Reading of a Gryphon Diamond Wire Saw

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Virginia O’Connor’
5 years ago
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that allow the artist to create delicate, intricate works of art that their forebears would not believe.

cuts, and diamond bench grinders are just a few of the innovations introduced over the last 15-20 years.

For centuries stained glass artisans have used relatively primitive tools to score and break sheets of colored glass to use in windows and sun catchers.

1 Christian J. Sinnett HSTS 421 February 3, 2002 Reading of a Gryphon Diamond Wire Saw Today s stained glass artisan has a veritable smorgasbord of technologically advanced tools available that allow the artist to create delicate, intricate works of art that their forebears would not believe. Self-oiling carbide wheeled cutters, high quality breaking pliers, temperature controlled soldering irons, accurate and easy-to-use cutting systems that ensure perfect angled cuts, and diamond bench grinders are just a few of the innovations introduced over the last years. The Gryphon Diamond Wire Saw provides a good representation of the most recent technological advancements achieved in a craft that dates back nearly 2000 years. For centuries stained glass artisans have used relatively primitive tools to score and break sheets of colored glass to use in windows and sun catchers. Limited by the physical properties of glass and the tools available, patterns rarely called for small pieces, deep inside curves, or insets. Fine details, especially the faces and writing that are such an integral part in presenting the lessons portrayed in cathedral windows, are painted onto the glass. The Gryphon Diamond Wire Saw is designed to allow Gryphon Diamond Wire Saw stained glass artisans to cut intricate curves and sharp angles that the artisans of the past would never have dreamed of or matched.

The three-piece body of the saw is manufactured of a gray injection-molded plastic. This manmade material, sturdy and waterproof, can be poured into a mold and formed into almost any shape.

There s a smaller reservoir on the left side that s attached to a piece of tubing to drain off overflow.

It rises a couple of inches from the bottom and holds a replaceable nylon blade guide. A rectangular pedestal rises approximately 12 inches from the back of the base.

2 The three-piece body of the saw is manufactured of a gray injection-molded plastic. This manmade material, sturdy and waterproof, can be poured into a mold and formed into almost any shape. The base, approximately 12 inches square, forms a square reservoir about 5 inches deep. The base is filled with water during use to help cool the blade. There s a smaller reservoir on the left side that s attached to a piece of tubing to drain off overflow. There s also a screw to allow water from the main bowl into the overflow reservoir when you want to drain off the dirty water. A bracket is centered in the bottom of the base. It rises a couple of inches from the bottom and holds a replaceable nylon blade guide. A rectangular pedestal rises approximately 12 inches from the back of the base. It contains a much smaller reservoir that holds water to cool Base with work surface removed the blade when it s in use. There s a screw on the side that controls water flow to a piece of tubing that rests against the blade when it s in motion. The second piece is the working surface. This is a flat, injection-molded piece of plastic, slightly wider than the base. The working surface rests on top of the main reservoir and provides a stable surface upon which to rest the glass. Several rows and columns of 2-3 millimeter holes 2

pierce the surface above the reservoir to allow cooling water from the blade to drip into the reservoir. The final piece holds the motor and saw works.

3 pierce the surface above the reservoir to allow cooling water from the blade to drip into the reservoir. The final piece holds the motor and saw works. This piece, also injection-molded from plastic, forms an inverted L. The housing bolts to the top of the pedestal on the base. The long arm of the inverted L hangs down over the center of the base. The saw is powered by an electric motor in the horizontal portion of the housing. There s an on/off switch on the right hand side and a three pronged plug on the end of a six foot cord comes out the left side. The long, vertical arm of the housing, which faces the artisan, contains the mechanical workings of the saw. There s an injection-molded cover that screws to the housing and protects the works from dirt and the user s fingers from the works. The cover contains a battery compartment that holds two AA sized batteries and the Light Emitting Diode (LED) light source they power. There s a switch on the front, user side, of the cover that turns the LED on or off. The LED projects a bright red beam light down onto the surface where the blade meets the glass. Behind the cover lies a fairly simple mechanism. At the top is an aluminum bar, attached to the motor inside the housing. A long stainless steel rod is attached to the end of the aluminum bar. At the bottom of the bar is an aluminum blade chuck with a Mechanical works 3

4 nylon setscrew. Just below the aluminum block is another nylon blade guide. The saw blade slides through the blade guides, into the chuck and is held in place by the setscrew. The chuck slides up and down two stainless steel rods that are attached to an aluminum block near the base of the housing. The blade is a seven-inch stainless steel rod. A two-inch section near the middle has been encrusted with diamond chips. The diamond chips provide a long lasting abrasive that quickly grinds away the glass when the saw is in operation. Diamond encrusted blade The saw functions in the same manner as a contemporary jigsaw or the water driven saws from the 18 th and 19 th centuries. When the motor is turned on, the aluminum bar rotates and the rod sweeps through a circular motion. As the rod circles it moves the blade chuck up and down with the blade. During cutting, friction causes heat to build up, which can shorten the life of the blade; turning on the water from the upper reservoir so a stream of water runs down the blade cools and lubricates the blade. The act of cutting the glass is similar to the manner used when cutting wood with a jigsaw or scroll saw. A pattern is traced on the glass using a waterproof marker or paint pen. The glass is then pressed against the blade, following the pattern, until the piece is cut out. With practice and a steady hand it s possible to cut interlocking pieces as little as 1/8-inch wide, a feat previously impossible. The technologies and systems required to manufacture the Gryphon Diamond Wire Saw are significant and sophisticated. The plastic and nylon components depend on advanced 4

5 chemical and petrochemical industries and systems, including oil exploration, drilling, transport, refining and research. The metals involved, again, manufactured using modern technologies, are either sophisticated alloys or much purer and stronger than those available at any time in the past. The blades themselves depend on a system that can provide industrial grade diamond chips, whether manufactured or natural, and then embed them in a metal base that can be adhered to stainless steel rods. These systems all certainly depend on the production and distribution of electricity, as does the saw itself. Electrical and industrial safety standards, patent laws, and a robust capitalist economy all play their part in the development of such a new technological tool. In this particular case, the Internet, secure online credit card transactions; , and interstate road and transportation systems were all needed to get the saw from the distributor on the east coast to my house in Albany. One final system that deserves mention in this case is the transmission of the artisan s knowledge and skills from one generation to another. At the height of the boom in cathedral construction in Europe stained glass artisans most likely passed their knowledge and skills on through the guild system. Masters in the craft taught their apprentices and journeymen the secrets needed to complete the masterpieces that grace the centerpieces of medieval towns and cities. About thirty years ago my grandfather passed on some of his accumulated knowledge and skills to a 12 year old who expressed an interest in learning from him. I m now working on a stained glass panel that spells out my sister s family name in an ornate old English font I adapted from a computer font. My grandfather, let alone the Masters and architects of the middle ages, would be amazed at what the Gryphon Diamond Wire Saw has allows me to do as I pursue this ancient craft. 5

Due to possible damage in shipping, the vertical stop assembly has been removed from this machine.

Due to possible damage in shipping, the vertical stop assembly has been removed from this machine. To assemble, insert the threaded rod through the shroud opening in the top of the machine. Start the four