Using The Inland Strip Cutter

The Inland Strip Cutter and the Glastar Strip Cutter and very similar, and are used in the same way. The main difference between the two is that the Inland has a brass bar holding the cutting head and the Glastar has a plastic bar holding the cutting head.

Double click on pictures to enlarge them

The cutting head on both of them is called a turret and holds 6 cutting wheels. When one wheel becomes dull, you loosen a screw and turn the turret to the next new wheel. Each wheel lasts a long time. I honestly can't remember replacing a turret in the many years I've been using these tools.

Getting Started

To get started you need a work board. Nail or screwed on one edge of the work board will be a 3/4" x 1" board for the Inland, or 1" x 2" board for the Glastar. If you use screws, make sure the heads are recessed. The workboard I use is 3/8" plywood, and is around 14" wide and 18" long. However, you can make it any size you want to accomodate the size of the piece of glass you'll be working with.

Instead of a using a workboard, you could just nail the 3/4" x 1" board (for Inland) or 1" x 2" board (for Glastar) to your workbench. I prefer using a workboard, as I use it frequently, and it's easier than nailing a board to my workbench every time I want to cut strips.

Setting The Cutter Wheel

1. Get the exact measurement needed for the strip and mark it on the glass (I usually draw a short line).
2. Place the edge of the glass tight up against the 3/4" x 1" (or 1x2) strip. Make sure the edges of the glass are straight before doing this.
3. Unscrew the screw that hold the turret in place and line up the outside edge of the cutting wheel with the inside edge of the mark on the glass. Make sure the edge of the wheel touches the edge of the mark.
4. Now you can carefully tighten the screw, making sure you don't move the wheel.
5. Check, one more time to make sure the wheel didn't move.

Oil The Cutter Wheel

The next step is to put a drop of oil on the cutter wheel.

Cutting a Strip

Place the edge of the glass against the 3/4" x 1" or 1" x 2" board. Set the black L shaped piece of the strip cutter on the 3/4" x 1" or 1" x 2" board so that the cutter wheel is positioned at the top edge of the glass. Press down on the knob that's on top of the turret/cutter head with one hand, and hold the L shaped piece with the other hand (to steady it and keep it on the board). Pull the Inland Strip Cutter or Glastar Strip Cutter towards you until it rolls off the bottom edge of the glass.

Take the strip cutter off the board, pick up the glass and break off the strip. Make sure the edge of the remaining glass is smooth. If it isn't, get rid of any rough spots (there shouldn't be any rough spots unless the cutter wheel is dull or you have glass that is know to be difficult to cut). Put the glass back against the board and repeat the strip cutting.

Cutting Squares With the Inland Strip Cutter

To cut squares from the strips, put the strip cross wise on the work board, with the short edge against the 3/4" x 1" or 1" x 2" board. Don't change the cutter setting. Pull the strip cutter down the glass and break off the piece. You will have a perfect square. Keep doing this until you as many squares as you need.

Cutting Rectangles With the Inland Strip Cutter

Get a precise measurement for the length of the rectangle. Mark it on a strip. Re-set the cutter wheel exactly the same way you set it the first time. Place you glass on the workboard, like you did for a square, and start cutting.

Cutting Diamonds With the Inland Strip Cutter

You will need a diamond template to cut diamonds. The strip will need to be the width of the diamond. Lay the template on the strip and mark the top and bottom angle. Using a regular glass cutter, hand cut the first angle.

Re-set the wheel to touch the inside edge of the line. Score, break off, slide angle back against the board and keep cutting diamonds. After the wheel is set to the correct width, you simply keep cutting diamonds...no more drawing lines, no more setting the wheel. The only time you will draw another line is when you start cutting a new strip. You will always trace the template on a new strip and hand cut the first angle.

Here's the first diamond!

If you have questions about the Inland Strip Cutter you can contact me here.

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