Shelf glass
Question:
need to make a shelf for a curio cabinet (adjustable shelf). dimensions are 24" x 24". It will not have much on it except for some small knick-knacks. What kind of glass am I looking for? I assume regular window glass will not be what I’m looking for. If are in the san Antonio area, any supplier suggestions?
Response:
Tempered 1/4" thick should do ya, just tell the glass guy what you are doing, he won’t rip you off too bad! — Rumpty Radial Arm Saw Forum: http://forums.delphiforums.com/woodbutcher/start – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - –
– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – need to make a shelf for a curio cabinet (adjustable shelf). dimensions are 24" x 24". It will not have much on it except for some small knick-knacks. What kind of glass am I looking for? I assume regular window glass will not be what I’m looking for. If are in the san Antonio area, any supplier suggestions?
Response:
need to make a shelf for a curio cabinet (adjustable shelf). dimensions are 24" x 24". It will not have much on it except for some small knick-knacks. What kind of glass am I looking for? I assume regular window glass will not be what I’m looking for.
Given the light duty, window glass will work; however, more typical is to use plate glass. Look under glass in the yellow pages and call up and ask about 1/4" salvage plate – salvage is what it sounds like and can save some bucks if they have any. You’ll probably want the edges ground or wet sanded. If you had heavier use in mind you might want 3/8" or 1/2". Tempered glass is safer if broken but generally a lot more expensive as it cannot but cut once it’s tempered.
Response:
Am I the only one in the world who shudders in abject horror at using glass for ANY kind of weight bearing application other than when it’s being used as a table top? I know glass is actually much stronger than you’d think as far as how much weight you can put /on/ it, but one slip and bang with an object…… Our wall unit has two glass shelves and I cringe every time we take everything off to dust it, then put them back up. All the shelves in /my/ room are wooden. – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -need to make a shelf for a curio cabinet (adjustable shelf). dimensions are 24" x 24". It will not have much on it except for some small knick-knacks. What kind of glass am I looking for? I assume regular window glass will not be what I’m looking for. If are in the san Antonio area, any supplier suggestions?
Response:
Our wall unit has two glass shelves and I cringe every time we take everything off to dust it, then put them back up. All the shelves in /my/ room are wooden.
I guess you don’t go to gift and china shops too often. They frequently have tons of porcelain, metal and crystal objects displayed on glass shelves all around the store. You obviously must match the thickness and type of glass with the expected load (just like you have to do with wood too). — Regards, Benoit Evans
Response:
I hate going into places like that. One wrong move and you’re $500-$50,000 in debt [some of the ones I've seen have the aisles WAY too close together]. And it’s only put up that way because it ‘looks better’ and will generate more sales than if they had them on wooden platforms. I’ve noticed a lot of department stores in my area have started switching to Lexan or even standard plexiglas for displays. The only problem with this is that they scratch so easily. I /know/ glass can support heavy loads. But all it takes is one accident with it to injure yourself very badly. – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Our wall unit has two glass shelves and I cringe every time we take everything off to dust it, then put them back up. All the shelves in /my/ room are wooden. I guess you don’t go to gift and china shops too often. They frequently have tons of porcelain, metal and crystal objects displayed on glass shelves all around the store. You obviously must match the thickness and type of glass with the expected load (just like you have to do with wood too). — Regards, Benoit Evans
Response:
Most stores have a thing for selling things. Imagine that. – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -And it’s only put up that way because it ‘looks better’ and will generate more sales than if they had them on wooden platforms.
Response:
I /know/ glass can support heavy loads. But all it takes is one accident with it to injure yourself very badly.
Nope – cough up for tempered glass, no significant injury at all (the stuff crumbles into small bits that might scratch you, but don’t cut). Thats why it’s also called safety glass. Stop by a car accident scene sometime – the windsheild is laminated safetly glass (plastic in the middle) so it stays together, but all the rest of the car windows are just regular safety glass, and that what all those cheap diamonds on the ground are. As a bonus, it’s stronger than regular plate while being thinner; as stated before, it usually costs more becasue it needs to be sized before it’s tempered (other wise when you tried to cut it, it would shatter into crumbs).
Response:
I hate going into places like that. One wrong move and you’re $500-$50,000 in debt.
I once lived in a town with a gift shop that was full of all sorts of interesting, unusual, attractive, hard-to-find items, mostly imported from Europe. They had little signs on all the shelves: "Lovely to look at, A pleasure to hold, But if you break it, Well, then, it is sold." — Regards, Benoit Evans
Response:
Windshields and backlights stay together well enough to be considered structural components. Ever pop a window with one of those spring-loaded punches? Impressive! Those "diamonds" shred your latex gloves, crawl inside your turnout gear and cut you in the strangest places, sometimes DAYS later. Amazing stuff.
– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Stop by a car accident scene sometime – the windsheild is laminated safetly glass (plastic in the middle) so it stays together, but all the rest of the car windows are just regular safety glass, and that what all those cheap diamonds on the ground are.
Response:
They had little signs on all the shelves: "Lovely to look at, A pleasure to hold, But if you break it, Well, then, it is sold."
Don’t believe what you read — that is not a law. Breakage is part of doing business. It should be covered under their insurance. If some store person tries to make a fuss, ask to see their invoice for the item so you only pay the wholesale they paid, not the retail they were asking. That should stop them cold. Bob (in a rebellious mood) Buch
Response:
The one in the local mall has You break it, you buy I break it, I cry I think that would work better with the second line first. I keep thinking about mentioning it. I’d be too afraid of breaking something to go in there. 
– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I hate going into places like that. One wrong move and you’re $500-$50,000 in debt. I once lived in a town with a gift shop that was full of all sorts of interesting, unusual, attractive, hard-to-find items, mostly imported from Europe. They had little signs on all the shelves: "Lovely to look at, A pleasure to hold, But if you break it, Well, then, it is sold." — Regards, Benoit Evans
Response:
need to make a shelf for a curio cabinet (adjustable shelf). dimensions are 24" x 24". It will not have much on it except for some small knick-knacks. What kind of glass am I looking for? I assume regular window glass will not be what I’m looking for. If are in the san Antonio area, any supplier suggestions?
1/4 window glass is just fine for that size shelf. Go for 3/8 if it makes you feel better – cost difference is small. Plexiglass will bend, even with nothing on it, and of course it will scratch too. One caution: if it is possible for the shelf to move off the supports then you should put a dab of earthquake/museum wax on one or two supports to keep it from shifting. You don’t want the top shelf migrating down through all the others. This happened to me (a cabinet I did not build) – oddly, the shelf did not break, but a lot of china did. ===== Those are my principles. If you don’t like them I have others. ===== {remove curly brackets for email}
Response:
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