Gomm Stained Glass Answers to Stained Glass Questions

FAQ'S
Answers To Questions

Question 73: When I have an old panel to repair, the oxidation has made it impossible to "de"solder anything until I clean the old lead and/or solder. Otherwise my iron won't do anything to the old materials even with flux applied. Don't you have to use steel wool, razor blades, a dremel, whatever, to get the oxidation off before you can begin taking the old panel apart?

Answer 73: Understand that we specialize in copper foil construction, which doesn’t have the same considerations as lead came. In the article http://www.betterstainedglass.com/Newsletter/Archives/2006Jan-brokenpiece/brokenpiece.htm where I just replace a piece of glass, the window was so new that I didn’t even need to use any flux in the de-soldering process, I did need some later when re-soldering the solder lines. When I repaired a leaded window http://www.betterstainedglass.com/Newsletter/Archives/2005june-leadrepair/june2005leadrepair.htm I used mechanical means, wiggling the metal back and forth to weaken it (Zinc Outer Bar). Then we cut the rest of the metal off and replaced that part of the lead with copper foil wrapped glass. When I rebuilt the leaded window, http://www.betterstainedglass.com/Newsletter/Archives/2008Mar-rebuildlead/rebuild.htm The lead was so old it crumbled away.

So in each of the articles, we’ve not needed to use special means to get the solder to melt. It is true that I’ve done repairs where the solder was stubborn at melting, so I did two things in those instances. I used a stronger flux.. Laco Brand is a much stronger acid than the Novacan flux that we prefer most of the time. And I use a bigger iron, one that really heats up.

Question 72: While in Eastern Ontario this summer, I saw some window hangings using a collection of antique dishes, candle holders etc. It was all held together with some kind of wire and used glass pieces between the shapes. All the pieces were of different thickness, and shapes and sizes. There was clear glass pieces between to hold the plates together for strength. I would like to be able to make some of these for our home. I have purchased many glass items at thrift shops and antique stores. I have made many windows using cane and or copper foil but have no idea how to go about the construction of this. Do you know how to proceed?

Answer 72: Sure, if you visit Susan’s student page you can see the window she made using plates while taking classes from us. http://www.gommstudios.com/studentwork/Susan/Susan.htm The secret to success is to build the window using the copper foil method. You wouldn’t even consider trying this using the lead came method. (came not cane) The window Susan made had plates and then she used glass globs around them to hold them in place, she left air gaps between the globs, but they could have been filled with clear glass. She had fun laying out the window and trying different combinations of bevels to add interest to the project.

So, start with a piece of paper big enough to layout the entire window and lay out the glass pieces that you’ve collected. Move them around till you have a nice arrangement. Keep a ruler handy so that you keep things balanced. Then trace around the glass pieces.

Next add additional lines for the rest of the glass you’ll use to hold things together.

Foil everything and then solder it together. Susan soldered the front side on the pattern and then when soldering the back side, she took an old blanket and put the window on it. This supported the panel while allowing plate bottoms to sink into the blanket.

If you are worried about strength, just use wider copper foil and restrip (see http://www.betterstainedglass.com/Newsletter/Archives/2006Aug-reinforcinglargepanel/aug2006reinforce.htm and http://www.betterstainedglass.com/Newsletter/Archives/2007Mar-agressivereinforcment/AggressiveReinforcement.htm Articles to see how to use restrip.

Question 71: I have been doing copper foil for about 30 years as a hobby / paying hobby / business wannabe and have rarely ever seen anyone use 50/50 except for filling large gaps. 60/40 flows much better as I understand it and other folks I have spoken to agree. I was surprised to learn that your studio uses only 50/50 for copper foil. I am not the expert here nor am I in any position to give you advice ..rather I am curious to understand this fact and may in fact be out of touch with what is best. I mostly enjoy building architectural panels and large window hangings etc using art deco and Victorian designs but have done some commissioned windows and lamps etc.

Answer 71: The difference between 50/50 and 60/40 mixes of solder is the melting point. In fact, the 63/37 ratio has the lowest melting point (183 °C or 361.4 °F) of all the tin/lead alloys. So, being close to that melting range, 60/40 solder melts at a lower temperature than 50/50.

If you use 60/40 to solder lead came together, you don’t have to heat the solder up to as high a temperature, so you run less risk of melting the lead came. The proper temperature setting for soldering lead came joints is to set the heat where you are able to melt the solder but not so high as to melt the came. The 60/40 mix needs less heat to liquefy, therefore runs less risk.

The 50/50 mix of solder has a higher melting point, so it’s hotter when it liquefies and because of the high temperature in contrast to surrounding air, cools off to the solid state faster than 60/40. So as you solder a bead along the stained glass panel, the solder cools faster to a solid and you get a better looking bead. If the solder stays liquid longer, which 60/40 does, you get a “lapping” (like water on the shore of a lake). This forms progressive wave motions, little lines at the edge of the pool of solder, which have to be fixed by re-melting that spot.

If you try both 60/40 and 50/50 on several windows, as I have, I’m sure you’ll notice the difference. By the way, I wondered for a long time why everyone in the industry seemed to be giving the opposite advice, just like you have. My conclusion is that myths and misinformation grow up around us and because we hear several express a strong opinion, we conclude they must be right.

