There are several reasons why crafters might grind every piece of glass. One would be because they arent able to cut their pieces accurately with a glass cutter, or they are incredibly picky about the way their pieces fit.
A more likely reason is that by touching every edge against the grinder head, it smooths all of the sharp glass edges. This removes any flared or irregular edges which means less cut fingers. Some people feel that they have better luck foiling a ground surface than a slick one. This is probably due to the edge being perpendicular after grinding more than it is to the fact that the edge has been roughed up.
Keep in mind that if you run the grinder along every glass edge, you need to carefully clean each piece to remove the glass dust created by the grinder. Otherwise, the dust will keep your foil from sticking.
Reprinted with permission from Stained Glass News. All rights reserved.
Photo of Peacock Panel by AmberLyn's STG; 2011 Art Glass Festival Entry
Do I need to grind every piece of glass?
