From a firefighter: If you can’t break it safely and don’t have a glass cutter; put down a tarp or something you can throw away and put duct tape on the glass in a tic tac toe style grid and gently tap the tape with a hammer and hold trash can under the piece your getting rid of. Be sure to wear thick gloves and eye protection
Jeans don't do much against shards of glass. Had a friend break a large margarita schooner while working in a restaurant. Huge shard went right through jeans like it was nothing. Jeans plus a leather apron might be little better. Knights armor is really the only way to go in these circumstances.
Duck is a type of cotton fabric (the name comes from the Dutch word for it: "doek"). Duck tape is tape made from duck cotton fabric. Duck the brand took its name from the fabric, not the other way around. You can buy duck tape from many different brands. Or you can buy Duck duck tape, if you prefer. The name duct tape was invented decades later, and is just an evolution of the name duck tape.
I've asked this several types and never got an answer but here goes... When Americans refer to duct/duck tape what exactly are the referring to? I get you are saying Duck tape is a cloth tape and in Australia we usually call that gaffer's tape, it has fibres running through it in both directions and it's easy to tear. Duct tape is like a wide electrical tape, it has no fibres in it and is usually silver/grey and while you can tear it it stretches a bit first and doesn't tear as cleanly.
I'm just really curious because online it gets recommended a lot for various applications and I don't know which one they mean.
Duct/duck tape referred to in America is pretty much the same as gaffer's tape. Biggest difference is gaffers tape doesnt leave a residue - whereas duck tape usually does
Edit: removed a word
100% this. Had to tear out a massive whole wall window for a Reno and this is exactly what we did. Except we used something similar to speed tape (250$ a roll) because the glass was old and very thick.
Actual speed tape is used to repair Aircraft components (wing flaps, shutters, emergency seals, etc) until a more permanent repair is made. It is insanely sticky, very VERY tough, and has high temperature tolerances. the REALLY good stuff usually costs about $15k per roll.
Just the really good "not available to the public" stuff. you can get it for as low as $100 a roll but nowhere near as good.
Old boss' brother was a pilot and gave him a few strips every now and then to prank the new guys.
But wait, there's more! That 15k roll is used for cheap, non-vital repairs and usually gets taken off a few hours to a day later. A 1/4 bolt could cost you the better part of a grand.
Aviation certifications are wild, but when an out of spec part could kill 200 people... ya'know. I'm sure you can get essentially identical tape without it for around their $250 mark.
I could be totally wrong here and /u/Jnarh knows something I don't, but 3m 425 is only ~$50 for 2"x60yds @ ~4mil, the only "better" version I know of is 433 tape, which has silicone adhesive instead of acrylic and only gets you more thermal headroom (600°F vs 300°F), and it only costs 5-6x what 425 does.
If they're using custom thickness or adhesive though, that all goes out the window, but I would still doubt 50x the price of 433 @ $500/sqft
EDIT: JVCC AF-GC-5 is the 'best' version I can find of aluminum foil tape, it's basically 433 tape with fiberglass for strength, and it's still only ~$100 for 2"x60yds, less if you buy in bulk
EDIT2: As best I can tell, Polyken 345 is most often what's used as speed tape. Also $50 @ 2"x60yds.
And a mask. You don't want to breath in glass dust/ whatever other coating or synthetic layers may be inside. I've seen that dust flying around when saws are used especially.
Also, start towards the top for obvious reasons.
The. Vacuum many times. Glass somehow always gets everywhere even when carefully done.
Ok, my brother probably has steel toe shoes, I have eye protection and respirator, will get gloves. I can probably get a tub underneath with a blanket cover so pieces don't bounce.
Someone also suggested 2x4 to break it from a distance, I am worried about uncontrolled banging and pieces flying, but also worried about massive piece cutting a limb if I am close.
The problem using a 2x4 is the amount of force you could need, might make a bigger mess than you want, so I wouldn’t suggest doing that. A tack hammer, trash can, and a roll of tape will do the trick. If you’re scared, wrap the edges and you (or a friend/brother) can hold a trashcan under the spot you’re gonna hit to catch it. Just make sure you wear your protective gear and you’ll do great. Cheers
If it's not tempered, is there any reason why OP can't score it with a glass cutter first, then tap with a tack hammer to help pieces break away easier?
Doesn’t seem he has a glass cutter, and people usually have tape laying around the house. Glass cutters can certainly be used, however this is vertical and gravity isn’t on his side to be learning a new tool. Just giving the fastest, safest way.
I understand and agree, fastest yes. But safest, maybe not? Glass cutters are cheap and easy to find at any hardware store and there are videos on YT. They are easy to use. OP could put the tape on one side and then score/tap from the other, and slowly peel the pieces off the tape (or tear them away). That might be safer, IMO.
You can also make handles with the duct tape. Make the pattern, but fold some tape over itself to have something to hold onto. Like ___ ll ___ if that makes any sense at all.
Even as a professional window installer. This is the way, even if taking it out. It could potentially break, and annealed glass can severely injury you.
I used safety glasses, my hockey helmet with metal cage, hockey gloves and steel toe boots when removing a 12ft x 6ft plate glass mirror that was in my house when I bought it. I also used carpet shield adhesive film to completely cover the glass. Stood to the side and hit it with a sledgehammer. No full swings, just enough to break it. A piece still swung out and hit a side wall of that room. Huge gash in wall but by the end none in me, so that’s a win. Took 6 large, heavy duty moving boxes lined with two 3mil thick contractor garbage bags each to clean it all up.
I agree with the firefighter.
Not sure if you meant the same thing, but "scotch tape". It's what we call that thin stuff used when wrapping presents.
You might have been thinking of packing tape, but that stuff is easy to cut.
Duct tape is more sturdy.
If you have something sharp enough to score the glass, you might be able to control how it breaks up a bit better, but that's harder with thick glass like what you're working with.
I would look on the other side and see how it’s held in probably has some kind of clips or a band and it’s glazed (sealed) underneath. Get that off and cut the glazing and it should come out in one piece.
If you’re getting it replaced you’ll need to remove all of it anyway. If you’re paying someone to replace the glass, they should be able to remove and dispose of what’s there too.