For years, I heard that glass runs downhill over time and when glass is taken from old windows, it’s often thinner at the top than it was at the bottom. I even passed that on as fact to students. Then someone challenged that idea and the internet was a new resource, so I looked up discussions about it and found that while some glass was thin at the top, other glass was thick at the top. Seems that since float glass wasn’t available, glass varied in thickness and most installers just tended to install the glass with the heavy side down.

Let me know how your experiments with different solder turn out.

Question 70: I have a question about framing a panel. The panel measures 18x16” and I’m using a 1” oak (pre-channeled) framing stock. I’ve glued the corners with gorilla glue and clamped them overnight. My questions are:

1. Do I need to also add a finish nail in each corner for strength? I will be hanging the panel from the sides.

2. 2.Should all framed panels (regardless of size) have a nail running from vertical to horizontal?

3. 3. If not, at what size frame and panel should I do this extra reinforcement?

4. When I add this nail, because the panel is installed in the frame, will hammering be dangerous? I plan on using a thin, ¾” finish nail for a 1” frame and understand that hammering will have to be gentle with a small hammer. Perhaps drilling a small hole beforehand so I’m not driving so much with a hammer? I don’t know what the tolerance of the foiled panel will be.

Answer 70: I have built wooden frames for several stained glass panels and didn’t ever use nails. Most of my wood frames were built while in college learning to be an industrial arts instructor. They had all the right tools there and since I had to build something…!

So the question of size comes into the picture. Your panel, 18” x 16” is little, so it shouldn’t need additional nails. This assumes that you followed the directions on the glue bottle and did a good job gluing the frame together. You may want to add some clear silicone caulk to the edge where the glass and frame meet if it rattles..do this only after stain and finish are applied to the wood. And it should be a very small bead of silicone.

When the piece is big and needs extra support, the wood frame should also be bigger. Since it’s bigger, the glass will be a long way from the place where you’re nailing. I figure any piece 36 x 36 or larger needs reinforcement and needs a heftier frame. So on pieces that big, you’ll want bigger wood framing, copper reinforcing and you can use nails, or if a cabinet shop builds the frame, they can use a fancy joining technique that gives more wood surface so the glue holds even better.

Your idea of drilling before driving a nail is right on. Even if you weren’t worried about the glass, the wood could split if it wasn’t pre-drilled. Professionals use nail guns and pin nailers that drive nails using compressed air, but you still have to be careful with those, because a nail can be driven into hard wood and hit a spot that causes it to bend inside the wood. It then might come out at the wrong place and break the glass, or poke you in the hand!

See http://www.gommstudios.com/stained-glass-gallery1/deervalley/skilodge.htm for some pictures of the big kind of frames I was talking about.

See http://www.betterstainedglass.com/Newsletter/Archives/2006Aug-reinforcinglargepanel/aug2006reinforce.htm for instructions on reinforcing a window.

Question 69: I came upon a bonanza of mirrors. A friend of mine wanted four 4 x 8 sheets mirror taken off her leaving room; she bought the house and did not like it. The “professional mirror installers” told her that they use lager hammers and brake the, it cannot be taken of once glued on, that is the proffered method, can you imagine why? Her biggest concern was that once they heat the mirrors with hammers the falling pieces might break the tiles… so we had a meeting and I figured out a very EASY way of taking it off. We (my husband and I) made a garret with two wooden dowels and a piece of piano wire and slowly sawed the 2” decorative stripe hiding the seams. Once that was removed, we used two L shopped praying bars and started to dislodge from the ceiling. We grabbed the edges and started to apply steady pressure pulling the mirror sheet out. Since the mirrors were attached with a black tar adhesive it cam out relatively easy, after the second set of dots started to loosen you can hear the slight ripple and all other goops started to give ways. The only draw back was that when the blobs separated from the wall in some areas that paper cam off the dry wall, no big deal a bit of joint compound would fix that easily. In the end, the blobs of tar were soaked with WD40 and scooped off with a plastic spatula (not to scratch the gray coating behind the mirror).

This is where the fun started, her next door neighbor who also had couple of walls covered with those gorgeous mirrors, dislike them as bad as Carol, my friend and she insisted that Carol convinced us to help her too at any price… whatever we charge… so, of course we had to do that for Carol’s neighbor. We did it for the mirror, could not charge anything especially that it was such an easy job and they were both badly informed. As of now, I have approx 8-10 sheets of 4 x 8 mirrors in MY GARAGE, thus getting me in trouble with my husband. I conveniently store them on his side of the garage and he has to watch when HE PARKS. You know how we girls can be good of making it easy for our husbands.

Nevertheless, I stated to invent a bunch of projects, see attached. I only got as far as foiling it, next I have to solder, stain, and clean. I learn that you need to protect the edges with this black paint before foiling and I did. I am however in an untested territory and I cannot help thinking what a tragedy would be if later moisture could damage the design with the old –water mirror damage, could you picture every flower pitted.

So finally I am coming to the END, this is where I thought that you might teach us how mirror projects are handled.

