolerances, (a few .001"), and to polish those edges as smooth
as the face of the glass.

However, it seems to me that the edges would have to have some small radius
to them, otherwise you'd be succeptible to chipping the edges and/or
cutting yourself. And that small radius might be visible, even if it were
polished, too.

Any chance you could post a link to a photo of this prop?



Posted by Sam Nickaby on July 19, 2006, 6:10 am

> Lots of variables here.
> How big are the pieces? How thick is the glass? Just POG (plain old
> glass)? No patterns or textures? Clear in color?

Thanks for creative responses from the posters.
To get an idea, here's a miniature image I'd just
drew. http://religion.p5.org.uk/s/glasses.htm The real one will
be 2 x 1.5-feet total. I'll be using the thinnest POG for a table top.

> This glass has to sit edge to edge in a vertical position and the top piece
> has to slide on the bottom pieces' top edge?
> If you are talking about pieces of glass that is the size of your hand,
> there are several people on this glass forum who do beveling and could do it
> for you. Any bigger, and I think you'd better be looking for someone who
> bevels mirrors or table tops.
> It is possible to grind the edges of glass perfectly straight..well, within
> reasonable tolerances, (a few .001"), and to polish those edges as smooth
> as the face of the glass.

I didn't believe it was possible to polish the glass as smooth as the surface
of the glass itself. If lapping by hand is difficult, what polishing tool might
work
on a milling machine head?

> However, it seems to me that the edges would have to have some small radius
> to them, otherwise you'd be succeptible to chipping the edges and/or
> cutting yourself. And that small radius might be visible, even if it were
> polished, too.

The sharp edges are an acceptable risk but the design will put safety into
account.

> Any chance you could post a link to a photo of this prop?

I was in Japan and saw the amazing magic trick performed. I knew who
ever made this prop must have use a fairly expensive equipment to get the
glass polished so smooth. The good part was that the magic prop can be
operated safely.









Posted by Moonraker on July 19, 2006, 6:35 am

>
> > Lots of variables here.
> > How big are the pieces? How thick is the glass? Just POG (plain old
> > glass)? No patterns or textures? Clear in color?
>
> Thanks for creative responses from the posters.
> To get an idea, here's a miniature image I'd just
> drew. http://religion.p5.org.uk/s/glasses.htm The real one will
> be 2 x 1.5-feet total. I'll be using the thinnest POG for a table top.
>
> I didn't believe it was possible to polish the glass as smooth as the
surface
> of the glass itself. If lapping by hand is difficult, what polishing tool
might work
> on a milling machine head?

Not the right approach. Polishing glass is a 4-5 step process. You can't
do it with a milling machine. Glass has to be water cooled while polishing.
Find a commercial glazier that has a beveling/polishing machine. The kind
of place that makes glass table tops. They can edge polish the glass. You
can't polish glass by sliding it up against another piece of glass. The
final polishing step is a SLOW speed felt wheel and a slurry of Cerium
Oxide.



Posted by FlameNwind on July 19, 2006, 1:49 pm
Excuse this newbie for poking her nose in (a pokey nose?), but after reading
this posting for a time, I was wondering if what you really want isn't
acrylic? First, it is about half the weight of glass, which I suspect would
be a consideration for a performer. Secondly, it would make the safety
issue a lesser issue. And third, I understand that it is frequently used in
magic props in place of glass, making the one you saw in Japan possibly
acrylic. Oh, yeah..fourthly (?) it is used in aquariums alot...specifically
because it can be made colorless (as opposed to thicker POG which tends to
appear greenish) and the seams can be made to appear "invisible", both
through polishing and chemically. Hey, it looks like glass 'cuz it's magic!

Just a thought.

>
>> Lots of variables here.
>> How big are the pieces? How thick is the glass? Just POG (plain old
>> glass)? No patterns or textures? Clear in color?
>
> Thanks for creative responses from the posters.
> To get an idea, here's a miniature image I'd just
> drew. http://religion.p5.org.uk/s/glasses.htm The real one will
> be 2 x 1.5-feet total. I'll be using the thinnest POG for a table top.
>
>> This glass has to sit edge to edge in a vertical position and the top
>> piece
>> has to slide on the bottom pieces' top edge?
>> If you are talking about pieces of glass that is the size of your hand,
>> there are several people on this glass forum who do beveling and could do
>> it
>> for you. Any bigger, and I think you'd better be looking for someone
>> who
>> bevels mirrors or table tops.
>> It is possible to grind the edges of glass perfectly straight..well,
>> within
>> reasonable tolerances, (a few .001"), and to polish those edges as
>> smooth
>> as the face of the glass.
>
> I didn't believe it was possible to polish the glass as smooth as the
> surface
> of the glass itself. If lapping by hand is difficult, what polishing tool
> might work
> on a milling machine head?
>
>> However, it seems to me that the edges would have to have some small
>> radius
>> to them, otherwise you'd be succeptible to chipping the edges and/or
>> cutting yourself. And that small radius might be visible, even if it
>> were
>> polished, too.
>
> The sharp edges are an acceptable risk but the design will put safety into
> account.
>
>> Any chance you could post a link to a photo of this prop?
>
> I was in Japan and saw the amazing magic trick performed. I knew who
> ever made this prop must have use a fairly expensive equipment to get the
> glass polished so smooth. The good part was that the magic prop can be
> operated safely.
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>



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