c/glaziers

Update on that tricky curved glass shower door from my spring project

After three attempts with standard sealants, the bottom track kept weeping water onto the tile floor. I switched to a specific marine-grade silicone adhesive, the SikaFlex 291, and after letting it cure for a full 48 hours, the seal has been bone dry for over a month now. Has anyone else found a better product for wet-area curved glass applications?

3 comments

fionae55•1d ago

Tried to cut a big circle with just a hand cutter and a lot of hope.

Had a job for a cafe in Portland, they wanted a round table top from a single sheet of 3/4 inch glass. Thought I could score it and tap it out like a normal cut. The first try, the score line just stopped halfway and the whole piece cracked in a wild zigzag. My helper just looked at it and said, 'Well, that's modern art now.' Learned you really need a proper circle cutter for anything over a foot wide. Anyone have a good brand they like for big round work?

3 comments

singh.harper•1d ago

A client in Phoenix asked me why we always put the tempered sticker in the bottom corner.

I was finishing up a shower door install last Thursday, and the homeowner pointed at the little stamp. He said, 'It's the first thing you see when you step out. Seems like an odd spot for a warning.' I'd never really thought about it, but he's right. We always talk about sightlines and clean looks, then slap a label right in the sightline. Is there a better standard placement, or are we just stuck with it because of the code?

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noahgreen•2d ago

Spent $180 on a diamond hand pad for beveling and it's been a total game changer.

Used to spend forever with a belt sander, now I get a perfect polish in half the time. What other small tool upgrades have actually been worth the cash for you guys?

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nguyen.kevin•3d ago

That time a church window in St. Louis taught me to always check the frame twice

I was on a job last fall replacing a big, old stained glass panel in this historic church. The frame looked solid from the front, but when we got the old glass out, I leaned on the inside sill to check the fit for the new piece. The whole bottom rail just gave way, rotten straight through. I nearly fell forward into the opening, two stories up on the scaffold. My partner had to grab my belt to keep me from taking a dive. We ended up having to rebuild a six-foot section of the frame with new oak before we could even think about setting the glass. It added like two full days to the job. Now I poke and prod every inch of a frame with an awl before I trust it with my weight. Anyone else had a close call with a frame that looked good but wasn't?

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zara465•3d ago

Spent $400 on a new glass handling vacuum cup and it's a total game changer

I was getting tired of wrestling with big 8x4 sheets by myself on a job in Phoenix. This thing lets me move them solo without a second person, and I haven't had a single close call since it arrived. Anyone else using these, or are you still on the old two-man lift system?

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oliver_stone15•3d ago

I spent a decade using the wrong pressure on my glass cutter

An old timer at a supply house in Tacoma watched me work and said, 'You're pushing like you're mad at it.' He showed me how a lighter, steady hand gives a cleaner score. Anyone else have a basic technique they were doing wrong for way too long?

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jason_davis•3d ago

Got a call for a big storefront job in Springfield last month

They wanted a single pane of 3/4 inch thick glass, 10 feet wide by 8 feet tall. I told them the lead time would be crazy and the cost for the crane would be high. The manager just said, 'I don't care about the price, I need it done in two weeks.' We got it in and set with a 40 ton crane, no issues. It was one of those jobs where the client just wants it done right, no questions asked. Has anyone else had a client who didn't even blink at the quote?

3 comments

wade_west56•5d ago

That week we had to replace 80 panes of antique glass in a historic house

Honestly, everyone on the crew was dreading it because the common take is that old glass is a huge pain and you should just push for modern replacements. We spent the first day carefully pulling the old stuff, and I broke three pieces trying to match the old technique. By Wednesday, I got into a rhythm using a diamond wheel grinder on the new pieces to match the waviness. We finished on Friday and the owner cried, saying it looked exactly like it did in 1920. Has anyone else had a job where doing it the hard, old way was actually worth it?

3 comments

knight.uma•6d ago

Update: Tried a new sealant on a commercial door and it failed fast

I used a fast-cure silicone on a storefront in Austin last Tuesday, and it cracked within a week. I think the Texas heat made it cure too fast and shrink. Anyone have a go-to sealant for hot climates?

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parkers21•8d ago

PSA: The sound of a good glass score is something you don't forget

When I was an apprentice, an old glazier taught me to listen for a crisp hiss when scoring. (He said it meant the cut was true.) Now with automated tools, that sound is rare. But last month, on a retrofit job, my electric scorer quit. Using the old method, I finished the pane clean, and it brought back why I love this trade.

3 comments

wadec92•12d ago

I finally had to stop a coworker from using the wrong cleaner on tinted glass

Saw him grab a harsh ammonia spray. Could have ruined the film. Always double check what products your team is using.

4 comments

val_ramirez•13d ago

Just realized my neighbor thinks handling glass without gloves is fine

I was installing a storefront window yesterday and my neighbor came by to chat. Ngl, he picked up a piece of glass with his bare hands and I had to quickly tell him to put it down. Now I'm concerned he might try to do his own glass projects unsafely. How have you guys handled similar situations with people who don't know the risks?

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amy_coleman•16d ago

The reflection off that bank's front windows is BLINDING drivers at sunset.

It hit me how important anti-glare coatings are for street-facing glass. We should really push for that in local codes to cut down on accidents.

4 comments

harperr70•16d ago

Serious question, are you seeing more cracked glass from temperature swings?

Had two callbacks this month for windows that failed after a cold snap. Thinking we might need to adjust our installation specs.

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kelly.zara•17d ago

PSA: I swore off grid patterns for storefronts until a client insisted

Had a job where the customer wanted a full grid design on a big window wall. Always thought it looked too busy and was extra work. But after installing it, the light spread evenly and hid minor flaws in the glass. Now I get why some folks prefer it. Anyone have tips for cutting all those pieces fast?

4 comments