Glass etching is a craft which takes talent, patience and just the right tools. This is a summary of different implement choices.
When initially starting the etching of the design, there is a medium diamond ball bit which you can attach for a smooth but noticeable outline. This attachment is also good for etching lines or waves around the rim of a glass or for stripes in the pattern. A small diamond ball bit is often used for thin shading lines and intricate designs. If your pattern has something in the foreground and another object in the background, the small diamond ball is usually used for the background etching, with the medium ball bit being used for the foreground. A shader diamond bit does what its name implies - it shades in large areas or fills in shapes. Using this tool, you just rub the bit across the desired area for a "filled in" appearance. An extra large diamond ball or shading stone can also be used instead of the shading bit for filling in larger areas on the glass. Any of the ball bit tips can be used for adding dots, which in glass etching, is called stippling. The size of the ball bit will determine the size of the dots, which can be used for adding shadows and such. There are even small attachments which can buff the glass in between etching steps.
For those who prefer to sandblast the etchings into the glass, there are portable machines which can now be ordered for doing just that. These machines are made with a door to insert your work, then sandblasting techniques create the design. Also, you can also now get glass etching medium, which is a cream or spray that assists in etching the glass. Simply apply the etching medium, lay down the stencil or pattern, apply the medium again and wait the allotted amount of time before removing the pattern. Sometimes these steps must be repeated. After removing the pattern, you'll see that the exact shape is etched into the glass. This is a more convenient way to etch glass.
But, for those of you who prefer the old-fashioned way of etching glass, you'll probably need a bottle and jar cutter, used to make the initial cuts of the glass, a circle or strip cutter which helps when cutting strips or circles out of glass, cutting oil, a diamond glass file and a glass stone for smoothing rough edges and sharp points. Other items you might need are pattern cutting heads, scoring machines or scoring tools and a dry wheel glass cutters for use without oils. A burnisher tool is used to apply rub-on etching stencils or to smooth foil into glass etchings. Diamond cutters are available in all sizes like a large head, which is great for general purpose cutting and large, straight cuts. Small cutting heads are also general-purpose, but work really well for tight curves, narrow lines and small, intricate patterns. You also might need a glass file which is a must for filing sharp edges off of glass, drilling holes, and reshaping cuts. No matter which method of glass etching you choose, it will take some practice before etching on an expensive piece of glass. Practice on flat panes of glass and other inexpensive glass pieces until you feel like you're ready to try the real thing. Always use safety glasses and a rubber mat of some sort to prevent the project from slipping.
