Tools
This tool is designed to make a controlled score in glass before you break it.
Glass cutter
Your saw blade keeps snapping because you're forcing it through the metal. What should you change?
Reduce pressure and let the saw do the cutting.
You score a piece of glass, but it doesn't break along the line. Name one possible reason.
Poor/inconsistent score, incorrect pressure, score not continuous, etc.
You drop a tiny piece of glass on the floor. Why isn't “I'll get it later” an acceptable answer?
Someone could step on it/get cut.
This tool has a tiny blade stretched in a frame and is used to cut intricate shapes in sheet metal.
Jeweler's saw
You finish sawing a piece and the edge is covered in sharp burrs. What's your next step?
File/sand the edge smooth.
Why should you avoid running the cutter repeatedly over the same score line?
It can damage the glass and create an unpredictable break.
You're about to light a torch and notice paper, towels, and scraps around your workspace. What happens next?
Clear the flammable materials before lighting the torch.
This tool can have serrated or smooth jaws and is used to grip, bend, or manipulate metal.
Pliers
Your two metal pieces look like they fit, but there's a noticeable gap before soldering. Should you solder anyway? Why or why not?
No; improve the fit first. Solder isn't meant to fill large gaps.
Your copper foil seam is covered in oxidation and grime. What should happen before soldering?
Clean it.
Why are safety glasses important on any and all machines?
Flying particles/scraps can injure your eyes.
This tool is used to remove small amounts of glass from an edge and can help refine a shape after cutting.
Grozing Pliers (small pliers)
Your solder refuses to flow onto the metal. Give two possible reasons.
Dirty/oxidized metal, insufficient heat, insufficient flux
Your solder is forming blobs instead of flowing smoothly along the foil. Give two possible causes.
Dirty surface, insufficient flux, insufficient heat
You notice a tool has been damaged but it still technically works. Do you keep using it? Explain.
No; stop using it and notify the instructor.
This tool doesn't cut your material, but it holds your metal in a position that makes sawing possible.
Bench Pin
You need to make an interior opening in a sheet-metal design. Explain the basic process from marking the design to finishing the cut.
Mark → drill/pierce opening → insert/tension saw blade → saw → file/sand edges.
Your glass pieces fit together, but the gaps between them are inconsistent. Why could that become a problem when you're foiling and soldering?
Uneven gaps affect the foil/seam and can make the finished piece uneven or structurally weaker.
You're grinding/polishing a metal piece and notice your hand, hair, or clothing is getting close to the rotating equipment. What should you do, and why?
Stop the machine and reposition yourself/work safely before continuing. Loose hair, clothing, or body parts can get caught in rotating equipment and cause serious injury.