The Pyramid
by
Clive Michie
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Some of the tools I will use for this project. I use a
piece of parting
stop or a strip of wood 1/2" x 3/4" nailed to the bench to provide a
guide for my home made edger or strip cutter. Also note the many
different set squares and framing squares all very handy in cutting
straight parallel lines.
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Using a small square as a ruler to notch the clear glass so
I have a
mark to set the strip cutter to.
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I can now line up my edger with the notch and it will be
right on.
The wheel in the edger will stick in the notch and I will lock the
cutter head in place. It is a bit hard to see here so I blackened it
a little.
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After I have the strips of glass cut I line it up against
the parting
stop and place my 30 - 60 - set square over the glass and cut the
first line - did I say that I always pull the cutter towards me and
never push on a straight edge. Once the score is made and broken
I flip the set square and make the next cut.
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For the second cut line the set square up with the first
score
where it left the glass at the top.
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It is difficult to see here but I am showing the cutter
lined up
with where the score will leave the glass, demonstrating that there
is a 1/16 of an inch allowance made for the thickness of the cutter
to the center of the wheel.
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With the 4 equilateral triangles
cut and foiled I set the plastic set
squares up to hold the glass square on the left and right side.
I use a little electrical tap cause that's all I had in the house
and it is very cold out in the garage. I will solder the top points
together after a double check for alignment.
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I use the same squares to take a measurement and then I
will remove
about 3/16" so that the bottom border strips will not be mounted on
on the edge of the pyramid, a little guessing is ok.
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Now I will cut a few strips of the gray opal glass to
attach to
the bottom of the pyramid.
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Squaring off the gray strips before their cut to length.
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The ruler has notches in it so if I put my cutter wheel in
the notch
then slide the square up to it - it will be an accurate cut.
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Using an old sour cream container I can hold the piece
level.
This is very useful when it is time to bead the edge.
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Here is the brown that I am using for the lower container
that will hold the soil for the plant. The strip cutter is set to
11-1/2" the gray was cut to 11 even. The brown glass was
lined up against a framing square nailed to the bench to hold the
glass at a 90 degree angle.
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I might as well cut the clear seeing as I have my edger set
to the
right size for the clear glass bottom for this project. Note that I
have a ruler against the parting stop for a surface that the stripper
can slide on.
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Again I use the English whiting to dry clean the pyramid,
but in this
case after the plating I will rinse well under warm water.
This will look better with my little strawberry begonias in it.
The End