Answer 69: I was also the recipient of a gift of mirror glass recently and even though we have a large studio space, I just didn’t have room for 4 X 8 foot mirrors. So I cut them all down into 1 foot squares. Very drastic, but I figure I can purchase large pieces when the need arises and the square stack easily and are out of the way.

You already have the most important part of mirror use down, that of sealing the edges. We take clear fingernail polish and paint a line of it along the edge and then seal the edge with the commercial paint when the polish is dry. We do that because we started out sealing edges with fingernail polish and feel that two lines of defense are better than one.

The reason that sealing the edge is so important is that if a corrosive like flux or patina gets under the silvering, it will cause it to separate from glass, creating a dark spot that is undesirable. What we’ve done, with some success is seal the edges as good as possible. Then use a Q-tip cotton swab to apply a very tiny coating of flux so you can control where it’s going. Finally wash and wash and wash the window to get rid of the corrosive. Water should dry and leave the mirror unharmed, but flux will attack the silvering.

Question 68: I am aware that you mostly use silicone to secure glass panels set into kitchen cabinets etc. but I was wondering if you also use a rubber channel installed around the panel sometimes to provide extra cushioning prior to shooting in the silicone. My point of concern is that since kitchen cabinets see lots of door closing (hopefully not slamming) would this be a consideration or just extra work with no real benefit? I know of a few installation in my region that used rubber channel with picture frame triangle brads shot into the wood to keep everything in place. The shock of shooting in the brads could I think pose a risk to the glass.

Answer 68: You can use that rubber material but you really don’t need it. You first place a bead of silicone in the frame and then ease the glass into that frame, if it’s vertical add some spacers at the bottom to keep the glass held up off the wood, if horizontal, the glass just needs to be centered. The glass is now riding on a layer of silicone and as a final touch, add another layer on the backside of the glass. You have glass which never touches the wood and provides a great cushion against slammed doors. It’s worked for us for many installations.

Adding that rubber gasket and silicone is the “belt and suspenders” method. And I tend to overbuild as often as I can, so you may want to go for that method.

Question 67: I have a question related to design but am not sure if this is the type of question that you would entertain. How do you accomplish depth or dimension in the creation of a panel? Currently, I am making a panel, for our home, with an Indian on horseback atop a mesa overlooking a beautiful vista of a lake, mountains and prairie located well below the elevation of the Indian. I do not believe that building a flat panel ( all the glass pieces at the same level) will accomplish the effect wanted but am unsure as how to proceed.

Answer 67: You know, all paintings and photographs are flat and yet are able to give the illusion of depth. Generally, to get the background to recede, start with darker colors the further away something is and work towards lighter colors as things get closer. An adult ed painting class will probably help.

Take awhile researching the scene, look at art books and photo books and study what similar scenes look like. Avoid using a stained glass pattern as a guide until you’ve researched photos and paintings, because we see a lot of stained glass patterns by folks who haven’t learned to create the illusion of depth yet.

Good luck on your project, remember that the journey is half the fun, so do take some time in preplanning your work of art. If you go to http://www.gommstudios.com/studentwork/DeeAnn/DeeAnn.htm you’ll see some of the work that Deeann has done. She spends a great deal of time working on her pattern before building a window and as she builds, she spends a great deal of time picking her glass. As a result, her works are really wonderful. She’s got a panel of a pheasant hanging in an art show with us right now!

Question 66: I have a major problem with cold solder joints especially when using brass came. I end up using so much solder it looks very unprofessional. I made certain the came is clean (steel wool and / or sandpaper) and that my iron is clean and hot.

Answer 66: A "cold" joint is caused by the piece being moved before the solder solidifies and I don't think that's your problem.

follow-up Question 66: I mean that when the solder drips down onto the came joints (mostly with brass, zinc and copper), it doesn't "meld" into the metal. It kind of sits there looking like if I took a flat tool I could lift it up. It doesn't become a part of the rest of the metal. I end up putting way too much solder on and it looks really tacky.

follow-up Answer 66: Okay, that’s a good description. That’s not a cold joint, it’s that the metal isn’t accepting the solder. You’re doing the right thing, brushing the metal as preparation, clean it well, add plenty of flux and then apply your iron, with a small amount of solder on it. Rub back and forth on the metal, allowing it to heat up well. As it heats, the solder will adhere to the metal. You’ll be “tinning” the metal. Once it’s tinned, a thin layer of solder adhered to the metal, you can add more solder to the joint. You do have to be careful because too much heat can melt the base metal. I’ve especially noticed (and melted) zinc outer bar.

I don’t know if you do this, but once the window is cleaned after soldering, you can use a “brass plating pen” to color the solder a brass color. They are available at most stained glass suppliers.

You may want to try this soldering technique on some scrap until you’re sure you’ve mastered it.

Question 65: I am wanting to make stained glass inserts for my kitchen cabinets and am wonder what is the best way to reinforce them. Should I run bars on the back or put wire in the solder seams? Also, how do I seal them for repeated cleaning? I have never done cabinets and it is a bit daunting of a project so I could use any advice you might have.

