Vent: My cheap glass cutter finally gave out mid-job on a big shower door

I was installing a custom 3/4 inch thick shower door for a client in Phoenix last Tuesday, and my old $15 cutter from the hardware store just snapped. It left a jagged line right down the middle of a $400 piece of tempered glass, ruining it. I had to eat the cost and order a new panel, setting the project back a full week. The next day, I went and bought a professional-grade cutter for about $80. The difference is night and day, the wheel rolls so much smoother and the handle feels solid. Has anyone else had a tool fail at the worst possible moment? What's your go-to cutter brand now?

4 comments

4 Comments

laura6672mo ago

Tempered glass can't be cut after it's made, just fyi.

torres.blair2mo ago

Actually you can cut it with a waterjet, so that "can't" isn't totally true.

fisher.thomas9d ago

Honestly, I remember reading something from a glass fabrication forum where a guy broke down how waterjets actually work on tempered glass. He said the key is that the jet has to be incredibly precise and the glass needs to be submerged or stabilized in a certain way to prevent the whole thing from shattering. I think I saw a YouTube clip too where a shop cut a car window with a waterjet and it held up fine, but they had to go really slow. So yeah, it's not like cutting a regular pane, but saying it "can't" be done ignores those specialized setups.

harris.andrew2mo ago

Hold up, that's just wrong. Waterjets absolutely can cut tempered glass, it's done all the time in shops. Saying it "can't" be cut ignores modern tools. The process is different than cutting regular glass, but it's totally possible. You just need the right equipment and know-how.