Replies

1. 
   GoldenWreckedAngle | Sep 23, 2003 08:05pm | #1

   Having been a professional glazer in another life time I can virtually assure you that it will be far less expensive to have a glass shop do this for you. It takes special bits, and most importantly a special know how, that can only be had by breaking a lot more mirrors than the price difference will get you.

   Kevin Halliburton

   "I believe that architecture is a pragmatic art. To become art it must be built on a foundation of necessity."  - I.M. Pei -

2. 
   Parrothead2 | Sep 23, 2003 11:27pm | #2

   Definitly have someone else do it. This is not a DIY type of thing. It's a specialty and unfortunatly $225 is not a bad price for the mirror w/ holes cut in it.

3. 
   Luka | Sep 24, 2003 01:29am | #3

   If it is square holes, it is do-able with a dremel, and some of those tiny thin cutoff wheels.

   Lots of patience. Go very slow. Make very thin cuts, do not bite in much at all with each pass. And cut about halfway through from each side. Don't try to score and break it out.

   I have cut glass, tiles, and bottles with one of those. I can't emphasize the slow and patient part, enough. It is very tedious, and done correctly, can be frustrating before you are finished.

   Once finished, look closely, and radius anything that might develop into a crack later. Ordinary emery sandpaper can come in handy at this point.

   A good heart embiggins even the smallest person.

   Quittin' Time

1. 
   JeffBuck | Sep 24, 2003 01:33am | #4

   I never see "square holes" in mirrors .....for electrical boxes ...they're a series of round holes drilled ...probably with a wet hole saw .....and the tips are then cut straight ....don;t know for sure ......but I'd guess like most fragile materials .....the rounded holes leave less chance of the corners cracking.

   JeffBuck Construction   Pittsburgh,PA

    Fine Carpentery.....While U Waite                  

1. 
   Luka | Sep 24, 2003 01:43am | #5

   Absolutely true.

   That's why I added the bit about radiusing the edges. Meant the corners as well. Shoulda said so.

   I have cut circular, square, and even irregular holes in glass before. With the dremel and very thin cutoff wheel. (None of them were very big.) I drew the hole I wanted, then started by first cutting a smaller hole inside the outline. I then cut small pieces away until I had the size and shape I wanted.

   Sharp corners are almost guaranteed to crack later. You have to radius out the corners at least a bit. Then, all sharp edges have to be removed. Any sharp edge anywhere, can later be the starting point for a crack. I use emery cloth, and small files to remove all the sharp edges.

   A good heart embiggins even the smallest person.

   Quittin' Time

1. 
   JimLovatt | Sep 24, 2003 02:11am | #6

   Thanks Luka/everyone. I decided this is something I won't try to DIY. I called around, found a glass shop in Snohomish, $154 for a 4'x6'  1/4" thick mirror with 2 - 4" holes /  all edges polished.  

   So  I ordered it from them ....jim

   Check out this picture of hurricane Isabel..

1. 
   junkhound | Sep 24, 2003 06:06am | #7

    If within a foot or so of the edge, have had good luck by building a dam of putty or clay, slurry of SiC in a puddle, piece of copper pipe in a drill press, couple of pound weight on on the drill press arm, slowest speed the press will go, set it up, go have a beer, and let it run, nice clean round hole.   Farther than a foot from the edge takes, like Jeff said,  patience, or a lot more expensive drill press than I have. Think the pros use diamond trepan cutters.

   If over 4" dia, use a good carbide or diamond glass cutter and scribe circle on clean mirror, tape the back just outboard of the scribe.  Lightly (very lightly) Tap, tap, tap with the ball of the cutter and the disk will fall out in a few minutes, you can watch a small crack propagate around the circle.

   If you want to try this, do a piece of scrap glass a few times.  I never had any luck cutting old scrap glass or mirror until I leared the tap tap tap method, and of course, cleaning first.