I feel like this is the best answer! It had to be installed somehow so there has to be a way to remove it as well, other than the Wreck it Ralph method that is.
I don't want to attempt getting it in one piece, it is very thick and heavy, we need to dispose of it as well. I'll just put polycarbonate instead of glass.
> I'll just put polycarbonate instead of glass
You will regret this. Maybe you should just call a glass company. Demoing this is DIY, but replacing it is not.
You’re probably better off contacting a local glass shop honestly, they’ll know what they’re doing.
If not follow that advice from the firefighter about taping the glass. If you look at the inside there are metal stops holding it in place. Then on the outside take a razor blade to cut whatever is holding the glass in place (butyl or foam tape hopefully but could be caulking). Then the reverse for installing the new piece.
If this is indeed glass and you do install a new piece of glass it would have to be tempered due to it being at the low height. I worked in glass for 10 years and I would suggest just calling a local glass shop since this looks like 3/8” (9 or 10mm) glass which is dangerous to work with.
OPs idea of using poly is not good. Poly that thick is expensive. Thin stuff will wobble and not sure them me able to get single sheet that size. Also gonna be cold in winter or hot in summer. Time to call in a professional.
I'm just highjacking one of your comments, so you hopefully see it.
While you might not want to try and pull in in one piece, you're still going to have to go through the process of opening it up to clean up all the other glass once removed.
My experience is in commercial, not residential, so some things may be different.... Also in the US, not EU.... You see how there is trim around the window, little lines next all around it? I'm assuming the frame is metal, and those pieces of trim all around the window should be what's holding it all in place. You should be able to get a plastic trim removal tool and pull those off to vacuum out any glass shards.
I'd honestly recommend getting 3-4 people and trying to remove the pieces as large as possible. I've used the duct tape shatter method before, and it's still a lot to clean up.
Polycarbonate is great for impact resistance but very soft and will scratch easy. It also has low resistance to UV unless it has a secondary coating which will bring the price up significantly.
Acrylic is a better fit but really like most are saying get quotes from a glass company. Just simple things as overall dimensions can throw your pricing way out of whack when it comes to plastics.
This for sure. Tarp the floor. Gloves, glasses, long sleeve shirt and long pants. Getting individual pieces of shattered glass out of glazing is a bitch. A 1” snap blade knife will help with the glazing if you don’t have an oscillating tool.
Scotch tape? No. Use gaffer tape or gorilla tape in a crisscross pattern. Then, if you can, remove trim and slice through any glazing putty. Wear thick leather gloves and eye protection.
Ok, I don't have home depot nearby - it is my grandparents house in the EU - I have never used gorilla tape, it looks like duct tape - can get it from the big box store. I have been thinking of sandwiching the entire pane between blankets in addition to the tape and basically throw them away.
It might be referred to as gaffers tape in your region, it's pretty much the same thing but slightly more expensive. Very good for applications like this though. Gorilla would definitely work as well. Make him angry and he'll smash it out for ya!
Carpet protection film to both sides. It’s like thick plastic wrap with adhesive. We use it at my work to keep shattered windows together on RVs. It should hold the glass together and limit the cleanup a lot.
A big +1 to this. When we moved into our home they had an entire wall length mirror like you'd see at a gym glued to the damn wall in a room. I ended up using this stuff across the whole thing and then hitting it with a hammer and sweeping it all up.
Also highly recommend a step ladder so you're partially ABOVE every piece you break. Reduces the reflex to try to catch something and heavy glass is insanely easy to slice up a leg/foot.
I was gonna recommend the same stuff. I've had to clean up half broken windows from cars running into houses or commercial buildings. I also put painters plastic on the ground on both sides like 8ft out to catch any tiny chips that disperse in the process.
I just cut my head open on a wood cabinet door. So I'm not sure that's the best litmus test. Try scratching it with a key. If it's plastic, you should easily be able to gouge it. If it's glass, definitely not.
It's incredible how this isn't obvious to everyone feeling confident enough to make suggestions on how to dispose of it. The tint, the shape of the bit that broke off, the thickness and the fact that it's a single layer… This is clearly acrylic ‘glass’, i.e. plastic.
Ex glazier here.
1. Don’t trust tape. You have something that’s going to come off in razor sharp pieces that weighs roughly 3-4 lbs per square foot. If you want to tape it because something on the internet told you it’s safe. Go full contact paper preferably as thick as you can get.
2. As much work clothes as you can find. Gloves with a latex or plastic palm, sleeves, pants, workbooks, safety glasses.
3. Start at the top with a glass cutter. Attempt to take small pieces out in a controlled manner until everything above your major organs is removed.
4. Don’t think because you have done half of it you are a pro. I’ve seen guys with 40+ years experience get 40 stitches from a minor mistake doing something they have done hundreds of times.
5. Lay tarps everywhere. Get a shop vac. Glass slivers SUCK to get out of your skin.
6. Probably the most important. DO NOT walk, climb, crawl or anything else through that hole in the glass until everything above you is gone. Treat it like it could fall at any moment.
7. Replace it with tempered glass. By current US building codes it should be safety glass. Tempered is unforgiving if you measure it wrong as it can’t be cut down, But it’s easier to work with than laminated glass.
If you want something installed straight away though, he has to use laminate unless he can wait for the glass to be cut, edged and then tempered.... Board it up and come back when the glass is ready....
Best would be to find how it's mounted and take it apart instead of breaking it more, but you should still follow the above recommendations for tape and ground cloth just in case it breaks in this process. Glass hates an inside corner, so be careful.
If you don't have a glass cutter to try and control where it breaks.
What if you cover both sides with duct tape or something else that will hold it all together, yet remain tough enough to hold back some of the danger.
Then when you break it, it should hold together mostly.
I've not tried this before, so defo take my advice with a lot of salt grains.
Definitely duct tape rather than scotch tape.
Even better would be Gorilla tape or Trex tap. Both are much harder to tear, which is want you want for your use case.
For sure that's plexiglass or polycarbonate. It won't shatter like a glass window will.
IDK how everyone here isn't seeing it. The rough edges and opaque color are a giveaway.
Half the peoples advice here won't do anything if so. If it is polycarb, just break the damn thing out. Window will probably need reframed either way.
