Glass vs Plexi

[ThyTempest]

Hey everyone,

We are debating on whether to use glass or plexiglass for our more or less Crossfire enclosure. I have found a ton of places that sell plexi, but no one cuts it, which is a pain. I am going to a local glass specialty store tomorrow about cutting glass and plexi if I find it, and see what their prices are on various glass panes.

We would like to use glass to avoid the scratch damage that destroys the clarity of plexi, but we don't know what kind of glass is best and around how much it is going to cost. Single pane did not seem strong enough, so I don't know if we just need a thicker pane or if we need truly tempered glass like in a tabletop. If anyone knows what works best for the price, please post. Also, if you remember about how much it cost you for a 4x2x2 glass front enclosure, post that too.

Thanks

 

[heyjer]

I just built my 4x2x2 enclosure a few months ago. I opened a phone book, and found a window factory near me. I went in rather than call. I gave them the size I needed. They gladly ordered me 2 pieces of single pane tempered glass. Took about a week, and it was almost 30 dollars. Don't get non tempered glass you will run the risk of cutting yourself everytime you slide the glass open then stick you arm in there. Also if you were to tap it with a rock, or your watch it would shatter. hope this helps

 

[ThyTempest]

Wow, only 30 bucks. Much better than I was expecting. I am assuming you feel comfortable with the strength of the single pane tempered, or if you had to do it over again would you go stronger?

 

[Neromom39]

My hubby is a glazer (works with glass) and his suggestion is (and what we have on our enclosures) 1/4" plate glass, and the cost would be around what the previous poster stated. But be sure you ask for 1/4 inch. Anything thinner and you risk possible injury if the glass gets broken.

 

[heyjer]

Mine is 1/8th inch thick tempered. I am building another custom viv and plan to use the same thickness in glass , it is very strong + its tempered. This is what people are required by law to have in windows next to a door, or tree etc.. It can take a beating. I have bumped it with a rock here and there when rearranging etc and no issues. Also if you do somehow break it, it shatters into thousands of pieces of glass that can't cut you, unlike non tempered which would be large sharp shards of glass.

 

[Neromom39]

Thanks for the lesson... however being a 1/4 inch thick, plate glass is also pretty strong and unless you throw something at it, will hold up. And tempered glass WILL cut you, but as it shatters into thousands of tiny pieces, it just won't cut THROUGH you.

All I did was offer a suggestion.. a suggestion based on advice from being married to someone who has been in the glass business for over 15 years.

I wish the OP good luck in his search for glass for his enclosure :wink:

 

[heyjer]

Wow I wasn't knocking what you are using (plate glass), I was just answering ?'s the op asked, and stating what has worked for me. Also I wouldn't go with plexi glass, wouldn't it scratch easy, I have bumped the glass a few times, and if it were plexi it would have little knicks in it I would think. Let us know what you come up with and decide to use, and as always post some pics when finished.

 

[ThyTempest]

It will mostly come down to price, but I would much prefer tempered glass. The breeder is using 1/4" glass in all of his enclosures, and at that thickness I doubt it is tempered.

 

[spyder86]

Glass is a lot cheaper than most people think and it is so much nicer than plexy. My local store told me it would be $15 each for 4x2x2 piece of tempered 1/4" glass.

 

[fkalb]

I used plexi and would recommend it, paid about 30 bucks for a 4x2 sheet. Its really not very difficult to cut. I used a high speed multi cutter and just free handed it, cut very slow on the line and you wont have a problem

 

[spencer43783]

I have worked at a major glass manufacturing company for about 2 years so I'm am fairly familiar with the glass aspect of your question. But first I'd like to clarify a few things..

Don't get non tempered glass you will run the risk of cutting yourself everytime you slide the glass open then stick you arm in there. Also if you were to tap it with a rock, or your watch it would shatter. hope this helps

The non tempered glass heyjer is referring to is called annealed and I'm not sure if they were referring to the edges of the glass or just the glass in general, I'll explain that later.

