Where do you guys get your glass?

[LadAShark]

Hi everyone! I've been looking around at glass prices and have found them to be rather over the top! Whether it be low iron or regular glass, the prices seem to be quite inflated for sheet (float) glass.

I've been looking into importing glass from China, but let me be honest, even though they are literally 10x cheaper, it takes a lot of effort to get it from there without getting scammed.

So, here I am to ask you guys: where do you get your cheap glass!?

 

[mcarroll]

I am curious what gives you your perspective on what is cheap vs what is inflated pricing?

My guess is that ("Cheap" + "A lot of effort") = "inflated price". Or at least close. Probably not a coincidence.

My advice is to find a local dealer that will stand by any purchases. (That advice is not specific to glass, however.)

 

[LadAShark]

I am curious what gives you your perspective on what is cheap vs what is inflated pricing?

My guess is that ("Cheap" + "A lot of effort") = "inflated price". Or at least close. Probably not a coincidence.

My advice is to find a local dealer that will stand by any purchases. (That advice is not specific to glass, however.)

When I say inflated pricing, I say pricing that is literally only as expensive as it is because either the supplier controls that demand locally, or because of branding. For example, starphire glass 3/4" thick is 34$ a square foot. Knowing quite a bit of chemistry, physics, and engineering, I know they didn't use anywhere near 34 dollars to make a square foot of glass. And I know many skyscrapers use low iron glass as well, and no way in hell are they going to pay 34$ or even half that for a square foot of glass.

 

[mcarroll]

I guess I don't know anyone who needs a skyscraper's worth of glass or you could score the same discount!

I'm guessing that the cost isn't in the engineering in this case, it's in the economics.

Glass is cheap and easy to make if you want to do it yourself: Fire + sand

However...

It costs more to make well.

It costs more to make from prime ingredients or formulas.

It costs more (in wastage and fuel) to move or store.

And you have to consider that the people doing all this making and moving or storing have to get paid...​

I'm sorry I don't have any better sources for you - maybe someone else can chime in too - but I sincerely can't imagine it'd be worth ordering glass from China.

How much extra would you have to source just to allow for damage in shipping, for example? Damage being a situation in which you have very little recourse other than the remaining buzz from how cheap the initial purchase price was....

 

[LadAShark]

I guess I don't know anyone who needs a skyscraper's worth of glass or you could score the same discount!

I'm guessing that the cost isn't in the engineering in this case, it's in the economics.

Glass is cheap and easy to make if you want to do it yourself: Fire + sand

However...

It costs more to make well.

It costs more to make from prime ingredients or formulas.

It costs more (in wastage and fuel) to move or store.

And you have to consider that the people doing all this making and moving or storing have to get paid...​

I'm sorry I don't have any better sources for you - maybe someone else can chime in too - but I sincerely can't imagine it'd be worth ordering glass from China.

How much extra would you have to source just to allow for damage in shipping, for example? Damage being a situation in which you have very little recourse other than the remaining buzz from how cheap the initial purchase price was....

Yeah, I understand where you're coming from. Do note, however, that all the major producers of glass in the USA actually also produce it outside of America. Plus, the world's biggest producer of glass actually is, surprise surprise, China.

Anyway, finding some local/American suppliers would be nice indeed, but if if comes down to it I might just try some Chinese goods, because buying 10 times as much there for the same price is a pretty good deal. I'll let you guys know how that works out.

 

[mcarroll]

How about Ford? They used to make glass for all the automakers....dunno what else.

 

[LadAShark]

How about Ford? They used to make glass for all the automakers....dunno what else.

Car glass tends to be safety glass, which means even a crack will destroy an aquarium.

 

[Frop]

I bought glass for my refugium baffles. Cost about $9. I got 2 7"x8" and an 8x8" 2.5mm thick (I think that's about .1"). That was at lowes. They sell by the sheet and they'll cut it for you.

 

[mcarroll]

Car glass

No..

I didn't mean to imply that all the "Big Three" automakers were (are?) their only market...

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Libbey-Owens-Ford

Which I guess is...after n name changes...these guys now:
http://www.pilkington.com/en/us

Pilkington OptiWhite™ is the low-iron product they make...

These guys (in NY) appear willing and able to give a quote:
http://bearglass.com/pages/index.php?p=optiwhite

 

[LadAShark]

No..

I didn't mean to imply that all the "Big Three" automakers were (are?) their only market...

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Libbey-Owens-Ford

Which I guess is...after n name changes...these guys now:
http://www.pilkington.com/en/us

Pilkington OptiWhite™ is the low-iron product they make...

These guys (in NY) appear willing and able to give a quote:
http://bearglass.com/pages/index.php?p=optiwhite

Ah, my bad, haha. Yes, I have heard of pilkington glass, but I will also into bearglass, though I live on the opposite coast as them :/