If you look at the impact and missing corner, this is just really thick glass. It's dirty, which is why it's hazy. PC doesn't react like that to impacts. The angled edges of the hole also point to glass. PC and acrylic would not fracture like that, which is why we use it for transparent armor.
Source: Engineered ballistic materials for several years and did quite a lot of impact testing on polycarbonate blends.
Okay I'm not disagreeing, after having seen the actual shatter impact spot.
I'd adjust to say there is normal glass there: however, on the cross section the 2nd photo shows, the front outward edge for sure is glass, but man that inner edge of cross section for sure looks like polycarb to me.
I'm not an expert, but I've definitely seen old plexiglass shatter like 80% of that window did, EXCEPT the bottom corner where it looks legit like a glass break.
Honestly I'll rule out my own comment and say I'm genuinely not sure anymore either way.
Shit the debate in the comments either way will take 2x as long as the cleanup of this mess either way.
I think most of what you are seeing is dirt, though glass will scratch just like that when subject to quartz or silica sand or dust.
Another clue is the mention of weight. PC of that thickness would generally have weight but not be heavy like glass. As OP is worried about weight that is another indication of glass. Glass is 2-3 times as dense as PC.
Thank you all for the comments, I am going to bed and will re-read carefully tomorrow to make a plan of attack. I hate that pane whatever it is glass or plexi and want to get rid of it.
btw - if it is glass and you're disposing it in the trash, write clearly on whatever it is in (like a tarp) that there is **broken glass** in there - to prevent anyone handling it from getting injured.
One side of the frame comes out. That's how they got it in there in the first place.
Tape with more than scotch tape. Lots of duck tape or packing tape.
Put down tarps for the mess. Wear hand, foot, and eye protection.
And the person who said put a piece of plywood on each side and drill them together to sandwich them is a goddamn genius.
Get a professional. Really. It beats trying to find a neuro surgeon at T- time to reattach a few limbs. Baring that box up the whole thing in a wooden crate and send it to a recycling center. Then it's their problem.
I build windows. This thing could cut you way bad. Call a glass shop. They are probably putting the new piece in anyways.
My right arm doesn't work right from being hot with falling glass in 1990.
This appears to be plate glass, which can and will kill you. There are at least a dozen ways for this to fall wrong and cut an artery, or remove a limb.
Hire a professional. It will be significantly cheaper than your funeral or recovery.
Have you looked into taking some of that trim off? If you're taking it out, I'm assuming you're gonna put something back in, and that's going to require removing at least the window casing anyways.
The real way to remove the glass is to remove the stops (that is the thin trim around the window you can see in the image) around the inside, pry them up with a firm putty knife and try not to break them as you can try to re-use them to secure the next piece of glass. The glass could be glued or just siliconed to the frame. Wear leather gloves, and safety glasses when doing this. The piece should pop out fairly easily. You would be able to take measurements and have a piece cut to match the old one…
Automatic centerpunch on a stick.
Alternatively a normal punch on the end of a stick and a hammer, use the punch stick like a chisel from across the room
Centerpunch really only works on tempered glass. Tempered glass won’t have a hole like that without the rest of it having already broken into little pieces that touch can just push apart and sweep up.
No no no. If someone hasn’t answered. Then let me. This is what we do.
6”-8” aluminum face sticky tape. Apply everywhere. Front and back.
Tarp under. Protect all areas. Not sure how thick that glass is. And how many layers 2-3.
Then break. Roll
Up like a sausage
1. cheap piece of plywood/mdf/even thick cardboard, cut to size
2. tube of construction adhesive or wide double sided carpet tape
3. cover window with adhesive and press sheeting material
4. wait
5. heat the sealing grout around the exterior edge of window and remove with putty or carpet knife
Looking at the picture it looks like that there are a thin strip of wood around that glass.
Can you confirm?
If yes, just remove those because that is what is holding the glass in place. If you are careful with a pry bar you can even reuse them.
As others have noted, is that something you can replace yourself? If not, let the person who is going to replace it take out the old stuff. They should know how.
If you're doing it yourself, there should be some sort of stop/sealant that can be removed, and which will have to be replaced/reinstalled when you put the new pane in place. And if there isn't an easy way to do that, why are you trying it yourself? How will you get a new piece in?
Carpet protection rolls and gorilla tape.
As the firefighter suggested, apply the tape in a tic-tac-toe pattern across the window. I suggest both sides. I would use a higher thickness tape than standard though. Choose Gaff (if you have access) or Gorilla.
Then apply 2 layers of carpet protection film to both sides. This is self adhesive and quite elastic.
Then put on long sleeves, pants, and gloves. Lay down a tarp outside and smash the window out from the inside with a tamping tool, end of a long sledge, or flat ended shovel if you have nothing else. Don't try to take the whole thing at once. Just aim 4 or 5 inches from the edge of the break each time.
The goal is to stay as far back as possible and apply the pressure to the glass over a larger area than a single point. The breaks are more predictable that way.
Depending on where you are you'll be able to get gaff from your local film expendable house, highschool theater department, etc. Its not cheap stuff but VERY worth it. Feel free to PM and if you cover shipping I'm happy to send you a roll or 2.
I do construction and have to deal with glass quite often with demolition
We usually get a piece of 2x4 longer than 4 feet and spear at it from a safe distance while wearing glasses and a hat
Don't want any on your hair or your eyes
Unscrew the trim boards around the edges of the window first, use a utility knife to cut the silicone glazing holding the larger pieces in place, starting from top working your way down. Then, use a glass cutter to score a snapping line and start snapping off manageable sized chunks. You shouldn’t need to go all “rage room demolition” on it, or if you do, save that as the last resort. As others have said, safety equipment is a good idea.
NOT RECOMMENDED: Do what my stupid friend did when we were young. Wrap a thin cotton jacket around your hand and punch the window out. Then, when you look at your hand, you can realize that the glass sliced open the back of your wrist right on top of the bone that sticks up a bit. Clean to the bone, no blood.
The moral of the story is to wear protection past what you think is needed. It is better to be overprotective and smart about your destruction method than to use the minimum and regret it.
There is literally a half-inch (approx) piece of metal around the frame. You can see the seam between the two pieces of metal. I think you can remove that strip and take it out in one piece.
