Wiggly glass

[ilikecobwebs]

I've come out of my sulk long enough to remember that I'd promised to find out something about window-glass. My husband cracked one of our bedroom window-panes last week and unfortunately it has shattered right across (although hasn't dropped out yet). Now the thing is, it is one of those old panes of Vic/Edwardian glass that is plain and ordinary, but gives a slightly distorted view when you look through it.....I forget the proper name for the glass, I call it wiggly glass. I imagine it is not possible to find anything like that now, especially to fit exactly to size. But how thick would it have been, in millimetres (or equivalent)? If we did find another old piece, can it be cut or is it too fragile? Are we going to have to suffer it and buy a new 21st century piece instead? I like the old wiggly glass, we still have quite a number of pieces in our windows....and this is the first time in 24 years that we've had a broken one.

 

[FamilyWiggs]

Try:

http://www.restoration-glass.co.uk/

or

http://www.tatra-glass.co.uk/restoration_glass.php

I haven't used either, but know that Tatra has been mentioned on here a number of times. I will be looking for some "wiggly" glass for an external door I'm planning soon, so would be interested to know how you get on...

Hope this helps,

Robin

 

[FamilyWiggs]

BTW - dare I ask how hubby broke the glass in the bedroom??!! :lol:

 

[ilikecobwebs]

Ho ho....not the way you might think. He was scraping some of the flaky woodwork outside with a scraper-blade (didnt want to use a heatgun near glass, ironically), and the blade slipped. Thanks for those websites, I'll take a look later this evening.

 

[Moneypit]

Well, having read your other post today about the Philistines next door to you, could you not have asked for their old windows?

This is exactly what we have done whenever any old window nearby is needlessly replaced. We now have a cellar full of old windows, many of them with their original glass. This stock has been added to some that a previous owner had gained from a neighbour's house of the same style and size as ours. We plan to restore some of these sashes so that they will be a quick replacement for when we eventually get around to that job.

Your question about cutting old glass seems to crop up fairly often. In our experience if you have a good quality diamond cutter and lubricate the cut with oil as you score there is no problem. Having confidence is the key.

 

[biffvernon]

The glass descibed as 'T1' from Tatra is beautiful stuff. It is made in Poland in the traditional mouth blown way. It often has more wiggles than late 19th and early 20th century drawn and rolled glasses, which usually only have a few flaws and these all in the same direction. 'Horticultural' glass, which now mostly comes from Russia is like that. It's much cheaper but you are likely to get a piece that has no wiggles at all as they deliberately make it as perfect as possible.

Tatra are a great firm and will post you a piece of glass cut to the right size, but it will cost quite a bit. The last time someone on this forum asked about this we found that the price they charged was so high that I cut a piece and posted it for less and still paid myself a little for the effort. If you buy a suitable quantity Tatra will deliver for free. The last time I bought some it was £80 +VAT per square metre.

There should be no problem cutting old glass - clean glass, flat surface, good cutter and a drop of oil. Always worth re-using old glass.

 

[ilikecobwebs]

Thanks for all that, I shall now investigate. We'd certainly re-use old glass, IF the neighbours had actually given any signs that they were going to rip their windows out. Unfortunately, it was all done so much "under-cover" that we didnt realise anything had happened till recently...bearing in mind they're at the end of the row and tucked behind a hedge. I think they must have done it one window at a time so as not to draw attention to the changes. Knowing them, the glass will be long gone by now.

 

[Penners]

As Biff has mentioned, I usually use horticultural glass - much cheaper than any of the special "antique" glasses. In fact it's about the cheapest glass you can buy.

Any glass merchant will cut a piece to size for you. Ask for a piece that's as "wiggly" as possible!

 

[plumbers mate]

I endorse the (ex) Eastern European glass - the damaged panes in my late Victorian house were replaced with it and, although not as "wiggly" as the original, it isn't as thick or bland as modern UK stuff.

 

[Moo]

I usually use horticultural glass -

Surely you mean "I used to use horticultural glass" ?

 

[DaveBrigg]

The glass descibed as 'T1' from Tatra is beautiful stuff... I cut a piece and posted it for less...

I can support the comments about beauty, and recommend this source of supply :wink:

 

[biffvernon]

That should have been P1 not T1.

To compare it with horticultural is to compare champaign with tea. Each has its place.

 

[Penners]

Surely you mean "I used to use horticultural glass" ?

:wink:

 

[vicky whitworth]

Hello, I'm the person Biff posted a piece of Tatra wiggly glass to and I can only say how wonderful it is. It was only a tiny piece to go in a door but the difference it has made is out of this world. Thank you again, Biff.

 

[Edwardia]

Re: wiggly glass, there was a porch door on our house with those bottom of the glass type panels and although not Edwardian, my husband wanted to recycle it. He removed the door, strippped and sanded it, cut it to size for the wonky frame in his study, shellac'd n waxed it and found a Sunlover roller blind for the reverse. Result is one Naval -looking door for the study of an ex RN sailor

 

[AMc]

Is there a market for reclaimed wiggly glass in bulk?

We're about to dismantle our Victorian vinery which will be restored and rebuilt. As it will become a habitable room and isn't listed we will be using sealed double glazing. There are 200+ panes of glass 11"x19" and many smaller cut panes dating from around 1870 (I'm told). They're puttied in and the extensive rot in the wood should make it possible to remove most without damaging the glass.

I can't store and ebay them one by one, but if there is a supplier that would take them in bulk then it would make it worth while to remove them carefully rather than take a more 'direct' approach to removal.

 

[Penners]

You could see whether a local architectural reclamation yard might be interested in them. However, with their collection costs, etc. I shouldn't get your hopes up too much, as regards the value of them.

 

[ilikecobwebs]

The outcome was that we didn't need to send off to any website company for a piece of glass (although I have bookmarked those sites for future reference)......my mother-in-law had a piece in her garden shed, would you believe it; it was intended to be a small strawberry plant cloche, but she'd never used it; still wrapped up in newspaper. Local glass bloke agreed to cut it for us (we had other work for him to do as well).......so all ended well, the glass is now in situ and the cows opposite in the field have regained their wobbly look.

 

[Penners]

Life's better with a wobbly cow.

That ought be engraved somewhere as important advice for those who have only ever lived with float glass.

 

[Nigel]

FYI just thinking about ordering some Tatra P1 from the Scottish stockists - £98.46 per sq metre (trade) or 50% more if you are seeking panes cut to size.

Before I do so I have a spare Georgian sash in an outhouse - anyone able to recommend a technique for extracting the panes - I tried before and the pane cracked at the last second as I removed the old putty. I have read of a special heat lamp but doubt I can access that. Are there any chemicals that do the trick - I recall this was discussed before?

Thanks