Grinding down/cutting a piece of filter glass to size DIY or where to have it done

[Helge]

I have a Zomei IR filter that doesn't fit the ancient OMAG holders I use for my Ikontas.



I want to take some millimetres off the edge. I've found no opticians, glassworkers or watch repair shops in Copenhagen willing to do the simple job (I suspect because they don't know what to charge and they are not willing to take on something that is not an absolutely standard piece of work).

So my question is:
Is there any common profession whose tools and skills set leans obviously towards doing this, that I haven't thought of?
Or, is there a good time-honored way to do this yourself?

 

[cramej]

Round or square filter?

You could use simple glass cutting tools like what is used for stained glass. If it's round, there are nippers that you can cut small pieces off to form curves and then grind smooth with a spindle grinder or sandpaper.

 

[Helge]

It's circular.
IR glass tends to be more brittle, and the edge that needs to come off is too small to get good leverage. So there is a high risk of chipping and cracking.
It would be much easier and faster to just grind the edge off in some kind of lathe like setup.

 

[runswithsizzers]

How many millimeters is "some"? If the amount to be removed is less than 2-3 millimeters, then I would recommend abrasives. Preferably diamond abrasives, and preferably while wet.

Lapidary craftsmen have grinding wheels set up with water for cutting and polishing stones that should work, if you can find one. There are many diamond abrasive wheels made to run in rotary tools like the Dremel and Foredom tools, but those are usually hand held, and run dry. It would be better if you could come up with some way to rest the filter on a platform and work it against a rotating abrasive cylinder - something that works like <this>.

Depending on how much material needs to be removed, just working the edge of the filter against a flat <diamond sharpening stone> should work, but it will take some time.

Sometimes people who work with stained glass or mosaic tiles may have abrasive tools, as well.

 

[Helge]

How many millimeters is "some"? If the amount to be removed is less than 2-3 millimeters, then I would recommend abrasives. Preferably diamond abrasives, and preferably while wet.

Lapidary craftsmen have grinding wheels set up with water for cutting and polishing stones that should work, if you can find one. There are many diamond abrasive wheels made to run in rotary tools like the Dremel and Foredom tools, but those are usually hand held, and run dry. It would be better if you could come up with some way to rest the filter on a platform and work it against a rotating abrasive cylinder - something that works like <this>.

Depending on how much material needs to be removed, just working the edge of the filter against a flat <diamond sharpening stone> should work, but it will take some time.

Sometimes people who work with stained glass or mosaic tiles may have abrasive tools, as well.

Thank you! Some good ideas there. A lapidary craftsman seems like a good bet. There is bound to be one around here.
And I bet they’re a bit more flexible with regards to material and work type.

It’s only a 1.5 mm ring I want off, so it should be quite quick to remove.

 

[runswithsizzers]

A good lapidary setup will make quick work of glass. You might want to cover the optical surfaces with tape (or ?) to prevent scratches.