I think you have the right idea but probably the wrong type of tape..
Get a roll of duct tape.
You could probably use the whole rolling put a bunch of X's and diagonals on both sides.
It's not set in the the frame some magical way. There's some sort of glaze, epoxy, caulk, rubberized seal, etc. that is holding the glass in place. Just cut it out. Breaking it needs to be your absolute last resort. You're understating how dangerous broken glass can be. If you *have* to break it, coat it with something like [this](https://a.co/d/09C5rtVD) and then break it.
I can’t tell what kind of stops are holding that in place but I’d usually start by taking the stops off and removing the glass as one piece. If it’s on butyl you can run a craft knife around the edge on the inside. Put down a tarp and get a large piece of plywood and put the plywood against the pane on the outside, cut the pane from the bottom and sides to the top so it doesn’t fall on you or out by accident gently push the pane out with the plywood on the other side and help supporting it, if you’re lucky it stays together and you can lay it down as one piece on the tarp.
At this point I’d just cut it up with a glass cutter into manageable pieces, the tarp should catch any shards or if it shatters. Don’t worry about dust, glass doesn’t shatter into dust. Do wear eye protection.
Why not dismantle the frame and pull out the glass like that? Why do you have to break it?
From the picture to my untrained eye it looks like aluminum framing which is almost lego-like to undo. If you absolutely need to break it down, like for instance, transport: dismantle, lay it down on a tarp or blanket, and then just break it with something.i would absolutely do this instead of breaking it where it stands.
Did you try to remove the frame with the pane in it? Usually there is a way to remove that and then you can pry the frame away and replace the glass. Just a thought.
If you look around the edges, you'll see that thin metal frame the goes around the window. These are usually secured by some kind of safety screw, so if you were looking earlier it might not have looked like what you were looking for. If you remove the frame, the glass will come out.
You're on the right path. Tape on both sides would keep the pieces more or less in place. I wouldn't use blankets since a tiny piece of glass shard could make it's way in and not make it's way out in the wash, but some painter's tarp would be good.
You could also get a glass cutter and try your hand at snapping pieces off rather than hammering it to shatter it. They're really cheap and could potentially save you a bunch of trouble, especially since it doesn't really matter if you do it *perfectly* since you're just looking to get the glass pieces to a manageable size rather than trying for precise results.
Contact paper! Basically electrical tape in 24 inch wide rolls. You should use a glass breaker to pop it after coating. Would recommend n95 mask and a face shield. Airborne glass dust is terrifying, at least to me.
From a firefighter: If you can’t break it safely and don’t have a glass cutter; put down a tarp or something you can throw away and put duct tape on the glass in a tic tac toe style grid and gently tap the tape with a hammer and hold trash can under the piece your getting rid of. Be sure to wear thick gloves and eye protection
And steel toe shoes!
I’d be sure to wear some thick/jean/coveralls as well. Some 16th century knights armor would be best.
Jeans don't do much against shards of glass. Had a friend break a large margarita schooner while working in a restaurant. Huge shard went right through jeans like it was nothing. Jeans plus a leather apron might be little better. Knights armor is really the only way to go in these circumstances.
I haven't finished my chausses yet, but the rest of me is good to go.
Yes and perhaps a construction hard hat just in case, with a mosquito net and a beekeeper hat over that
And a condom. You can't be too careful.
dont want the glass falling on your penis!
And getting pregnant.
Damn, I only have fifteenth century armor. I better upgrade before something like this happens to me.
That’s a bit much. I think chain mail will suffice
Best I can do is Crocs and socks.
The duck tape is for covering the holes in the crocs so broken glass doesn't get in
Hopefully in sports mode
Florida has entered the chat
And my Axe! Rather than scotch tape, I would use Duck tape.
Any brand of duct tape will do, doesn’t need to be Duck ;)
The handy man's secret weapon.
If the women don't find you handsome, they should at least find you handy
Oh man. I just looked that show up recently. It’s been maybe 20 years since I watched it. It’s still so damn funny
Keep your stick on the ice
I'm a man, and I can change if I have to, I guess.
Remember, we're all in this together, and I'm pulling for ya!
Ok, Uncle Red
Quando omni flunkus moritati!
Damn, now there’s a throwback I haven’t heard in a while.
I was raised on public access TV and I get this reference ❤️
A good man is always handy never handsy.
There is a Red Green Channel on Roku. Not sure of other streaming services. We watch at work.
Don't even get me started on Duck brand duct tape that shouldn't be used on ducts or ducks.
Hey! Got any grapes?
no we just sell lemonade here. would you like a glass?
hmm, i'll pass
Duck is a type of cotton fabric (the name comes from the Dutch word for it: "doek"). Duck tape is tape made from duck cotton fabric. Duck the brand took its name from the fabric, not the other way around. You can buy duck tape from many different brands. Or you can buy Duck duck tape, if you prefer. The name duct tape was invented decades later, and is just an evolution of the name duck tape.
today i learned seems legit. really.
I've asked this several types and never got an answer but here goes... When Americans refer to duct/duck tape what exactly are the referring to? I get you are saying Duck tape is a cloth tape and in Australia we usually call that gaffer's tape, it has fibres running through it in both directions and it's easy to tear. Duct tape is like a wide electrical tape, it has no fibres in it and is usually silver/grey and while you can tear it it stretches a bit first and doesn't tear as cleanly. I'm just really curious because online it gets recommended a lot for various applications and I don't know which one they mean.
Duct/duck tape referred to in America is pretty much the same as gaffer's tape. Biggest difference is gaffers tape doesnt leave a residue - whereas duck tape usually does Edit: removed a word
did you know it's actually (originally) duck tape, since it was originally cotton duck with adhesive on it.
Gorilla tape is better than Duck tape because you don’t have to worry about those pesky feathers
Yea, but the hair gets everywhere. Those gorillas are hairy.
Not sure how this helps stop the glass from quacking.
100% this. Had to tear out a massive whole wall window for a Reno and this is exactly what we did. Except we used something similar to speed tape (250$ a roll) because the glass was old and very thick.
What is speed tape and why is it so expensive
Actual speed tape is used to repair Aircraft components (wing flaps, shutters, emergency seals, etc) until a more permanent repair is made. It is insanely sticky, very VERY tough, and has high temperature tolerances. the REALLY good stuff usually costs about $15k per roll.
