Plate Glass Building Board

[Motorman]

I've decided to buy a piece of annealed glass table top to build a serious stunt ship. This would be on and off the work bench so it doesn't get messed up when not in use.

Couple of things I don't know about are flexibility and size. I want it to be as small as possible but stiff enough to keep it's shape over a warped work bench. Would 1/4" be thick enough? What would be the smallest size for a full size stunt wing about 60" x 18"?

I got a quote of $98 just wondering if I should go thicker or bigger. Any experience with glass?

Thanks,
MM

[Brett Buck]

I've decided to buy a piece of annealed glass table top to build a serious stunt ship. This would be on and off the work bench so it doesn't get messed up when not in use.

Couple of things I don't know about are flexibility and size. I want it to be as small as possible but stiff enough to keep it's shape over a warped work bench. Would 1/4" be thick enough? What would be the smallest size for a full size stunt wing about 60" x 18"?

I got a quote of $98 just wondering if I should go thicker or bigger. Any experience with glass?

  Most people use 1/2 or thicker.

    Brett

[Tim Wescott]

What Brett said.  I'd plan on checking it for flatness, and shimming it if necessary.  If you're not ready to do that, rest it on just three points and hope that it won't sag.

Plus, if you're not in a hurry keep an eye on Craigslist -- there's some nice coffee tables floating around with glass table tops, so if you bide your time a deal may surface.

[Fredvon4]

There are a couple of good threads on Building boards here and some insist glass is no good and others love it

I personally use 3/4" Medium density fiber board on top of my sway back table shimmed to be level and not bow with the table
Lowe's $27 for the 4x8 sheet and they cut it into 4 2x4 foot pieces for me

On top of that is the 1/4"+/- plate glass I got at local Good Will off a fairly good looking coffee table I paid $7.25 for. It is oval 24" widest and 48" longest and was not hard to shim with folded paper to be flat by my heavy straight edge

The granite counter top place I bought from locally for the kitchen remodel--- will give me end cuts and cast off pieces for nominal cost $10~$20.

But they charge a lot more if I ask them to cut to size.  Every now and then I pop in to see if the pile has a usable 24x48 inch end cut...They do but the idiots throw them on the pile and usually crack or break in two when you grab one  

( yes Virginia I know I can glue them back together)

[Tim Wescott]

Flexible is not a word I'd use in relation to glass.    Mine is 5/8" thick.  I wish it were 5 x 7, but it is 2 1/2 by 5.

Anything flexes if you push it hard enough -- glass just breaks real quick if you try too hard.  For flat, toss a glass panel on your building board.  For flat-flat, toss a glass panel on your building board, check it, and shim it.

[Mike Griffin]

I have two work benches that have 1/4" tempered sheets on top.  They are 15 years old and I just keep scraping the glue off them.  I worked for a glass company for several years and had access to just about anything I wanted.  Just my thoughts but 1/2 " or 5/8" is overkill in my opinion not to mention, heavy as Hell if you are going to keep moving it off and on the bench.  

Mike

[Mike Griffin]

They both measure 24" x 60"

[dennis lipsett]

I finally built an 8 foot long 4 foot wide table with a 1/2 inch thick building surface. It was dead flat and as my floor wasn't absolutely level I had adjusters in the legs. I wanted a glass top and a friend of min had a person who ran a salvage /recycle operation. I got a 6 foot long,  three and a half wide 7/16 glass table top for $75.00. There is lots of glass table tops available for really reasonable prices just takes a little time at the computer to track down a great buy. For me I got lucky and had a good connection.

Dennis

[John Rist]

I used a piece of  double glass out of a metal patio door.  I have laid a piece of sheet rock over the glass to allow pins to work (almost).  When sheet rock gets nasty I just replace it.  You might find a something at a surplus building supply store.

[EddyR]

Just go to Good Will or some other reuse store and buy a glass table for $20. I see them all the time.
Ed

[Motorman]

I've been looking around for several months.

MM

[Mike Griffin]

Walter most glass companies have a dunage bin of pieces of glass that were mistakes or cut wrong.  Find one and ask them if they have anything in their mistake bin.  They may just give it go you.

Mike

[Avaiojet]

Granite makes a great base.

I have a granite slab.

Charles

[Motorman]

I was gonna go with granite as it would double as a head stone but it's so heavy and more expensive than glass.

Mike, thanks for the great advise. I'll check for 1/4" plate in the dunage.

MM

[Avaiojet]

I was gonna go with granite as it would double as a head stone but it's so heavy and more expensive than glass.

Mike, thanks for the great advise. I'll check for 1/4" plate in the dunage.

MM

You can get granite for free, installers sometimes make mistakes or damage something.

[Air Ministry .]

Just check out the skip ( or ask to ) at your local glass outfits . And the aluminum joinary for 6 ft straight edges !

gota 5 ft. sq. 16 mm / 5/8"  Glass from the Op shop - FREE , as the leg thingos were trash .( a table Top  0

Demo outfits / builders renovation type might have em . Luck of the draw. got a nice sheet of hard foam ' building board '
from the roadside ' new ' debri too . Some Chocolate advert board . Takes pins nicely , maybe 3/16 thick .

