I have boxes of glass microscope slide cover clips, each is 24x50x0.17mm thick.
I need to cut them to a fan shape (guess why!). So far I’ve only tried a small diamond wheel, with the glass clamped between two layers of GF cut draftboard. I think that the vibration from the dremel just shatters the glass, so while I experiment with different rotary tools, I’d be interested in any off-the-wall suggestions.
I will be trying dripping water on the tool, and somewhere I have a diamond tipped glass engraver to scratch the outline, but I think the pressure might be too much.
It probably won’t work, but 0.17mm is pretty thin, so maybe? What happens if you hit them with a (CO2) laser? I’ve often “etched” glass using my GF Pro. The mark isn’t very deep, but I’ve only ever made one pass.
While I would prefer to make glass work, I’m open to trying alternatives. Availability is the main stumbling block, but I’ll start searching. PC is a good idea, thanks.
I wonder if a chemical etching compound (e.g., Armour Etch) would go all the way through something that thin, and if you could control it enough to get the shape you want (perhaps with a laser-cut polyester mask).
If all you need is something thin and glass-like, you might want to try this stuff. It is laser cuttable and has a nice stiffness to it. It’s very clear, not cloudy. It comes masked with a plastic sheet on both sides. It’s made of polyester.
Grafix Ultra Clear .020 Plastic, Durable and Archival Film, Perfect for DIY Crafts, Stencils, Journals, Cards, 3D Embellishments, and More, 12" x 12", 25 Pack Amazon.com
Nice off-the-wall idea, as per my fist post ! I’ve used photo-etching in the past with brass foil, and familiar with etching glass, so that Armour Etch looks interesting.
+1 for the Grafix film @cynd11 mentioned. I had almost mentioned: you can also get very thin acrylic (down to about .76mm thick), which won’t be as thin as the slide cover slips, but is fairly rigid.
John