Answer 65: First, if you are using the copper foil method to build the cabinet doors, you won’t need any additional reinforcement. The inserts aren’t going to be that large and the wood framework will hold them tightly once they are siliconed in place. I don’t advise that you build them using lead came because they won’t be as strong or as easy to keep clean. Also, copper foil windows are much easier to repair if the need arises. Look at the article on installing glass in cabinet doors at http://www.betterstainedglass.com/Newsletter/Archives/2007Nov-cabinetdoors/cabinetdoors.htm That just about covers it!

Question 64: I bought a used leaded glass door. Several of the joints are cracked and the window moves or bows. I didn't think it would be a problem since I have been working in stained glass a few years.

I marked all of the cracks and put my flux on each one, heated up my iron and began to solder. There is no affect to the existing joints. The solder will not adhere. I have tried to rest the iron on the existing joint and there was absolutely no affect! I heard the quiet sizzle of my flux, but nothing else.

My husband got the wire brush and began to scrub in the event there is something to repel the solder, but what about the heat? The brush scratched the surrounding lead came, but the solder still would not stick.

What in the world could this be made of? There appears some sort of paint (?) on the project after the joints were soldered because while you can see all of the soldered joints, the color is smooth and consistent with the adjacent came. It looks like it was painted?\

Am I going to have to disassemble the entire door?

Answer 64: I think that you need to work the lead. I have had occasion to completely remove all the lead in a door and replace it. We only use copper foil method in our studio because it’s so much stronger and so easy to repair. But on the occasion where I’ve replaced the lead, it’s been because the lead is so old and weathered that it has become crumbly and has lost all of it’s natural strength and structural integrity.

You’re doing the right thing, brushing the metal as a preparation, clean it well, you have to get down to bright metal and break up the old oxidation. Add plenty of flux, it needs to be a strong acid, Laco brand works well, Novacan wouldn’t be a good choice as it’s weak and designed for copper foil. Then apply your iron, with a small amount of solder on it. Rub back and forth on the metal, allowing it to heat up well. Use care not to get the solder too hot of it will evaporate or run away in a pool. If the lead still doesn’t accept the solder, you may need to use fine sandpaper or steel wool to break the oxidation that forms on old lead.

There can be paint on lead lines, we’ve seen it done, but it’s rare and most likely you’re just fighting oxidation.

Question 63: I have read in your directions that one should not break the copper in the middle of the piece because if it’s not continuous, it doesn’t do any good and in fact creates more stress.

But I see in your info, that you have actually cut the copper because you already have one going the long way:

So this has confused me. If you say the copper needs to go the full length of the piece and you are cutting it here, aren’t you making a stress spot?

Answer 63: (This question refers to the article on reinforcing a large window, click to read the article)
Here’s the story. You're right, you can’t stop the reinforcement at the middle. That doesn’t mean you can’t cut it, it means you can’t just leave it hanging.

Notice in the article that I have a cut piece of reinforcement with a bend in it that I’m laying right up to the piece of reinforcement that is going the opposite direction, forming a “T”. Then I do the same thing on the other side which then forms an “X” so the lines continue from one side to the other and from the top to the bottom. The little extra folded over bit just provides a little more strength, but doesn’t stop there, another piece carries the load on the other side of the reinforcement. A “T” would be bad because you create a pressure point at the joint. An “X” is good because there is no pressure point created.

Question 62: What do you folks use for cutting zinc framing material? I like to frame everything I build and even the smaller items (6" x 6" etc .) get a 1/8 U zinc frame. I also prefer to do 45 degree mitres on corners as I feel it provides a nice finished picture-frame look. At the moment I am using one of those wooden Morton Glass works mitre boards but have seen a few cool mini cut-off saws etc.

Answer 62: When we first started in the business, we cut our zinc outer bar by hand with a hack saw, the way everybody I knew was doing it. Then we got an account with a furniture manufacturer. I built ten panels for furniture in a week. It took a long time to cut all the metal, the whole panel was zinc.

So we bought a Jarmac brand saw (but we actually bought three to get their price break). Whew, what a difference, we built the next set of ten in eight hours. The only problem with the Jarmac saw was that the nuts that held the blade on were all made of aluminum, so they would gall and be extremely difficult to remove. I got a friend at a machine shop to make a new housing out of brass and problem was solved. I could have looked for a compound at a supply house that would have prevented the galling. (A common example of galling that most folks are familiar with is when a light bulb gets difficult to get out of the socket. The light bulb and the socket are both made of aluminum and grind together and almost fuse sometimes).

Later, I found a good saw for a very good price. The Jarmac saw runs about $120 or more. Harbor Freight.com carrys a small saw called a Mighty-Mite..do a search for it (they no longer carry it in store)(http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=93211) . It only costs 49.99 and is sometimes on sale even cheaper. Get one of them and then buy a Jarmac blade for the saw (you can get one from us by clicking here) and you'll be set!

Question 61: I have been doing copper foil for about 30 years as a hobby / paying hobby / business wannabe and have rarely ever seen anyone use 50/50 except for filling large gaps. 60/40 flows much better as I understand it and other folks I have spoken to agree. I was surprised to learn that your studio uses only 50/50 for copper foil. I am not the expert here nor am I in any position to give you advice..rather I am curious to understand this fact and may in fact be out of touch with what is best. I mostly enjoy building architectural panels and large window hangings etc using art deco and Victorian designs but have done some commissioned windows and lamps etc.