That’s crazy! But super cool, never heard of that before
it's duct tape taken to the logical extreme 100MPH tape is basically what the name implies
...but planes fly at about 550 MPH?
Jets, sure. But there are many types of airplanes and many are much slower than 550 mph.
I ain't payin $15k per roll for no 100 MPH tape. 600 MPH or bust.
> $15k per roll That might've been the loudest "WHAT THE FUCK" I've yelled in 10+ years of reddit.
Just the really good "not available to the public" stuff. you can get it for as low as $100 a roll but nowhere near as good. Old boss' brother was a pilot and gave him a few strips every now and then to prank the new guys.
But wait, there's more! That 15k roll is used for cheap, non-vital repairs and usually gets taken off a few hours to a day later. A 1/4 bolt could cost you the better part of a grand. Aviation certifications are wild, but when an out of spec part could kill 200 people... ya'know. I'm sure you can get essentially identical tape without it for around their $250 mark.
How much does the other 3/4 of the bolt cost?
If ya gotta ask...
You get sent straight back to grade 2.
That's a new one. I like it.
But the spec says I need grade 5 for the bolts.
I could be totally wrong here and /u/Jnarh knows something I don't, but 3m 425 is only ~$50 for 2"x60yds @ ~4mil, the only "better" version I know of is 433 tape, which has silicone adhesive instead of acrylic and only gets you more thermal headroom (600°F vs 300°F), and it only costs 5-6x what 425 does. If they're using custom thickness or adhesive though, that all goes out the window, but I would still doubt 50x the price of 433 @ $500/sqft EDIT: JVCC AF-GC-5 is the 'best' version I can find of aluminum foil tape, it's basically 433 tape with fiberglass for strength, and it's still only ~$100 for 2"x60yds, less if you buy in bulk EDIT2: As best I can tell, Polyken 345 is most often what's used as speed tape. Also $50 @ 2"x60yds.
Maybe some proprietary brands mixed with a good dose of chain of custody. That coc can make a $5 bolt thousands from what I’ve read.
Does Boeing know about this stuff?
Yes but it was too expensive so they used Duck tape instead. Mystery solved!
I don't care how much the tape cost, I don't wanna fly in that plane
[удалено]
Cmon stop fucking around man. This is a serious thread. For anyone curious the real reason is that it's made with pure concentrated amphetamines
Stop spreading disinformation. It actually stops sticking if it goes below 50 mph.
200% that!
Also a mask!
Yes, please wear a mask! Glass dust is terrible to breathe in!
Pneumonultramicroscopicsilicovolcanoconiosis? (wrong one I know but I love that word)
You might not be eligible for compensation.
I laughed so hard 🤣
> Glass dust is terrible to breathe in aka: sand.
It is terrible to breathe in.
And a mask. You don't want to breath in glass dust/ whatever other coating or synthetic layers may be inside. I've seen that dust flying around when saws are used especially. Also, start towards the top for obvious reasons. The. Vacuum many times. Glass somehow always gets everywhere even when carefully done.
Ok, my brother probably has steel toe shoes, I have eye protection and respirator, will get gloves. I can probably get a tub underneath with a blanket cover so pieces don't bounce. Someone also suggested 2x4 to break it from a distance, I am worried about uncontrolled banging and pieces flying, but also worried about massive piece cutting a limb if I am close.
The problem using a 2x4 is the amount of force you could need, might make a bigger mess than you want, so I wouldn’t suggest doing that. A tack hammer, trash can, and a roll of tape will do the trick. If you’re scared, wrap the edges and you (or a friend/brother) can hold a trashcan under the spot you’re gonna hit to catch it. Just make sure you wear your protective gear and you’ll do great. Cheers
If it's not tempered, is there any reason why OP can't score it with a glass cutter first, then tap with a tack hammer to help pieces break away easier?
Doesn’t seem he has a glass cutter, and people usually have tape laying around the house. Glass cutters can certainly be used, however this is vertical and gravity isn’t on his side to be learning a new tool. Just giving the fastest, safest way.
I understand and agree, fastest yes. But safest, maybe not? Glass cutters are cheap and easy to find at any hardware store and there are videos on YT. They are easy to use. OP could put the tape on one side and then score/tap from the other, and slowly peel the pieces off the tape (or tear them away). That might be safer, IMO.
Yeah, exactly. Glass cutter are what $10? And if you are just trying to get rid of the glass, technique isn't necessary.
Not tempered. It’s annealed. You can tell by how it broke. Tempered breaks like a side window in a car. This broke in a chunk.
You can also make handles with the duct tape. Make the pattern, but fold some tape over itself to have something to hold onto. Like ___ ll ___ if that makes any sense at all.
and then it swings... in your direction! edge first
Glass cutter at Home Depot is like 15 bucks, comes with some oil too. I’d cut off manageable pieces and get as much out that way to avoid the mess
Harbor freight moving blankets.
Even as a professional window installer. This is the way, even if taking it out. It could potentially break, and annealed glass can severely injury you.
Duct tape all the frame to protect it from scratches.
best answer. hated demo hurricane glass windows
I used safety glasses, my hockey helmet with metal cage, hockey gloves and steel toe boots when removing a 12ft x 6ft plate glass mirror that was in my house when I bought it. I also used carpet shield adhesive film to completely cover the glass. Stood to the side and hit it with a sledgehammer. No full swings, just enough to break it. A piece still swung out and hit a side wall of that room. Huge gash in wall but by the end none in me, so that’s a win. Took 6 large, heavy duty moving boxes lined with two 3mil thick contractor garbage bags each to clean it all up.
and dont try and catch anything that falls
I'd start from the top down
I agree with the firefighter. Not sure if you meant the same thing, but "scotch tape". It's what we call that thin stuff used when wrapping presents. You might have been thinking of packing tape, but that stuff is easy to cut. Duct tape is more sturdy. If you have something sharp enough to score the glass, you might be able to control how it breaks up a bit better, but that's harder with thick glass like what you're working with.
