Paraphernalia - Cutting a pyrex tube

[mullet0224]

For those who have seen my posts, you know SWIM loves smoking his heroin out of his trusty glass tube.

SWIM had to buy a new glass tube today, but its too long to fit in his little heroin box.

Does anyone know how he can cut a little bit of the length off his glass tube? like a clean cut.
His old tube dropped on the floor and it broke off a little on the end and he filed it down so thats why it fit before.

SWIM doesn't have any glass cutting items so he needs to do it with regular items around the house.

[m.swinehart81]

The only way you can cut a glass tube is with a flame. If you have a sharp enough saw blade and the glass is thick enough you can do it with a saw but you have to have the right blade for it and like I said, the glass has to be a certain thickness. Nothing around the house is going to do it...

[Juko]

Maybe if you are really really really careful you could use a very small gage pipe cutter just to etch it really good then snap it off with swiy fingers

[Junkhead23]

Likelihood is the glass will be too weak. SWIY could try a hacksaw to cut it.

[m.swinehart81]

I dont think a hack saw would work to cut all the way through. The scoring and breaking off is a good idea and swiy might be able to use a hack saw to score it with. I dont really see it being possible to cut completely through it with anything other than a flame since, chances are, the glass is too thin to put up with that kind of stress

[mullet0224]

Hmm, it sounds like I probably don't have the right stuff for SWIM to use then.

I googled around a little bit and everywhere mentioned some glass cutting tools. Made it seem really simple, but I don't have the tools.

SWIM has different saws, possibly a hack saw, in his garage, but if he does its probably dull. Everything in there is really old.

SWIM DOES have a torch though. Someone mentioned a flame, but he isn't sure how he'd use that to cut glass.

Damn this is difficult. SWIM wishes it would just fall on his tile floor and magically break in just the right spot like his last glass straw.

[Junkhead23]

It depends on what type of glass it is. If it is pyrex it may put up with the strain

[Stimulants]

Pyrex is nothing special and a small diameter tubes are not hard to cut. Score all the way around using a Dremel cut off disc or a carbide or diamond file. Place it on something so that the scoring is right at the edge and snap off.

After verifying that the edge is even enough,
heat the end until it's red hot with a gas torch and gradually withdraw from the flame to prevent cracking. This process smoothes off the razor sharp edge and it is called "flame polishing".

[porchy]

The best way would probably be to score the tube and then heat it up with a butane torch lighter or something similar (a normal flame may do). The glass will expand were it has been scored and will break off. All that is needed then is a small file to smooth of the edges.

[Stimulants]

Originally Posted by porchy

The best way would probably be to score the tube and then heat it up with a butane torch lighter or something similar (a normal flame may do). The glass will expand were it has been scored and will break off. All that is needed then is a small file to smooth of the edges.

That's not how it's done. Refer to my post above yours. Using heat to break the glass is not a good idea the heat shock leaves fractures.

[m.swinehart81]

The process given by stimulants is definitely the best way to go. Problem is, mullet was asking about things one would have around the house. As I said in the beginning of the thread, swiy is going to have to purchase some things in order to cut swim's glass tube...

[Stimulants]

Originally Posted by m.swinehart81

The process given by stimulants is definitely the best way to go. Problem is, mullet was asking about things one would have around the house. As I said in the beginning of the thread, swiy is going to have to purchase some things in order to cut swim's glass tube...

The tools mentioned are common garage tools. If SWIY is asking how to cut glass and produce a smooth edge using exclusively tools available in the kitchen, SWIM does not know.

[m.swinehart81]

I didnt mean to come across in any way that seemed disagreeable. I completely agree with what you said. That is definitely the best way. My last comment was really towards the thread starter. He said he didnt even think he had a hack saw... Didnt mean to offend. If thats what my post caused I appologize.