Cutting holes in glass

[IBM]

I've got in interior pane of glass in a partition between rooms and I need to run a couple of cables from one side to the other.

I figure that cutting a hole in the pane of glass is going to be a lot easier that drilling through the wall (the hole's going to have to be at least 30mm) so was wondering if anyone had any experience in, I don't know, breaking and entering who might be able to give me some pointers.

[M0nkeyb0Y]

It's a rough science, I know...

[99Flake]

I would go through the wall, you can get bits that will do that size with ease, then there will be no sharp edges to rub on the cable.

[Merlin4458]

Hold a screwdriver, preferably the size u wish to create a hole from. Hold a heavy object, preferable a hammer, and hit it accuratly but as hard as you can keeping the screwdriver still... If your quick enough it will go straight through. Very much like the pulling a table cloth off leaving the paltes there kinda thing.

[MadduckUK]

Hold a screwdriver, preferably the size u wish to create a hole from. Hold a heavy object, preferable a hammer, and hit it accuratly but as hard as you can keeping the screwdriver still... If your quick enough it will go straight through. Very much like the pulling a table cloth off leaving the paltes there kinda thing.

[schmunk]

Does the glass have a wooden frame? That'd be the easiest route. Otherwise, I would be far more inclined to drill through the wall than through the glass.

[finlay666]

dremel it

[SilentDeath]

Hold a screwdriver, preferably the size u wish to create a hole from. Hold a heavy object, preferable a hammer, and hit it accuratly but as hard as you can keeping the screwdriver still... If your quick enough it will go straight through. Very much like the pulling a table cloth off leaving the paltes there kinda thing.

to cut glass you usually would use a diamond point/wheel to score the line you want to cut. this makes that part of the glass weak, so it can be hit out (as you said). the scoring with a diamond point is VERY important otherwise you would just get a mess of mostly shattered glass.

you should be able to buy a diamond point/wheel thing quite cheap from glass shops.

Or you could use a diamond core drill, which are like hole-saws but with diamond segments instead of metal teeth.

If the wall is brick, im not sure whether you should use a normal drill bit or a core bit (for larger stuff you would use a core bit).

If its plasterboard etc.. then go through the wall with a hole saw

[Brucelles]

Using a glass cutter (diamond point or wheel) is a bit of an acquired skill. It's dead easy to scribe a straight line, but circles, especially small ones, are a bugger. Also breaking them out is a bugger too. If it's feasible to remove the glass you could take it out, cut off a corner and then replace it. That should work.

I have seen lasers cutting through glass in movies but I always wondered how that works, after all, the light just goes straight through and kills the neighbours.

[SilentDeath]

Maybe. I have done it before in a straight line and very easy. pushing it out wont be hard if the window frame is good, it doesnt take much pressure.

do a search for glass cutting, plenty of sites showing how it is done.

laser cutting glass is possible, but it needs a coating on it first (painted?). I think graphite of some form is used.. either way the films are very wrong.

[kickstart 1]

Easier to use 'filler' to cover mistakes in walls , than replacing glass with mistakes !

[Merlin4458]

to cut glass you usually would use a diamond point/wheel to score the line you want to cut. this makes that part of the glass weak, so it can be hit out (as you said). the scoring with a diamond point is VERY important otherwise you would just get a mess of mostly shattered glass.

you should be able to buy a diamond point/wheel thing quite cheap from glass shops.

Or you could use a diamond core drill, which are like hole-saws but with diamond segments instead of metal teeth.

If the wall is brick, im not sure whether you should use a normal drill bit or a core bit (for larger stuff you would use a core bit).

If its plasterboard etc.. then go through the wall with a hole saw

was purely taking the piss with my comment

[iranu]

I doubt very much that you could cut a 30mm hole in the glass while it's in situ, you would need to take it out, lay it flat and use a scribe to cut around say a 10p piece on either side before breaking it and even then your not garuanteed to get a clean break. Then you'd need to take down the sharp edges of the hole and then put it back (with putty?). Sounds like a lot of grief to me.

Better to go throught the frame of the glass if possible or the wall. Only other way is under.

[IBM]

So much for thinking that going through <5mm of glass would be easier than >120mm of brick...

thanks ladies and gents, good excuse as any for buying more DIY hardware...

[JPreston]

You could try making a bigger one of these?

[GoNz0]

some of these http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/SKY-plaster-wa...QQcmdZViewItem

or

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/10-TV-CABLE-GR...QQcmdZViewItem

then

http://stores.ebay.co.uk/The-Hunter-...QQftidZ2QQtZkm

he has 150mm or 300mm drill bits.

i dont know how many cables you have but that might be a good under &#163;10 neat finish. better than the b&q prices anyway. oh the 1st guy also sells broken brick cable covers if you really mess it up