Next thing we'll be building planes from real estae signs .  

[Dave Harmon]

I've decided to buy a piece of annealed glass table top to build a serious stunt ship. This would be on and off the work bench so it doesn't get messed up when not in use.

Couple of things I don't know about are flexibility and size. I want it to be as small as possible but stiff enough to keep it's shape over a warped work bench. Would 1/4" be thick enough? What would be the smallest size for a full size stunt wing about 60" x 18"?

I got a quote of $98 just wondering if I should go thicker or bigger. Any experience with glass?

Thanks,
MM

Motor.....
I use a piece of steel channel Blanchard ground flat to a few thousands.
It is indestructible, will not flex even if you drive a bus onto it.
Check it out....it is cheaper than you think and it does duty as a surface plate too....and never requires a flat surface to sit on.
I have another channel the same length that is not ground flat so I can use both pieces as a wing press for foam wings.
This method is almost as good as vacuum bagging because I put a large C clamp on both ends and give added pressure.
I believe C channel weighs 33lbs per foot.

[john ohnimus]

Mine is 3'x5'  3/8" thick... Found it in a trash pile

[Brett Buck]

I was gonna go with granite as it would double as a head stone but it's so heavy and more expensive than glass.

Mike, thanks for the great advise. I'll check for 1/4" plate in the dunage.

   Find a place that repairs pool tables. They sometimes have cracked granite slabs that they will nearly give away.

[john e. holliday]

Just check out the skip ( or ask to ) at your local glass outfits . And the aluminum joinary for 6 ft straight edges !

gota 5 ft. sq. 16 mm / 5/8"  Glass from the Op shop - FREE , as the leg thingos were trash .( a table Top  0

Demo outfits / builders renovation type might have em . Luck of the draw. got a nice sheet of hard foam ' building board '
from the roadside ' new ' debri too . Some Chocolate advert board . Takes pins nicely , maybe 3/16 thick .

Next thing we'll be building planes from real estae signs .  

Hey we have guys using the corrugated real estate and political signs here in the good ole USA.   Check out the Flying Lines site.

[Perry Rose]

The easiest way to keep glass flat is to use  one inch thick pieces of foam, about 2 x 3 cut from one larger piece of foam, under the glass. About one piece every 4 inches.

[Ara Dedekian]

        I use two granite building boards.

        The first is a 2'x 4' x 1" rescued from the same type junk pile mentioned by Fred in Repy #3.

        The second is a stationary 3' x7' x1" piece commonly refered to as my wife's kitchen counter.

        Ara

[Motorman]

I have a mirror that is 1/4" thick and 3'x4'. I took it down and put it on the work bench and it followed the contour of the bench quite well so 1/4" glass is definitely too thin to hold it's shape. There was a good 3/32" deflection.

As for the minimum size I was thinking I only need to do half a wing at a time so it only needs to be 30"x width of the foam cradle. When I mate the wing halves together the tips can over hang the glass.

So a smaller piece of 1/2" glass should stay straight on a warped work bench don't you think?

I like the steel "C" channel Blanchard ground idea. Going to look into that Monday.

MM

[Howard Rush]

I've decided to buy a piece of annealed glass table top to build a serious stunt ship.

Does annealed glass work any better with pins than regular glass?  I have trouble sticking pins in regular glass. 

[bob whitney]

 

they dint sell those pins at any of the Dollar Stores . you need to special order them from the North Poll, and they are only delivered on Christmas Eve

[Howard Rush]

you need to special order them from the North Poll, and they are only delivered on Christmas Eve

Thanks, Bob.  The line to submit North Pole orders is long today.  I'll go next week. 

[Motorman]

I don't use pins.

MM

[Bill Little]

Hi Walt,

Many years ago I was given an old pool table, had a great flat granite surface.  Used it as a pool table for a while then some kids tore up the felt.  About that time ,y oldest son get real interested in flying stunt!  So, a 3/8th inch piece of glass was bought for a song because it was mis-cut, and now I have a granite top (flat) with a piece of 3/8ths glass on top of it which works absolutely fantastic! 

Pins are no problem to use at all Howard as long as they are made out of thin CA!

BIG Bear
RNMM/AMM

[Motorman]

How often does a used pool table pop up? I've only got until next summer to build a plane and become unbeatable in advanced.

MM

[Tim Wescott]

I think you've got a much better chance at a granite counter top or hunk of plate glass, or even a ground hunk of steel.

Unless you want to go buy something new for lots of $$$, the important thing is to be flexible.

[Fred Underwood]

the important thing is to be flexible.

Or, not be flexible

[Tim Wescott]

Or, not be flexible

Touché.  What one wants in a building board is not necessarily what one wants in the buyer of a building board.