And tempered glass WILL cut you, but as it shatters into thousands of tiny pieces, it just won't cut THROUGH you.

That is absolutely correct

Annealed glass as I referred to earlier is non tempered. When this glass breaks, it breaks into shards. Think of a glass plate or cup.(not very strong, cheapest)
Tempered glass breaks into thousands of tiny pieces, as Neromom39 mentioned. Think of the side windows in your car. (very weak on the edges but super strong everywhere else, little more expensive)
Annealed-Laminated glass is two pieces of annealed glass that has a layer of glue sandwiched in between them.(stronger than plain annealed and safer because the glass won't fall apart, a little more pricey)
Tempered-Laminated is two pieces of tempered glass that has a layer of glue sandwiched in between them.(probably the best in terms of safety, prolly a lot more pricey)
Insulated glass or "double pane" is two pieces of glass seperated by a aluminum frame.(would be excessive for a viv, not sure of price)

Okay now that's out of the way lol...

You can get the glass..
Seamed-which is when they run the edges of the glass through a sander-eliminating the sharp edges (cheaper)
Polished-which is when they run the glass through a machine that makes the side view of an edge look like that>> \_/ (more expensive, I don't think it can be done on laminated but it's safer)
If you don't do one or the other, they edges of the glass will be EXTREMELY SHARP!

whew! okay now I'm not sure on the prices but obviously the more you have done to the glass the more it's gonna cost.

at that thickness I doubt it is tempered.

As far as I know you can temper any kind/thickness of glass as long as it's not already laminated. I would personally recommend you get 1/4 inch tempered because anything over 1/4 is overkill, and anything under isn't that safe, in my opinion.

Or you can save the hassle of getting the glass, buy some plexi and either use the method fkalb mentioned or use a jigsaw. But like fkalb said...cut it VERY SLOW lol

Hope that helps!

 

[ThyTempest]

Thanks for the glass lesson, it actually helped a lot. I think I am going to ask for 1/4" tempered and I will definitely want smoothed out edges. If the price is ridiculous then I will look into some of the other options or go a little thinner. Thanks again, and I am off to the glass shop.

 

[Neromom39]

Annealed glass as I referred to earlier is non tempered. When this glass breaks, it breaks into shards. Think of a glass plate or cup.(not very strong, cheapest)
Tempered glass breaks into thousands of tiny pieces, as Neromom39 mentioned. Think of the side windows in your car. (very weak on the edges but super strong everywhere else, little more expensive)
Annealed-Laminated glass is two pieces of annealed glass that has a layer of glue sandwiched in between them.(stronger than plain annealed and safer because the glass won't fall apart, a little more pricey)
Tempered-Laminated is two pieces of tempered glass that has a layer of glue sandwiched in between them.(probably the best in terms of safety, prolly a lot more pricey)
Insulated glass or "double pane" is two pieces of glass seperated by a aluminum frame.(would be excessive for a viv, not sure of price)

WOW! reading that was like listening to the stuff that comes out of my hubby's pot hole every day :lol: (Although he works with the commercial stuff, not sure how much that differs) After a while, it just becomes like the teacher in the Charlie Brown cartoons "WAWA, WAWAWA".. Thank you so much for that... The by-passes in our vivs are made out 1/4'" annealed plate glass. Pretty strong and very clear for viewing purposes which is why we went that route.

You've done a great service by sharing that info.

 

[spencer43783]

WOW! reading that was like listening to the stuff that comes out of my hubby's pot hole every day (Although he works with the commercial stuff, not sure how much that differs) After a while, it just becomes like the teacher in the Charlie Brown cartoons "WAWA, WAWAWA".. Thank you so much for that...

Haha :lol:

You've done a great service by sharing that info.

You and everyone who reads that is certainly welcome!

This website and its members have helped me a great deal with BD related topics, so I thought it was only right for me to contribute to a glass-related one