Answer 61: The difference between 50/50 and 60/40 mixes of solder is the melting point. In fact, the 63/37 ratio has the lowest melting point (183 °C or 361.4 °F) of all the tin/lead alloys. So, being close to that melting range, 60/40 solder melts at a lower temperature than 50/50.

If you use 60/40 to solder lead came together, you don’t have to heat the solder up to as high a temperature, so you run less risk of melting the lead came. The proper temperature setting for soldering lead came joints is to set the heat where you are able to melt the solder but not so high as to melt the came. The 60/40 mix needs less heat to liquefy, therefore runs less risk.

The 50/50 mix of solder has a higher melting point, so it’s hotter when it liquefies and because of the high temperature in contrast to surrounding air, cools off to the solid state faster than 60/40. So as you solder a bead along the stained glass panel, the solder cools faster to a solid and you get a better looking bead. If the solder stays liquid longer, which 60/40 does, you get a “lapping” (like water on the shore of a lake). This forms progressive wave motions, little lines at the edge of the pool of solder, which have to be fixed by re-melting that spot.

If you try both 60/40 and 50/50 on several windows, as I have, I’m sure you’ll notice the difference. By the way, I wondered for a long time why everyone in the industry seemed to be giving the opposite advice, just like you have. My conclusion is that myths and misinformation grow up around us and because we hear several express a strong opinion, we conclude they must be right.

For years, I heard that glass runs downhill over time and when glass is taken from old windows, it’s often thinner at the top than it was at the bottom. I even passed that on as fact to students. Then someone challenged that idea and the internet was a new resource, so I looked up discussions about it and found that while some glass was thin at the top, other glass was thick at the top. Seems that since float glass wasn’t available, glass varied in thickness and most installers just tended to install the glass with the heavy side down.

Question 60: Hi, I just purchased an 8-sided stained glass piece for a window in a bathroom in my house. It is slightly smaller than the window, and I want to attach it to the original glass window. We are worried that condensation will collect behind the stained glass and run down behind it, so what would you suggest we use to attach the stained glass piece? Would clear caulking the entire outer edge seal it enough, and would it be appropriate? If the original window got broken, how would we remove the stained glass for repair?

Answer 60: If the window is just 1/8" smaller than the window you want to cover, then you have an ideal fit. We build windows to fit just inside a window frame all the time and we caulk them in place, see http://www.betterstainedglass.com/Newsletter/Archives/2007Jul-Install/Install.htm for an illustrated article on installing glass in a window frame.

If the window got broken, you would cut the caulk with a razor knife and remove the stained glass to do the repair and then put it back in the same way you did originally.

Question 59: I'm getting ready to make a run down to my stained glass supplier. Can you tell me if there's any appreciable difference between Choice and Canfield 60/40 solder? I've used them both as well as Mastercraft, but am probably too inexperienced at this point to notice a difference. The Choice is quite a bit less expensive than the Canfield.

Answer 59: The difference in cost between Choice and Canfield is that Choice has recycled lead in it and Canfield is new or virgin lead. And if you're like me, you don't care where the lead came from, because when it goes through the smelting process, they both come out the same.

If you're doing the lead came method of construction, then 60/40 is a good choice of solder. If you're doing copper foil construction (which is what we do) 50/50 is the best choice because it solidifies faster and so you get smoother lead lines.

We use Choice brand in our studio..price is king!

Question 58: A client/friend has made a large stained glass piece for the window in my massage room. The window is roughly 56x33. He made 4 horizontal panels approx 13x33 using copper cames. How should they be attached to each other so that I can hang them as one piece. I want to hang it so that I can take it with me should I move. If I don't have to I'd rather not frame it. Also, what kind of hardware should be used to hang it and at what spacing.

Answer 58: I don't want to sound too simple, but it would be very easy to solder a ring at each top corner of each of the panels and hang them. If you look at http://www.imaginestainedglass.com/hangit/hang.htm you'll see examples of several ways to hang stained glass. Attaching rings would be the easiest way.

Follow up to Question 58: I was thinking that I could attach the panels together (solder) and hang them as one piece (54x33). If I did this would I need to attach some type of rebar to the back for additional support. Each piece is framed out in U channel copper came. Also, is there a way to figure out how many rings to attach to the top for proper support. Would 2 be enough or would 3 or 4 be better.

Follow up to Answer 58: You can solder each panel together if you desire, it will be very strong vertically since you'll be joining two copper u-channels together and that will give the panel rigidity. I would put at ring at both corners and one at each of the joints, giving you a total of 5 rings. You may be able to get by with less, but we've seen rings give way because the solder joint wasn't strong, so more is usually safer.

Question 57: I have just purchased as 20"x40" panel of stained glass and do not know how to display it. It does have loops at the top to hang it, but I would have to hang it on a wall not a window. Does someone sell back lit display boxes or something?

Answer 57: You can find a light box, the Morton company makes some. Do an Internet search for Morton Light Boxes and see if one might work for you. If it doesn't fit your glass, you have two other options. You can get a cabinet maker to build one for you or take the glass to a frame shop to have one built.