[Randy Cuberly]

Small squares of 1/16 and 1/32 plywood stacked and strategically placed will make a "flexible one pretty flat and "unflexible".  Much cheaper too if you already have a "flexible" one!

Randy Cuberly

[Trostle]

 

they dint sell those pins at any of the Dollar Stores . you need to special order them from the North Poll, and they are only delivered on Christmas Eve

Sears used to sell those kind of pins.  They were in the same department that sold post holes.  Hard to find that stuff any more.

Keith

[Bob Reeves]

Bob Hunt has a video on how to make a work surface flat. Basically you run a string from corner to corner spaced off the surface with ply shims at the corners. Then use another shim to test the surface for flatness by passing it under the string in various places. My glass top is shimmed using old time cards, about the same thickness as a file folder. Even though it is only 1/8" glass, it is flat within the thickness of one time card.

[Trostle]

Sears used to sell those kind of pins.  They were in the same department that sold post holes.  Hard to find that stuff any more.

Keith

One of the problems with those Sears post holes is that it was difficult to transport them out to the field.  They had to be suspended in some sort of a plasma force field and that was difficult for most ranchers and farmers.

[Scott Richlen]

I tried CAing some wood jigs to my glass top.  Ooops! Don't do that if you expect to remove them again.  I managed to actually put a little divot in the glass when I pulled the wood off!

[john ohnimus]

My table is 3' x 5' set at 35" tall with a 3' x 5' SOLID core door top, this thing weighs about 50 lbs. The frame is made out of 2x4's notched and joined together with glue and screws. It is shimmed level and plumb with the 3/8" plate glass on top. Very sturdy, and extremely LOW $. Probably 4 2x4's and one 2x6 used. I bought a 4x8 sheet of luan plywood for two shelves underneath. The base measures 2' x 4' and is very stable. The top has a 6" overhang all the way around. At 35" it is very comfortable to stand or sit and work for my 6' tall frame.

[Ara Dedekian]

        My stone countertop slab takes glue without affecting the surface. The glued items are scraped off easily with a single edge razor. I glued a length of 1/16" wire to the slab as a height gauge to sand down the trailing edge of a free flight model. Having the wire permanently in place produced a perfect edge.

        Epoxy, Ambroid, Titebond etc.are also easily removed from the surface.

        Ara

[EddyR]

I saw a 3ft x 4.5Ft glass table today for 13.99 at GW Charlotte
Ed

[Randy Cuberly]

I tried CAing some wood jigs to my glass top.  Ooops! Don't do that if you expect to remove them again.  I managed to actually put a little divot in the glass when I pulled the wood off!

I glue jigs to my glass top all the time and remove them with a long carving blade in the large xacto knife.  The blade is flexible enough to bend into a slight curve against the glass and slice and scrape the glue from the surface.  Try it you'll like it!

Randy Cuberly

[Scott Richlen]

Thanks Randy.  I thought that I could just pop it loose.  Nope, that didn't work.  Next time I'll do as you suggest.

Thanks!

[Motorman]

 I have a little mirror that I lay down cling wrap and I epoxy/fiberglass a piece of ply for an E motor mount and put it face down to get that G10 effect and it was hard to get if off the mirror even with the plastic wrap. Next time I'll add wax and PVA.

Anyway, after considering the options and searching around for something, I've got my 1/2" plate glass on order. I hope it holds it's shape without a special substrate.


MM

[Mike Griffin]

Thanks Randy.  I thought that I could just pop it loose.  Nope, that didn't work.  Next time I'll do as you suggest.

Thanks!

Scott I use the blade that Randy suggested but I also apply masking tape to the glass top and then use thin CA and glue the wood to the tape.   The tape makes it a little easier to remove whatever you glued down.

Mike

[Bill Morell]

I glue jigs to my glass top all the time and remove them with a long carving blade in the large xacto knife.  The blade is flexible enough to bend into a slight curve against the glass and slice and scrape the glue from the surface.  Try it you'll like it!

Randy Cuberly

A paint scraper is the easiest to use of the above mentioned methods. Blades are cheap, the handle is easy to hang onto and it works perfectly every time. I use thin CA to glue down the blocks on the glass and have never had a problem with the glass getting chipped. The scrapper removes all the residue. Try it, you'll like it.

[Randy Cuberly]

A paint scrapper is the easiest to use of the above mentioned methods. Blades are cheap, the handle is easy to hang onto and it works perfectly every time. I use thin CA to glue down the blocks on the glass and have never had a problem with the glass getting chipped. The scrapper removes all the residue. Try it, you'll like it.

Hi Bill,
I agree that a good paint scraper works well for removing the residue of the glue and left over wood from the glass surface but I found it a lot easier to simply slide the long xacto blade under the jig blocks etc than try to push or pull a scraper "through them".  The stated problem was breaking chips from the glass by pulling the blocks off.  The slicing motion is very important to relieve this fracturing stress on the glass.  Highly "tempered" glass can chip on the surface relatively easily!

Randy Cuberly

 

[Bootlegger]

Randy, I sent you a P/M...