Had to replace some cracked window panes last weekend, and I tried one of those glass suction cup lifter thingies for the first time. Honestly, it felt kinda sketchy at first, like "is this really gonna hold?" but surprisingly it worked pretty well. Still, I kept picturing shattered glass everywhere, you know? Wondering if anyone else has used these suction tools or if there's something better out there that's less nerve-wracking.
"Honestly, it felt kinda sketchy at first, like 'is this really gonna hold?'"
Felt exactly the same way when I tried one. Worked fine, but I kept a thick blanket underneath just in case... peace of mind is worth it.
"Worked fine, but I kept a thick blanket underneath just in case..."
Same here. Another tip: painter's tape across the glass helps hold shards together if something does go wrong. Learned that the hard way once—cleanup wasn't fun.
Painter's tape is a great idea—I wish I'd thought of that before tackling my first window last weekend. I just went slow and steady, but still ended up with a few tiny shards sneaking away from me. Luckily, nothing major broke, but cleanup was definitely tedious. Next time I'll probably try the tape trick... and maybe keep a vacuum handy too, just in case.
Next time I'll probably try the tape trick... and maybe keep a vacuum handy too, just in case.
The painter's tape idea sounds decent enough, but honestly, suction cups still make me uneasy. I tried one once and spent the whole time half-expecting the pane to slip right off. Didn't happen, thankfully, but the anxiety wasn't fun. Personally, I'd rather stick with gloves and a slow, careful pry-out method—maybe more tedious, sure, but at least my heart rate stays normal and there's less risk of unexpected glass showers.
I get the hesitation around suction cups—had a similar experience myself once. But honestly, painter's tape isn't foolproof either. It can help hold the glass together if it cracks, sure, but it doesn't do much to prevent the pane from shifting unexpectedly during removal.
"Personally, I'd rather stick with gloves and a slow, careful pry-out method—maybe more tedious, sure, but at least my heart rate stays normal and there's less risk of unexpected glass showers."
Fair enough, but even careful prying has its risks—especially if the putty is old and stubborn. I've found that using a heat gun or hairdryer to soften the glazing compound first makes a huge difference. It loosens things up nicely, so you don't have to apply as much pressure when prying. Less force equals less chance of cracking or shattering. Just gotta be careful not to overheat the glass itself... learned that one the hard way.
Good tip about the heat gun—I usually go with a hairdryer myself, since it's gentler and less likely to cause issues. Another thing I've found helpful is scoring the old putty lightly with a utility knife first; it seems to help the heat penetrate better and reduces stubborn spots.
Hairdryer's fine if you're patient, but honestly, I find it too slow. I've used a heat gun plenty of times with zero issues—just gotta keep it moving and don't linger in one spot. Scoring the putty's a decent tip, though personally I skip that step... feels like extra work when the heat alone usually does the trick. Just my two cents.
Heat gun, huh? Ever had any close calls with cracking the glass or anything? I've always been a bit hesitant to go that route—probably because I can already see myself getting distracted and lingering in one spot too long (cue shattered glass nightmare). 😅
I've stuck with the hairdryer method mostly because it's forgiving of my attention span, but you're right, it does feel painfully slow at times. Ever tried using a steam wallpaper remover? I know it sounds weird, but a buddy mentioned it once. Supposedly the steam helps soften up old putty pretty quickly without getting insanely hot. Never got around to testing it myself though—anyone brave enough to give that a shot?
Also, skipping scoring entirely—doesn't the putty ever chip off unevenly and make things messier? Or maybe I'm just cursed with stubborn windows. Every time I try shortcuts, I end up spending twice as long cleaning up my mess... 😂
I've actually tried the steam wallpaper remover trick once—worked surprisingly well. It softened the putty nicely without overheating the glass, but it did get a bit messy with condensation dripping everywhere. Still beats the hairdryer method though, imo. And yeah, skipping scoring usually ends up biting me too... learned that the hard way after chipping off chunks of wood along with the putty. Lesson learned, shortcuts rarely save time in the end.