Which Stained Glass Saw Do You Recommend?

by Pam
(Utah)

I have been making stained glass for 5 years or so now, and have decided that I would like to purchase a stained glass saw for cutting glass in order to lessen my time at the grinder. What type of saw do you recommend? Do you prefer bandsaws or saws that use blades? Can you recommend a specific brand and/or model? What things should I look for or consider when purchasing a saw? Your expert advice is much appreciated. Thank you!

Milly's reply: Good question Pam, I can give you some general advice, as I'm not sure if you have the same buying options as me, due to the fact that I'm in the UK. Hope it helps anyway...
There's three main types of stained glass saw - although this is a bit of a misnomer as you can use them for other things.
1. Band saw - eg. Diamond Laser 3000XL pictured above. They have a steel ribbon blade with a diamond coated front edge. They can cut fancy shapes and are faster than wire saws. Good for high production work.
2. Ring saw - eg Gemini Revolution XT. This type has a cutting blade that is a rigid steel wire ring - about 10cm diameter - that spins at high speed. You cut without turning the glass with these saws. Good for a all sorts of work - probably the most versatile. The Taurus ring saw is a bit complicated regarding replacing the blade - or used to be, anyway.
3. Wire saw, eg Gryphon Omni-2 Plus+. These have a straight wire blade that travels up and down very quickly. Very popular as a bit cheaper than the other two types, with cheap replacement blades. Good for fine delicate work.
What else do you need to know? Ah, cost. About $300-500, £400 for us over the pond.
And, an indispensable tip: use permanent marker lines smeared with vaseline for cutting guide, it won't smear off with water.
Has anyone got any actual recommends for a particular make of stained glass saw out there?

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