To Saw or not to Saw?

[understandable]

I'm still fairly new to making stained glass projects and I've had some problems with detail cutting.  I've heard that for detail a diamond bit ring saw would be very helpfull. I don't know if this is true or what saw would be best. What do you think? Any advice would be appreciated. 

[Rebecca]

I have this kind of saw and I hate it!  It is slow, loud, messy and inaccurate.

What kinds of pieces are you having trouble cutting?  Ask and maybe someone can help or can recommend a video or online tutorial.

Rebecca

[Julia Williamson]

Chances are if you need a ring saw to cut the piece of glass you want, the design is flawed and the glass would break under stress later anyways.  Re-design!! 
Ring saws are helpful to glass fusers where the integrity of the shape will be strengthened by the act of fusing to another piece of glass.
Julia

[hiloguy]

I've been doing art glass for some 25 years and have been using a diamond bandsaw for the last 18 of them.  I use it for all sorts of intricate cuts, not just inside corners.  I often use it to be able to use every square inch of a particularly valuable piece of glass. I do a lot of tropical scenes and need finely detailed glass to represent the veins in leaves.  Since it's hard to find just the right pieces, I want to make sure I don't waste any when I find a special one.  I use the saw for inside cuts that would be very time-consuming to do with a glass cutter, followed with grozing and grinding.  If I'm cutting dozens of pieces for one project, I'll cut a bunch as far as practical with a glass cutter and then finish any delicate or risky cuts with the diamond saw.  This tool has become indispensable for my work.  Bear in mind that a ring saw removes much more material than a band saw, and is generally slower as well.  Some of the work on which I find a bandsaw useful is here:  http://www.glassandwood.net