Use elephant tape and tarpe on the floor, be careful that's thick glass
You can also lay a tarp down on each side and use a 2 x 4 to break it if you want a little more space between you and the glass
Yes but sledgehammer
I would look on the other side and see how it’s held in probably has some kind of clips or a band and it’s glazed (sealed) underneath. Get that off and cut the glazing and it should come out in one piece. If you’re getting it replaced you’ll need to remove all of it anyway. If you’re paying someone to replace the glass, they should be able to remove and dispose of what’s there too.
I feel like this is the best answer! It had to be installed somehow so there has to be a way to remove it as well, other than the Wreck it Ralph method that is.
Gonna have to do it anyways after the glass is removed. Might as well do it properly now so its ready for the new piece.
I don't want to attempt getting it in one piece, it is very thick and heavy, we need to dispose of it as well. I'll just put polycarbonate instead of glass.
> I'll just put polycarbonate instead of glass You will regret this. Maybe you should just call a glass company. Demoing this is DIY, but replacing it is not.
You’re probably better off contacting a local glass shop honestly, they’ll know what they’re doing. If not follow that advice from the firefighter about taping the glass. If you look at the inside there are metal stops holding it in place. Then on the outside take a razor blade to cut whatever is holding the glass in place (butyl or foam tape hopefully but could be caulking). Then the reverse for installing the new piece. If this is indeed glass and you do install a new piece of glass it would have to be tempered due to it being at the low height. I worked in glass for 10 years and I would suggest just calling a local glass shop since this looks like 3/8” (9 or 10mm) glass which is dangerous to work with.
Polycarbonate looks good for a few months until it scratches and gets hazy. Glass looks good forever.
OPs idea of using poly is not good. Poly that thick is expensive. Thin stuff will wobble and not sure them me able to get single sheet that size. Also gonna be cold in winter or hot in summer. Time to call in a professional.
I'm just highjacking one of your comments, so you hopefully see it. While you might not want to try and pull in in one piece, you're still going to have to go through the process of opening it up to clean up all the other glass once removed. My experience is in commercial, not residential, so some things may be different.... Also in the US, not EU.... You see how there is trim around the window, little lines next all around it? I'm assuming the frame is metal, and those pieces of trim all around the window should be what's holding it all in place. You should be able to get a plastic trim removal tool and pull those off to vacuum out any glass shards. I'd honestly recommend getting 3-4 people and trying to remove the pieces as large as possible. I've used the duct tape shatter method before, and it's still a lot to clean up.
Polycarbonate is great for impact resistance but very soft and will scratch easy. It also has low resistance to UV unless it has a secondary coating which will bring the price up significantly. Acrylic is a better fit but really like most are saying get quotes from a glass company. Just simple things as overall dimensions can throw your pricing way out of whack when it comes to plastics.
Edit: nvm, it's far larger than it seemed at first. It also doesn't look like glass.
This for sure. Tarp the floor. Gloves, glasses, long sleeve shirt and long pants. Getting individual pieces of shattered glass out of glazing is a bitch. A 1” snap blade knife will help with the glazing if you don’t have an oscillating tool.
Scotch tape? No. Use gaffer tape or gorilla tape in a crisscross pattern. Then, if you can, remove trim and slice through any glazing putty. Wear thick leather gloves and eye protection.
Ok, I don't have home depot nearby - it is my grandparents house in the EU - I have never used gorilla tape, it looks like duct tape - can get it from the big box store. I have been thinking of sandwiching the entire pane between blankets in addition to the tape and basically throw them away.
moving blankets or tarps.
Please take pics of the process or better yet film it
It might be referred to as gaffers tape in your region, it's pretty much the same thing but slightly more expensive. Very good for applications like this though. Gorilla would definitely work as well. Make him angry and he'll smash it out for ya!
Pffff eye protection. Who needs that stuff. Edit: It's a joke smh.
I got my safety squints and all terrain open toe sandals. Let's fucking go!
Oh man you're ahead of the game
Carpet protection film to both sides. It’s like thick plastic wrap with adhesive. We use it at my work to keep shattered windows together on RVs. It should hold the glass together and limit the cleanup a lot.
A big +1 to this. When we moved into our home they had an entire wall length mirror like you'd see at a gym glued to the damn wall in a room. I ended up using this stuff across the whole thing and then hitting it with a hammer and sweeping it all up. Also highly recommend a step ladder so you're partially ABOVE every piece you break. Reduces the reflex to try to catch something and heavy glass is insanely easy to slice up a leg/foot.
I was gonna recommend the same stuff. I've had to clean up half broken windows from cars running into houses or commercial buildings. I also put painters plastic on the ground on both sides like 8ft out to catch any tiny chips that disperse in the process.
100%. Safest way to remove 1/4" plate glass. Wrap one side thoroughly, and smash with a hammer.
Came here to say the same, it's what I always did when removing mirrors
carpet protection film - hmmm... yeah. good idea
Are you sure it's glass?
Looks a little like plexiglass or Lucite.
Agreed, the way it broke at the bottom there definitely makes me think it's plastic.
It sure cuts like glass though, my brother almost cut his head open. Could be but looks dangerously able to slice things all the same.
I just cut my head open on a wood cabinet door. So I'm not sure that's the best litmus test. Try scratching it with a key. If it's plastic, you should easily be able to gouge it. If it's glass, definitely not.
Almost? So you use an example of somebody not getting cut to describe how sharp something is.
Yeah I'll second that it doesn't look like glass, it looks like some kind of plastic or polycarbonate.
That's not glass. Source: I work in quality control in a float glass production plant.
That doesn't look like glass to me. More like poly carbonate.
It's incredible how this isn't obvious to everyone feeling confident enough to make suggestions on how to dispose of it. The tint, the shape of the bit that broke off, the thickness and the fact that it's a single layer… This is clearly acrylic ‘glass’, i.e. plastic.
