# Cutting microscope slides



## chrisb (Jan 3, 2008)

These are 1 mm thick. I'm making window panes out of these. Using a glass cutter and straight edge, about 3 out of 4 cuts go bad. Maybe i need to make the score deeper. Plastic is easier but glass looks better to me.
Anyone had lck cutting these? Thanks


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## chuck n (Jan 2, 2008)

For reasons that I don't understand, possibly surface tension, I have had better luck breaking glass (after scoring) if I wet the scratch. This is something that I observed scientific glass blowers do. After wetting the scratch I then snap it. I sometimes use water and some times use saliva. You might try scoring it on both sides. Good luck.


Chuck


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## rreiffer (Jan 14, 2009)

It also depends how old your slides are. As glass ages it actually "flows" and becomes harder to break. If you are using old slides that could be your problem.


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## Semper Vaporo (Jan 2, 2008)

Stained Glass artists often completely submerge glass in water to score and break it.


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## chrisb (Jan 3, 2008)

I found something online aguy wrote showing a carbide scribe instead of a wheel. I'll try oil and then water and see what happens. Can't find anyone local that sells a tungstan carbide scribing pen. Thanks


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## Mike Reilley (Jan 2, 2008)

Here ya go Chris. I think you'll find this works well on thin glass. Glass Scribe


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## rwjenkins (Jan 2, 2008)

I had the same problem trying to use glass slide covers. When I tried cutting them with a glass cutting wheel I bought from a stained glass craft shop, all it would do was crush the glass. I ended up with a few pieces where the jagged edges would fit inside my window frames, but the jagged edges led to cracking across the window. I wasted a lot of glass, and a few window frames, until somebody suggested a diamond-tipped scriber from Micro-Mark. Talk about a night-and-day difference, this thing actually made glass cutting fun, giving me perfect cuts just about every time. 

I imagine you should get similar results from the Harbor Freight carbide-tipped scriber that Mike posted (which is cheaper), but here's the link to the Micro-Mark version I bought: http://www.micromark.com/Diamond-Tip-Scriber,6472.html


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## Pterosaur (May 6, 2008)

Stained glass is a "paying" hobby of mine (Wish trains did!). You got my curiousity going so I dug up some old slides and tried to cut them. I used a carbide glass cutter and "broke" them with a special "grozing" pliers made for breaking glass along the score line...Worked great and was able to cut some pretty small "panes". I think the grozing pliers made all the difference.


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## armorsmith (Jun 1, 2008)

An old friend long passed, used slide cover glass for galzing in his On2 passenger models. His method was to wet the surface of the glass with kerosene, then scribe the break line with a SHARP carbide scribe, then gently smap the scribe line across an .020 brass wire. I have never done it, but watched him do it many times. 

On the subject, does anyone know where I might get some in larger than slide glass cover size?? 

Bob C.


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## SteveC (Jan 2, 2008)

Posted By armorsmith on 22 Mar 2011 08:25 PM 
On the subject, does anyone know where I might get some in larger than slide glass cover size?? Bob

Microscope glass slides do come in sizes other than the standard 75mm x 25mm (3" x1") 1mm thickness.
[*] 46mm x 27mm - petrographic use
[*] 48mm x 28mm - Thin sections use
[*] 75mm x 50mm - geological use
[/list] 
You might also try a picture framing establishment and check on the price of...(of course if you have a local glass distributor they may or may not be less expensive.)
[*] "Picture" glass .071 to .084 inch thick, 15-17 oz. per sq.ft. (Nominally 2mm)
[*] "Single Strength" .085 to .101 inch thick 17-19 oz per sq.ft (Nominally 2.5mm)
[/list] To determine which thickness glass you have:
[*] Measure the total thickness of 10 pieces of glass of the same thickness.
[*] If it is less than 7/8 inch - it's "Picture Glass"
[*] If it is over 7/8 inch - it's "Single Strength" glass.
[/list][/list]


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## chrisb (Jan 3, 2008)

I completed the windows that i needed. i could not get a scribe in time so i stuck with the wheel glass cutter. I put a drop of oil on the wheel. Scored the line. Then water or saliva on the score mark. 
This made a big improvement. One thing, it was on St Patricks and I was drinking a Guiness Stout. Could that do something to the saliva? 
Some that had a poor cut where cleaned up on my disk sander. I'm thinking of getting a diamond or carbide scribe and then cutting windows out of slips which are a lot thinner than slides. Thanks


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