Making Stained Glass

Making stained glass is easy once you have gathered your stained glass supplies, it time to begin your creation. The most confusing aspect of stained glass is knowing where to start. Begin by practicing on a standard sheet of clear glass. Begin with shorter scores, and work your way up until you are comfortable. To begin, hold the cutter in your hand and place it against the glass. Place your other hand behind it for leverage. Apply a constant pressure onto the cutter, and push it away from you along your pattern.

Once you have completed scoring the glass, it’s time to break it out. If you are breaking with your hands, make two fists and place the glass between your thumb and index fingers. Apply pressure as if you were breaking a twig in half, and be sure that it’s quick and even. The quicker the break, the better results. If you are using pliers, make one fist, and place the glass between your thumb and index. The flat side of the pliers is to be placed on the top surface of the glass. Apply the same pressure as if you were using your hands when Making stained glass.

Once you have spent a while on scoring, it’s finally time to begin. Chose a stained glass pattern that seems easy as perfection takes practice. With these templates, you will need the assembly drawing and glass cutting templates. You can do so by making two copies of the original drawing. Cut the templates out by using glass pattern sheers.

Begin making stained glass by transferring your stained glass art pattern to your glass. You can do so by tracing it over the glass itself. Once completed, score and break the glass until you have all of your pieces. Once completed, use your tape, glass, nails or wood to make a steady frame for your pieces to avoid movement when working on them. This is generally called a jig. It will allow you pieces to fit together properly. When comparing your pieces to the pattern, use your grinder to remove any parts that may not fit accordingly. You want your pieces to fit the design as best they can.

To wrap the edges in foil, remove the foil from its backing and stick the end of it on the glass edge, leaving a bit on each overhang. Do it a few inches at a time, making sure to press it firmly against the glass. Press the overhang against the edges and repeat until you have done so to each piece in your project. Use your lathekin, or fid, to burnish the foil tightly against the glass. At this point, you will want to put the pieces of glass back into your jig to continue making stained glass.

To begin your soldering, brush some flux onto the seams of your foil. All of the joints of the foil have to be soldered to hold your creation together. Put the tip of the iron against your solder tip and it will begin to melt. Move around the edges of the foil adding additional solder as needed. Once the top has completely dried, turn the glass over and do the same on the back. Be sure to solder the edges as well.

Be sure to clean your stained glass with an ammonia free glass cleaner and a soft rag. Once you have completed cleaning it, apply any patina solution to provide a more antique look. You will want to do so with a rag that is 100 percent cotton. During this process, be sure to wear appropriate gloves and have enough ventilation to not inhale the fumes while making stained glass.

You may prefer to add different techniques to the process of creating your stained glass, but these are the basics. Your stained glass can be a beautiful creation to hang in place of a window, or something to catch the sun as they shine in. Whatever the case, be sure to use proper safety procedures when handling all glass, and most importantly – have fun making beautiful stained glass!

About the Author

Steven Weber is an avid home hobbyist who works with glass, metal, and clay. On his website he offers additional information about making stained glass

Beading solder (stained glass, foil method)

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