I suspect that the cabinet shop will be your best alternative.

Question 56: Why does my solder smoke and smell and leaves a hard crust on my glass? is it because of my flux? Also when I am done I would like to frame this with a wood frame. I have seen pic. where they put strips of wood around the piece to hold it in place.......do you do this before you solder or after?

Answer 56: Check your solder. I suspect that you are using rosin core solder. This is a solder which has flux embedded in it for ease of use in the electronics industry. The flux smokes and leaves a buildup on the glass and will ooze out from under the lead line for a long time, making it very hard to clean the glass.

If it turns out to be solid solder, then your flux is the culprit, we never use paste flux, we always use water soluble flux.

For framing, it's a good idea to build the glass so that it fits the frame. Visit www.betterstainedglass.com and check out the many newsletters that will help you on various aspects of stained glass.

Question 55: I occasionally use brass channeling (U-came) to "frame" a panel. What I've been doing is polishing with 0-0-0 steel wool, and it gets shiny, but doesn't take out small scratches. Do you know of a way to eliminate the small scratches that inevitably come on came? Someone suggested brass "wool" rather than steel wool. I want a really smooth, scratch-free finish.

Answer 55: This is something that doesn't often come up with us because we feel that brass came isn't quite as cool as soldered and patina'd hand soldered lead lines.

That said, any guy who has spent time in the military knows that you polish your brass with BRASSO, a liquid polish that you wipe on, let dry and then buff and polish. It's a very fine abrasive and probably superior to steel wool or brass wool.

Question 54: I used novacan. It doesn't matter how I polish it, it seems dull and not dark enough. I also frame my stained glass with zinc and again the zinc patina does not come out dark enough. Any suggestions?

Answer 54: Zinc just doesn't take patina well, you can "tin" the zinc with a thin layer of solder and then it will take the patina so it matches the leaded finish, but there really isn't a way to get patina on the zinc. We've tried the patina formulas made for zinc and they don't seem any better than regular patina. (JAX works but it's expensive and difficult to find because of shipping regs.)

The secret to getting good, dark application of patina on the rest of your window is to clean it very well before applying patina. We start with window cleaner and then use CJ's flux remover applied with a scrub brush. Then we wipe down the window and apply Kwik Clean spray to the window. This gets rid of flux and impurities that dilute the patina reaction and prepare the lead to receive the patina.

Then we apply the patina, letting it sit for fifteen minutes if we want dark patina and cleaning right away if we're looking for a lighter finish. We then apply another application of Kwik Clean to "neutralize" the patina and then apply finishing compound.
See http://www.betterstainedglass.com/Newsletter/Archives/2006Apr-chemical/shopchemicals.htm for information on each of the chemicals.

http://www.betterstainedglass.com/Newsletter/Archives/2006May-reapply/reapplypatina.htm shows how to re-apply patina.

Question 53: I live both in California and Maui. I built a sidelight window for our place in Maui and transported it in four pieces. I have found it impossible to purchase Black Patina on Maui and shipping 4oz. from California with all regulations {HazMat etc] was over $300.00[has to go by ship. What could I use as a replacement for black Patina to get the same results. It is a copper foil project with 60/40 solder.

Answer 53: Go to http://www.bayareastainedglass.com/hawaii.shtml which is annaraku's site that has a shop locator. There are five stained glass studios that ought to be able to help.

Question 52: I am in the process of soldering my work together. I am using 50/50 solder. How do you achieve a good beaded look. Do I need to use extra solder to obtain a bead. At the moment most of my lines are filled in with solder but are flat. Few of the lines have a vague beaded look but it's not consistent...
It looks something like this...bead...flat..bead...bead...flat. If that makes sense.

Answer 52: In our studio, we do traditional, copper foil stained glass. The decorative soldering techniques don't come up very often because they lie in the realm of gifty or trendy decor. However there are times when we want to achieve decorative soldering to achieve a look.

That said, there are no short cuts to decorative soldering. What you've described is exactly what we go through. A spider deposits an exact amount of glue in droplets along it's web because it flicks the string and that causes the droplets to form at a perfect interval. Unfortunately, the only trick to good consistent beads is practice and your ability to place them where they need to go.

When beading, I use a smaller iron and turn the heat down so that I have more control over the results.

This is probably not the answer that you wanted to hear. But keep practicing and you'll find that you'll begin to pick up methods that will serve to make your soldering look better and better.

Question 51: Once my project is complete. Basic rectangular panel. I would like to use lead as the border. Lead is very soft so if I use that as the outside border and solder on loops for a chain. Due to the weight of the panel will that not cause the lead to be stretch at the points of the soldered loops? How do you prevent this?

Answer 51: I don't recommend using lead as a border material for the reasons that you stated, it's soft and will stretch. That's why the industry as a general rule uses zinc outer bar as a frame. Even cheap imported items coming from China use zinc as the framework. Now those folks have a critical eye out for ways to save money and if there was a way to use lead , I'm sure they would have tried it.

To cut the zinc, you'll need a hacksaw (which is what I used in the old days) or you can get several hobby type saws that cut through the zinc very easily. If you opt to use 1/8" "U" shaped zinc, it will provide less support, but you can clip it with your lead nippers.

