OT: Glass Cutting Technology

 

I have a sliding patio door going out to my second-floor porch/patio, maybe
10 feet above the ground.  I have a piece of plywood and some insulation
stuck in there (so the door is open about 10 inches, into which fits the
plywood assembly) into which I've mounted a small pet door.  My cats go in
and out onto my porch freely through the door.  My rationale is that if
there is ever a fire, they can escape.  About once a year, one of them will
jump to the ground (never figured out the reasons, maybe another cat or a
rodent needs attention, or maybe they just slip and fall).  But 10 feet is
close enough to the ground that if the building really torches, they WILL
jump.

I figured it would be neater to just put the pet door into the glass patio
door itself.

Problem is, it might be double-paned glass, and even if not, I would have no
idea how to cut glass safely while it is still in the door so as to create a
rectangular opening, into which would mount the small pet door.

Any interesting technologies to cut a rectangle out of a glass pane while it
is still in a frame?

Thanks, Datesfat

 

Datesfat Chicks wrote:

It's also possible that the glass is tempered.  In which case,
attempting to cut it would not be advisable.  It has become somewhat
common on glass doors to prevent those that would walk or fall through
one from seriously injuring themselves.

--
"Outback" Jon  -  KC2BNE
outback_jon@g.no.sp.am.mail.com
http://folding.stanford.edu  - got folding?  Team 32

2006 ZG1000A Concours "Blueline" COG# 7385 CDA# 0157

 

Outback Jon wrote:


Or those that would consider cutting it in situ?

 

Wouldn't it be easier to come up with a round pet door?  If you're going all
fancy here, why not build it yourself, or have someone build it.  You can
use a stained wood frame, and maybe some thin Lexan for the door itself.

If it's not tempered (good call Jon) or if it's pretty old two paned with no
fancy gasses in between, cutting it shouldn't be a problem.  However, sharp
inside corners on glass isn't a very good idea, so I would probably go with
rounded corners and a wider frame.

I haven't cut glass for nearly 20 years, and sliding glass doors are pricey,
so I'd get a window guy to do this stuff.

If your heart is set on a rectangle, it would probably be easier and wiser
to just cut a hole in a wall and slap some sort of platform outside.

CS

 


I live in an apartment building.  They would do bad things to me if I poked
a hole in the wall.

I know what I can get away with and what I can't.  They would let me slide
on modifying their patio door.  But punching a hole in the wall wouldn't go
over well.

Datesfat.