Sawing

Sawing of glass is done via Abrasive Cutting using Bonded Diamond blades with water for cooling and dust management. Anytime a saw is used it should be checked that the saw has adequate water being fed to the blade. Failure to do so will cause glass dust to be thrown into the air, the blade being compacted with glass dust or even burning up the blade from the friction of Abrasive Cutting.

Due to the nature of Abrasive Cutting these tools are generally fairly slow, loud and can be rather messy. It is recommended that prolonged use of them to have some sort of ear protection and a booth/area to do the sawing in to reduce the mess made.

Terminology

Word	Description	Image
Throat	The distance between the blade and rear support if one exists.
Mouth	The distance between the top of the work surface and the top blade guide if one exists.

Types of Saws

While all saws will cut the glass in identical ways, the layout of the tool and how the cutting medium is applied will differ between them thus making some tools better for some types of work over others.

Saw Comparisons

Saw Type	Description	Best Use Cases	Things to Consider
Wire Saw	Saws where the blade is a short rigid wire, often allowing for Omni-Directional cutting. Has two distinct types of saw: Ring Saw Reciprocating Saw	Cutting out shapes in the center of glass as blades can be placed through a hole in the glass. Most modern models allow for portable sawing. Typically the cheapest option for the tool and for consumables.	Ring saws require a special split blade to place them through a hole. Often have small Mouth sizes.
Band Saw	Saws that use a single long loop of blade around two wheels spaced apart from eachother.	Generally have large Mouth sizes. Easier to see what is being cut.	More expensive tools and consumables.
Tile Saw	Saws that use a traditionally shaped circular blade or ring of metal.	Best way to cut slabs or fixed widths of materials. Can cut very thick and larger things. Usually supports some type of sled, guides or other extra tools to help with correctly cutting.	Most expensive. Only cuts in one straight direction.