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Tempered glass

Sifu

Sifu

SAWHORSE
Joined
Sep 3, 2011
Messages
3,391
While walking a job today I came across a door with full glass in it. I saw a nice big crack running the entire way across it. The glass is etched as tempered but I have never known tempered glass to break in that manner, anyone ever seen tempered glass that when broken didn't shatter?
 
A picture would be great. Of the crack and the etched label. Then hit it with a hammer and tell us what happened.
 
I did take a pic of both the break and the etching but haven't mastered the upload yet. I will work on it. I have had people try to pass of regular glass as tempered but never one with the etching. Makes me pretty curious......
 
Sifu said:
I did take a pic of both the break and the etching but haven't mastered the upload yet. I will work on it. I have had people try to pass of regular glass as tempered but never one with the etching. Makes me pretty curious......
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did you take it with a camera or phone camera?

You can upload them from your hard-drive without hosting, on the "Go Advanced" option, go down to "Manage Attachments" and search your hard-drive for the images you want to post. It helps to put those images in a separate folder in your hard-drive so you always have them together for posting.

http://www.thebuildingcodeforum.com/forum/website-discussion/3350-i-need-help-posting-photographs.html
 
While I would also expect a million little pieces to appear rather than a long crack, we have all seen long single lines form across automobile windshields - which are also tempered. But when thrown into the dumpster, the glass door should eventually shatter just like safety glass rather than peanut brittle candy.
 
I'm going to take a guess. A better photo would help. Is this the door or sidelite? "OH" symbol stands for other openings. "D" would be for door. 60 is for rated minutes

FireLite NT is a fire-rated and impact safety-rated glazing material, composed of fire-rated ceramic glass and surface-applied fire-rated film. Example of fire-rated ceramic glass is a cook top.

 
I will check the etch again if I go back, and try to get a better picture. I am doubting now my assertion that it said tempered, I was moving pretty quickly and may have made an inaccurate assumption. I was not "inspecting" the job, just doing a walk through with another inspector. I have brought this to his attention so one of us will follow up. I wasn't sure if a tempered panel could break/crack that way. I will try a destructive test! I have done that before and the glass was not tempered but in that case I suspected the "label" was a fake......and it was!
 
Fav, the broken panel is in the door. The opening is from an R2 corridor exiting into an open breezeway. No reason for fire rating???Where did you come by the information for the etching?
 
Sifu said:
I will check the etch again if I go back, and try to get a better picture. I am doubting now my assertion that it said tempered, I was moving pretty quickly and may have made an inaccurate assumption. I was not "inspecting" the job, just doing a walk through with another inspector. I have brought this to his attention so one of us will follow up. I wasn't sure if a tempered panel could break/crack that way. I will try a destructive test! I have done that before and the glass was not tempered but in that case I suspected the "label" was a fake......and it was!
Click to expand...
Better consult with your city attorney before doing any destructive testing.
 
conarb said:
Better consult with your city attorney before doing any destructive testing.
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My attorney wouldn't know which end of the hammer to hit it with.
 
Other inspector going to check it out. When I look at the close up of the etch it kind of looks like it has been "applied" to the glass. Will confirm and pass along. Thanks.
 
Automobile windshields (post #9) are laminated. Side & rear windows are tempered.

If it is FireLite NT (post #11), might the label be part of the film?

I recommend checking with the FireLite (Technical Glass Products) rep in your area.
 
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