Question 50: I am fairly new at doing stained glass my problem is that my chain seems to come off the piece sometimes. What am I doing wrong, and is there a better way to hang the piece. I use zinc cames for the frame. I do a lot of free form and the came works well.

Answer 50: If the chain is just coming loose, then you may be experiencing a "cold" solder joint. This happens when you are soldering. If the piece you are attaching moves at all while the solder is solidifying, you get a "cold" joint. The solder crystallizes in a weak manner and that can lead to failure of the solder joint.

To fix the problem, make sure that as you hold the piece you are soldering you brace your hand against something, like the table top so that you'll be able to hold your pliers very steady, then solder the piece and hold it completely still while it cools.

Another thing that could be happening would be that the solder isn't sticking to the chain. If the chain is oily or coated in lacquer it can be hard to get solder to stick. In that case use a small wire brush to rough up the surface of the chain, then flux it and pay close attention to what it looks like as you solder the chain. If it looks like it flows onto the metal, you're getting a good bond, if not, wire brush it some more.

Question 49: I am making a piece to fit in a window. It's on the inside of course. The problem is I am using bevels to make the frame and going to put zinc frame around the bevels. This is my 2nd project. Do I copper foil the bevels all the way around? I remember to leave 1/8th inch when soldering the window up to leave room for the frame.

Answer 49: So, you're asking if you should foil all around the beveled pieces, or if you should just foil the interior edges and leave the outside edges raw since they are going to be covered with zinc.

It is true that you can save some foil by leaving the edges raw and you won't have to worry about having a hint of copper peeking out from under the border pieces.

Over the years, we've done both. We've covered the edges and we've left them raw. As time has gone on, we've gotten in the habit of covering all edges. It's not that the other way is wrong, it's just that it requires more concentration and focused attention. We've just found that foiling all around allows us to quickly get the foiling done.

So have fun with the project and do whichever way you're more comfortable with. One word for going all around. If a piece is slightly out of place and there is a gap between the bevel and the zinc, you can fill it with solder if the bevel was foiled all around.

Question 48: Just getting started and completed a transom window- foil method.Window turned out great but was advised to use JAX pewter black patina- I thought it would be like wood stain and would have a couple of minutes to work the color to the right shade. Turned out very dark ( I was going for a Nickel look). Here's the question How do I lighten - I did it last night and have used flux remover to stabalize- can I buff the color lighter???

Answer 48: If you are going for a nickel look, you don't apply patina.

Look at the article at http://www.betterstainedglass.com/Newsletter/Archives/2006May-reapply/reapplypatina.htm it shows how to remove patina using cleanser and a brush..when you get to the step where you rinse off the cleanser, you'll see the silver of the solder again.

To get the shiny nickel look apply wax..see http://www.betterstainedglass.com/Newsletter/Archives/2006Apr-chemical/shopchemicals.htm to learn the chemicals that can be used.

If you are looking for a pewter look, don't wax the project, just clean it.

Question 47: I have a stained glass window approximately 2 1/2 feet x 4 feet. I want to hang it in a fake window and back light it using electric lights. Can you tell me what kind of lighting gives the appearance of natural light and how many lights will i need to light the area of my window?

Answer 47: There are several ways to light a window, this usually is based on what kind of space you have behind the glass.

Rope lighting is common when there is little space, but not the best choice because you end up with lots of little bright spots and the glass isn't brilliant. See http://www.gommstudios.com/stained-glass-gallery2/cowboy/cowboy.htm to see a rope lite panel, you can see the bright spots in it.

Regular hanging bulbs work well in chandeliers see http://www.gommstudios.com/stained-glass-gallery2/millercabin/lmiller1.htm and http://www.gommstudios.com/stained-glass-gallery2/homeshowlamp/hslamp.htm

Florescent bulbs behind the panel work well if you can hold them back aways so that the burn through isn't too bad.

Cabinet lighting works well, see the article http://www.betterstainedglass.com/Newsletter/Archives/2007Apr-smallbacklitpanel/SmallBacklit.htm see how the burn through looks before and after sandblasting the back of the panels.

Question 46: I am ready to frame a 26 inch by 38 inch project, which I plan to hang. It has an arched top -- therein the dilemma. I do not own a came bender. I need the zinc for strength and to "hang from," but the arched top "could" be done in lead. I do not plan to use a patina, but retain the natural silver look. Is this doable???

Answer 46: This is pretty easy to accomplish, if the arched top isn't too tight of an arch. I wrote an article on how to do it and you can view it and see the pictures that go with it at:
http://www.betterstainedglass.com/Newsletter/Archives/2007Jun-Reinf-Curved/ReinforceCurve.htm

Question 45: I make stain[ed] glass crosses and the one I did I foiled it well and soldered it good but it keeps coming loose toward the middle in between the two matching pieces of the seam . I re did it 3 times and it is still is weak. Please help me I have a show in one week to sell them.

Answer 45: Your problem stems from the weakness in the design, not in the solder or foil. The design allows the pieces of glass to easily be bent and they can then slip right out of the foil. We have the same problem when we make five pointed stars and the way we fix that is to solder more in the area of weakness so that we have a build up of lead that keeps it stronger.