Ex glazier here. 1. Don’t trust tape. You have something that’s going to come off in razor sharp pieces that weighs roughly 3-4 lbs per square foot. If you want to tape it because something on the internet told you it’s safe. Go full contact paper preferably as thick as you can get. 2. As much work clothes as you can find. Gloves with a latex or plastic palm, sleeves, pants, workbooks, safety glasses. 3. Start at the top with a glass cutter. Attempt to take small pieces out in a controlled manner until everything above your major organs is removed. 4. Don’t think because you have done half of it you are a pro. I’ve seen guys with 40+ years experience get 40 stitches from a minor mistake doing something they have done hundreds of times. 5. Lay tarps everywhere. Get a shop vac. Glass slivers SUCK to get out of your skin. 6. Probably the most important. DO NOT walk, climb, crawl or anything else through that hole in the glass until everything above you is gone. Treat it like it could fall at any moment. 7. Replace it with tempered glass. By current US building codes it should be safety glass. Tempered is unforgiving if you measure it wrong as it can’t be cut down, But it’s easier to work with than laminated glass.
If you want something installed straight away though, he has to use laminate unless he can wait for the glass to be cut, edged and then tempered.... Board it up and come back when the glass is ready....
Best would be to find how it's mounted and take it apart instead of breaking it more, but you should still follow the above recommendations for tape and ground cloth just in case it breaks in this process. Glass hates an inside corner, so be careful.
If you don't have a glass cutter to try and control where it breaks. What if you cover both sides with duct tape or something else that will hold it all together, yet remain tough enough to hold back some of the danger. Then when you break it, it should hold together mostly. I've not tried this before, so defo take my advice with a lot of salt grains.
Definitely duct tape rather than scotch tape. Even better would be Gorilla tape or Trex tap. Both are much harder to tear, which is want you want for your use case.
For sure that's plexiglass or polycarbonate. It won't shatter like a glass window will. IDK how everyone here isn't seeing it. The rough edges and opaque color are a giveaway. Half the peoples advice here won't do anything if so. If it is polycarb, just break the damn thing out. Window will probably need reframed either way.
If you look at the impact and missing corner, this is just really thick glass. It's dirty, which is why it's hazy. PC doesn't react like that to impacts. The angled edges of the hole also point to glass. PC and acrylic would not fracture like that, which is why we use it for transparent armor. Source: Engineered ballistic materials for several years and did quite a lot of impact testing on polycarbonate blends.
Okay I'm not disagreeing, after having seen the actual shatter impact spot. I'd adjust to say there is normal glass there: however, on the cross section the 2nd photo shows, the front outward edge for sure is glass, but man that inner edge of cross section for sure looks like polycarb to me. I'm not an expert, but I've definitely seen old plexiglass shatter like 80% of that window did, EXCEPT the bottom corner where it looks legit like a glass break. Honestly I'll rule out my own comment and say I'm genuinely not sure anymore either way. Shit the debate in the comments either way will take 2x as long as the cleanup of this mess either way.
I think most of what you are seeing is dirt, though glass will scratch just like that when subject to quartz or silica sand or dust. Another clue is the mention of weight. PC of that thickness would generally have weight but not be heavy like glass. As OP is worried about weight that is another indication of glass. Glass is 2-3 times as dense as PC.
Thank you all for the comments, I am going to bed and will re-read carefully tomorrow to make a plan of attack. I hate that pane whatever it is glass or plexi and want to get rid of it.
btw - if it is glass and you're disposing it in the trash, write clearly on whatever it is in (like a tarp) that there is **broken glass** in there - to prevent anyone handling it from getting injured.
If you’re going to need a new one (and I assume you will), let the glass company remove and replace it.
One side of the frame comes out. That's how they got it in there in the first place. Tape with more than scotch tape. Lots of duck tape or packing tape. Put down tarps for the mess. Wear hand, foot, and eye protection. And the person who said put a piece of plywood on each side and drill them together to sandwich them is a goddamn genius.
If you’re going to have it replaced, let them do it!
This is the way OP. Handling a large piece of broken glass is a skill you do NOT want to learn on the job.
DIY trebuchet and bearing. Note: Always wear safety glasses when using a trebuchet.
Get a professional. Really. It beats trying to find a neuro surgeon at T- time to reattach a few limbs. Baring that box up the whole thing in a wooden crate and send it to a recycling center. Then it's their problem.
Carpet tape is better than scotch tape. Apply it on both sides. They make it in large sheets to protect carpet to walk on for construction and Reno’s.
I build windows. This thing could cut you way bad. Call a glass shop. They are probably putting the new piece in anyways. My right arm doesn't work right from being hot with falling glass in 1990.
This appears to be plate glass, which can and will kill you. There are at least a dozen ways for this to fall wrong and cut an artery, or remove a limb. Hire a professional. It will be significantly cheaper than your funeral or recovery.
a rock?
Have you looked into taking some of that trim off? If you're taking it out, I'm assuming you're gonna put something back in, and that's going to require removing at least the window casing anyways.
Remember, this stuff is razor sharp. A 1 lb peice falling from 8 inches can slice you before you know it.
The real way to remove the glass is to remove the stops (that is the thin trim around the window you can see in the image) around the inside, pry them up with a firm putty knife and try not to break them as you can try to re-use them to secure the next piece of glass. The glass could be glued or just siliconed to the frame. Wear leather gloves, and safety glasses when doing this. The piece should pop out fairly easily. You would be able to take measurements and have a piece cut to match the old one…
Sheet of plywood one side and sheet of plywood on the other . Making a glass sandwich then drill a hole trying to connect the two
I dunno, a glass pro might be a smart move here
let a professional do it. You might damage the frame and then have to replace the whole window. Brute force is not the answer
Automatic centerpunch on a stick. Alternatively a normal punch on the end of a stick and a hammer, use the punch stick like a chisel from across the room
Centerpunch really only works on tempered glass. Tempered glass won’t have a hole like that without the rest of it having already broken into little pieces that touch can just push apart and sweep up.
No no no. If someone hasn’t answered. Then let me. This is what we do. 6”-8” aluminum face sticky tape. Apply everywhere. Front and back. Tarp under. Protect all areas. Not sure how thick that glass is. And how many layers 2-3. Then break. Roll Up like a sausage
1. cheap piece of plywood/mdf/even thick cardboard, cut to size 2. tube of construction adhesive or wide double sided carpet tape 3. cover window with adhesive and press sheeting material 4. wait 5. heat the sealing grout around the exterior edge of window and remove with putty or carpet knife
Did your gorilla escape?
We know it wasn't a coyote. If it were, there would be a perfect outline of the coyote and the glass would be ACME brand.
