Glass for top of work table?

[threads1]

I read back through all the threads and was interested in putting glass on my new tables. My new work space is about finished and the tables will be the last thing I need to do before moving all my junk over there. My question is to the folks that use glass tops: What type of glass should I order and how thick? And can I cut on it without scratching it? I'll be building two 4' x 8' tables on locking casters about 39" tall. Thanks in advance. Charlie

 

[cdiesel]

I'd absolutely use glass for a 4'x8' table. We used 1/4" thick regular old glass for ours. The one thing you need to make sure is that the table is absolutely flat. If it's not, you'll crack the glass with any pressure. You can cut to your heart's content with stainless blades. The black carbon blades will scratch it.

 

[MachServTech]

Funny, I just did this. I found some executive office desks with the glass i needed from a surplus office furniture store $100 each. The glass looks to be smoked and tempered 1/2" weighs 150 lbs per piece.

The glass works beautifully and cleans up so nice at the end of the day.

 

["Deposit Please"]

I have 1/4 glass. 2 4x8's. Works great, also have 2 more mounted on wall where we do our cutouts for auto tints. 1/4 will work, but i would get 1/2 next time around. Stainless blades won't scratch glass. Awesome for cutting prints, vinyl etc. haven't done it, but you can print rulers for the glass and install it on the underside, kinda like the rhino cutting mats.

 

[SebastienL]

We've got super mega huge glass top table. Gotta be at least 10' by 10'.
Got two panes of 1/8" thick regular glass. Been there since i've been at that tplace (4 years now). Never seen it been replace. It is cracked on one corner... but I have seen at least 4 peoples up on that table, at the same time.

 

[btropical.com]

goto a glass shop they are pulling fogged up glass sliders all the time , we use sliders tempered they are 46 ish by 92 >>>>>>>>>>>>>> everything should be free do no pay for these glass items

 

[threads1]

Thanks everyone......great advise...I had no idea about the stainless blades so I'm really glad I asked. Thanks Again.

 

[Cre8iveDesigns]

why glass? why not just a self healing mat? just curious?

 

[KetchikanSignpro]

we use 1/2 plate glass and over the years it has gotten many scratches on it from using carbon blades. the problem with that is when u run another blade over it it will snap the vary tip of your new blade. Also having to worry about dropping things on the table sucks, don't forget you cant hammer on your glass table i guess.... we have gone through 2-3 4x8s but luckily we share a shop with a glass shop. we recently got self healing mats and put them right over the op of the glass and we gut much better cuts and the blades last long. the mats will need to be replaced almost every season it looks like.

 

[Aldir]

Here at my signshop we have two work tables topped with a 1/4" common glass, but underneath it the wood table top is covered with dark grey carpet so we can see better white prints ends and also help locate cutted stickers for mounting with many colors.
An like cdiesel said, avoid black blades, they'll scratch your new table. Ours last for about 2 years each side, and then we get new pieces of glasses.

 

["Deposit Please"]

I use olfa, quick break away blades at your disposal. Black one is olfa siver(self lock) & the red one is called the red dot. Perfect for cutting prints, weeding, cutting mags etc, I Bought a pack of 50 stainless steel blades for the knives. xacto is ok, but i prefer olfa, they are built better.( My opinion)You can get the blades w/ sharper angle for harder to reach areas as well. Don't use blackmax on glass. Get a bigger knife for cutting coro or any larger subs.

 

[jasonx]

I use 1/2" tempered glass. Had it three years still haven't flipped it over yet to use the other side. We also got the edges finished with a chamfer.

 

[Pat Whatley]

Like btropical said, call glass shops near you and ask about salvage glass. They may not have what you need right then but if you wait a bit you'll be surprised what you can get cheap, if not free.

 

[Sticker Dude]

I use olfa, quick break away blades at your disposal. Black one is olfa siver(self lock) & the red one is called the red dot. Perfect for cutting prints, weeding, cutting mags etc, I Bought a pack of 50 stainless steel blades for the knives. xacto is ok, but i prefer olfa, they are built better.( My opinion)You can get the blades w/ sharper angle for harder to reach areas as well. Don't use blackmax on glass. Get a bigger knife for cutting coro or any larger subs.

I have been looking for a while to buy a red dot cant seem to find them anymore. Do you remember where you picked up yours?

 

[GAC05]

I'm with Pat, find a local glass shop and become their new best friends.
Aside from salvaged glass that most are happy to get rid of - they stock all kinds of aluminum extrusions that sign guys can use.
We have a good relationship with one here and they are very helpful with custom projects.
We had to make a "Wheel of Fortune" vertical spinning wheel for car dealership promo. The glass guys made us an 8ft round aluminum frame that we faced with coro.
I didn't have the tools or the skills to get something that big perfectly round but it was just 2 180 degree arched window frames to them.

We mounted it to a bearing shaft pulled out of an old wheel balancer and it took very little counter weight to to get it to spin true.

wayne k
guam usa

 

[Kemble]

Been using a 36" x 84" x 1/4" tempered glass top for 4 years now, still haven't flipped it over. Yes there are 1000's of scratches on it (I use the black carbon blades, they tend to last longer), I've yet to have a scratch in the glass prevent me from making a strait cut or give me any problems.

 

[threads1]

Cre8tive - I am going to use glass instead of the self healing mat for a couple of reasons. The mat is a major P.I.A. to get perfectly flat and I just don't want to deal with it but, the main reason is because when laying down laminate or mask by hand I wanted the smoothest surface possible. Thanks everyone for all your input. Hopefully I can start building them this weekend and maybe next weekend I can take off. No days off for over a month now and it's getting old.

 

[dwt]

I have been looking for a while to buy a red dot cant seem to find them anymore. Do you remember where you picked up yours?

NT Red Dot... Ebay

 

[Mosh]

I use 2 5x10 self healing mats on our shop table. It is flat and I have no problems when we lay mask out. Lot cheaper than glass, and I can walk on it.

 

[tintshopplus]

using the stainless steel while snapping blades frequently and keeping a 45 angle or less will assure you'll never scratch it. oh and keep it clean of hard debris. i do window tinting as well and when i do mobile work i cut the film right on the car windows. no problems. i'm also wanting to build a cutting table with some glass i've got. plan to white out the bottom side with vinyl and install a light box underneath. should make layering life changing. just need to figure out how to build this thing. and thumbs up on the glass shops. you'll probably find a free piece with little effort. look for an old commercial door. dual pane will work great.