Thread: 12mm glass panels in window frames...

Questions:
Are you making the frames
What type window ie: double hung, awning, sliding, fixed
Are you in a bushfire area and if so, what index have you been rated at

you will need very solid frames, and you will not be able to cut the glass , as it will be either toughened, or laminated.
Check the edge, to see it there is a join, if no join then the glass will be toughened.

Neither can be cut ,to my knowledge.

I would consider them for picture windows.

Jeff
vk4

Jeff has got it right, I was going to mention the safety glass aspect as well, picture window would be your best option and realistically, sliding would be the only real option if you do decide to make any of them operable. The weight of the glass eliminates most other options

I don't need the windows to be cut as I can determine what size glass I use as the walls aren't built yet.
I was going to make sliding windows, just wondering if the 12mm glass panels are way overkill. But thought they would be a good comprise under double glazing.

The only issue you will have with sliding is the quality of the wheels and track, thick of a standard aluminium sliding door and its rolling hardware although it probably wont open and close them as often as an asd, There are plenty of options for wheel assemblys from Codroy but would recommend brass track. Visit some of your local window manufactures and have a look at their sliding timber windows, you will get the idea.

i would use aluminium commercial wndow section, for this glass like that, you need head sill and subsill so the windows dont leak

I have 10mm laminated glass in my wooden door/windows that I made. I scrounged the glass from the Rialto building years ago. Anyway, it is easy to cut laminated glass. You just scribe each side with the glass cutter as you would with any glass to be cut. Snap it as normal but then you have to cut the vinyl inter layer by heating it with meth that you pour in the crack and light to soften it and cut with a snap knife or exacto. Sometimes you can just cut it but I soften it first. I just made bigger rebates to hold the thicker glass and thinner beads. I made the frames from Jarrah and siliconed the glass in place. Crooks can't smash their way in now.

You cannot cut the toughened glass that way though. You will have to consult a glazier for that info.

Col.

For checking out information on aluminium extrusions for commercial windows and doors go to ALSPEC - Aluminium Systems Specialists. Aluminium fabricators, aluminium extrusions, architectural extrusions. This site has a full range of extrusions and window systems that may suite your problem and you could down load.
Alternate check out their local suppier in your state.
Regards
Malcolm Eaton

toughened glass can not be cut . How it works is you heat the glass to 1200 deg farenheit (sometimes a chemical bath is used)then blast with air this sets up an internal stress as the exterior cools quicker than the insides once the external force exceeds the internal it breaks into the stress patterns (little pieces) if it is quite scratched or very old you sometimes can cut it as the scratches may have released stresses but on the whole dont even try.
to check to see if toughened look at it in sunlight using a pair of polarised sunnies

We have ali sliding doors in the home, originally glazed with 4mm toughened glass. Have lost a couple of panels and had them replaced with 6mm laminated, much heavier and it has killed the tracks in the door which have been replaced with brass, now kills the roller wheels instead, but the brass tracks will be due for replacement with the next set of rollers.

For 12mm laminated, I doubt that you would get domestic tracks and wheels to support it.

Just spent a couple of days at Rydges in Cairns.
Incidentally, we were talking about those 12mm glass panels they were using and how they were joined.
We were very surprised to see they were just joined with silicone.
BIG HUGE glass panels, just secured top and bottom with rubber tracks.
The doors were actually hinged like a normal door but no frames.
You would never believe they would be cyclone proof but they were.

Cheers
Wolffie