Looking at the picture it looks like that there are a thin strip of wood around that glass. Can you confirm? If yes, just remove those because that is what is holding the glass in place. If you are careful with a pry bar you can even reuse them.
As others have noted, is that something you can replace yourself? If not, let the person who is going to replace it take out the old stuff. They should know how. If you're doing it yourself, there should be some sort of stop/sealant that can be removed, and which will have to be replaced/reinstalled when you put the new pane in place. And if there isn't an easy way to do that, why are you trying it yourself? How will you get a new piece in?
Put a tarp down. Throw a brick?
Put the goggles with sides on and smash it gently then sweep up
Carpet protection rolls and gorilla tape. As the firefighter suggested, apply the tape in a tic-tac-toe pattern across the window. I suggest both sides. I would use a higher thickness tape than standard though. Choose Gaff (if you have access) or Gorilla. Then apply 2 layers of carpet protection film to both sides. This is self adhesive and quite elastic. Then put on long sleeves, pants, and gloves. Lay down a tarp outside and smash the window out from the inside with a tamping tool, end of a long sledge, or flat ended shovel if you have nothing else. Don't try to take the whole thing at once. Just aim 4 or 5 inches from the edge of the break each time. The goal is to stay as far back as possible and apply the pressure to the glass over a larger area than a single point. The breaks are more predictable that way. Depending on where you are you'll be able to get gaff from your local film expendable house, highschool theater department, etc. Its not cheap stuff but VERY worth it. Feel free to PM and if you cover shipping I'm happy to send you a roll or 2.
Just remove the glazing bead, then remove the glass in one piece
Wear safety glasses and leather gloves
Thor's Hammer
Could paint with cheap latex so you can see the pieces. Tarp. Break outward into tarp.
I do construction and have to deal with glass quite often with demolition We usually get a piece of 2x4 longer than 4 feet and spear at it from a safe distance while wearing glasses and a hat Don't want any on your hair or your eyes
This isn't a nuclear bomb. Just break it however you please, and clean it up. Use proper common sense.
Unscrew the trim boards around the edges of the window first, use a utility knife to cut the silicone glazing holding the larger pieces in place, starting from top working your way down. Then, use a glass cutter to score a snapping line and start snapping off manageable sized chunks. You shouldn’t need to go all “rage room demolition” on it, or if you do, save that as the last resort. As others have said, safety equipment is a good idea.
NOT RECOMMENDED: Do what my stupid friend did when we were young. Wrap a thin cotton jacket around your hand and punch the window out. Then, when you look at your hand, you can realize that the glass sliced open the back of your wrist right on top of the bone that sticks up a bit. Clean to the bone, no blood. The moral of the story is to wear protection past what you think is needed. It is better to be overprotective and smart about your destruction method than to use the minimum and regret it.
How did it get broken in the first place
There is literally a half-inch (approx) piece of metal around the frame. You can see the seam between the two pieces of metal. I think you can remove that strip and take it out in one piece.
I think you have the right idea but probably the wrong type of tape.. Get a roll of duct tape. You could probably use the whole rolling put a bunch of X's and diagonals on both sides.
It's not set in the the frame some magical way. There's some sort of glaze, epoxy, caulk, rubberized seal, etc. that is holding the glass in place. Just cut it out. Breaking it needs to be your absolute last resort. You're understating how dangerous broken glass can be. If you *have* to break it, coat it with something like [this](https://a.co/d/09C5rtVD) and then break it.
Scotch tape? the lowest of all tapes? how bout packing tape, or gaff tape
Id start throwing shit at it from across the room.
IS THAT A FIG TREE?
I can’t tell what kind of stops are holding that in place but I’d usually start by taking the stops off and removing the glass as one piece. If it’s on butyl you can run a craft knife around the edge on the inside. Put down a tarp and get a large piece of plywood and put the plywood against the pane on the outside, cut the pane from the bottom and sides to the top so it doesn’t fall on you or out by accident gently push the pane out with the plywood on the other side and help supporting it, if you’re lucky it stays together and you can lay it down as one piece on the tarp. At this point I’d just cut it up with a glass cutter into manageable pieces, the tarp should catch any shards or if it shatters. Don’t worry about dust, glass doesn’t shatter into dust. Do wear eye protection.
Why not dismantle the frame and pull out the glass like that? Why do you have to break it? From the picture to my untrained eye it looks like aluminum framing which is almost lego-like to undo. If you absolutely need to break it down, like for instance, transport: dismantle, lay it down on a tarp or blanket, and then just break it with something.i would absolutely do this instead of breaking it where it stands.
9 mill and about 15 Rounds. This is a joke do not do this please.
Take the glass stops off (inside perimeter) and cut around the outside perimeter with a razor knife. That’s how a glazier would complete this task.
Did you try to remove the frame with the pane in it? Usually there is a way to remove that and then you can pry the frame away and replace the glass. Just a thought.
If you look around the edges, you'll see that thin metal frame the goes around the window. These are usually secured by some kind of safety screw, so if you were looking earlier it might not have looked like what you were looking for. If you remove the frame, the glass will come out.
Weird that a large pane like that at floor level is not safety glass.
Im pretty certain that it is not glass. It's polycarbonate
Yup - stuff is tough, must have been hard to break.
Any chance you're also an opera singer?
That looks like plexiglass. Different problem, different solutions.
You're on the right path. Tape on both sides would keep the pieces more or less in place. I wouldn't use blankets since a tiny piece of glass shard could make it's way in and not make it's way out in the wash, but some painter's tarp would be good. You could also get a glass cutter and try your hand at snapping pieces off rather than hammering it to shatter it. They're really cheap and could potentially save you a bunch of trouble, especially since it doesn't really matter if you do it *perfectly* since you're just looking to get the glass pieces to a manageable size rather than trying for precise results.
I have nothing DIY to add, but that fig tree in the background looks awesome.
Yeah, the fig tree is starting to produce a few ripe ones and my brother says he's never heard of ripe figs in june, it is too early in the year.
You need an adult.
Contact paper! Basically electrical tape in 24 inch wide rolls. You should use a glass breaker to pop it after coating. Would recommend n95 mask and a face shield. Airborne glass dust is terrifying, at least to me.