This is why you'll often see crosses with additional pieces at the joints. This gives them more beauty and more strength. By just adding four little squares at each corner of the cross or if you increase the amount of solder at each joint you should be able to fix the problem.

In an old newsletter, I show how to "bridge" solder from one piece to another. This is similar to what you'll need to do in building up your solder joints. http://www.betterstainedglass.com/Newsletter/Archives/2007May-solderbridge/SolderBridge.htm

Question 44: Can I use any type of solder for stained glass eg. plumbing solder 60/40 ?
Is it all the same?

Finally, I am making a panel. Some of the pieces have crushed bits of glass stuck on. Can I use copper foil on the pieces with the crushed glass bits and lead on the other pieces?

Answer 44: You asked about solder. You can use 60/40 plumbing solder, this is called leadless solder and is considerably higher in price than the 50/50 tin/lead solder or the 60/40 tin/lead that stained glass stores sell. Currently solder with lead is running around $20 per lb and the leadless solder is 50% to 100% higher. You can even use silver solder when making jewelry. Just make sure you are using solid solder and a liquid flux. Folks who use paste flux or flux core solder find that that type of flux oozes out from under the lead lines and the window suffers because it is extremely difficult to get it clean.

You asked if you can mix some copper foil and lead when building a window. The answer is yes you can, in fact some artists whom I respect a great deal do just that. When they work on areas of the window that require a lot of detail they assemble using the copper foil method and then in less detailed areas, they switch to lead came. We choose to build all windows in our studio entirely using the copper foil method, but we understand why there are those who don't want to invest the amount of time we do when building flat glass projects.

You can see how we used copper foil method and lead when we did a repair at http://www.betterstainedglass.com/Newsletter/Archives/2005june-leadrepair/june2005leadrepair.htm

Question 43: Being a relative beginner at creating stained glass panels, I have just finished my third piece (approx 33" x 35"), however, I am at a loss as to how to frame it. I have thought that "sandwiching" the panel between to pieces of flow [float] glass might give it added strength (suggested by friend), but having second thoughts.

After searching online, I have come up empty handed as to any viable options and came across your site, which is very informative, but I did not see anything on framing a large piece. I am hoping you might be able to provide some insight.

Answer 43: You can either frame the panel in wood or metal. If you decide to frame it in wood, then go to a local cabinet shop and see what they can do for you. They will be able to do the job cheaper than a frame shop and it can be very custom.

If you want to go for a metal frame, go to a local stained glass supply (call first) and look at the selection of 1/4" outer bar. It is easy to attach and will keep your glass framed while allowing you to hang it from rings soldered to the metal frame.

Some techniques I've described in articles with pictures:
http://www.betterstainedglass.com/Newsletter/Archives/2007Feb-solderAnEdge/SolderEdge.htm
http://www.betterstainedglass.com/Newsletter/Archives/2007Jun-Reinf-Curved/ReinforceCurve.htm

Question 42: Why do we need or do we need to use solder with lead can you just use solder that you use for plumbing which is lead free

Answer 42: You can use the solder from a local plumbing or home supply that plumbers now use that contains no lead to build stained glass. The reason we use solder which contains lead is that it is so much more cost effective, you'll pay at least double the expense to build a window which has no lead. The amount of exposure to lead in a stained glass panel is very minimal, especially when it goes in a commercial installation and is encased in between panels of tempered glass.

Even though lead is considered a health hazard in paint and pencils, it is not a significant hazard in a window because the lead doesn't crumble or get into the living environment very easily. With a glass studio attached to my home, I take lead exposure very seriously, but haven't noticed any ill effects after 25 years in the business.

That said, there are times when we don't want to use lead in our stained glass. Whenever we produce jewelry items, we want to avoid lead to skin contact, so we use silver solder obtained from a jewelry supply. We also use the plumbing type leadless solder when making a serving dish or anything that kids might come in contact with, like suncatchers, night lights or kaleidoscopes.

The bottom line is to use your own best judgment and when in doubt, go for the safest alternative, but don't panic or get frightened by hype about lead, you don't want it in your drinking water, but hanging it in a nice, sunny window won't be a bad choice.

In an article at http://www.betterstainedglass.com/Newsletter/Archives/2006Nov-heavyclean/heavyclean.htm I show how to clean a window and talk a little about avoiding lead exposure.

Question 41: I recently bought an oil filled cutter(Toyo brand) which slips everytime I try to score the glass. I've tried applying lots of pressure thinking maybe that's the reason it slips but to no avail....

In college I've practiced with a really basic cutter which worked fine. Having an oil filled cutter is meant to be the bees knees.....Any advice will be greatly appreciated.

Answer 41: Let's see if we can get to the bottom of this problem.

First of all, you've got a good brand of cutter, I bought a box of Toyo cutters when I started in stained glass back in 1983 and the box of six lasted me for twenty years. I've only had to replace the last of them within the last three years.

I'm assuming that you have a pencil type cutter, one that is straight. That's the one I prefer, we don't even sell pistol grip cutters in our studio anymore because we believe they actually cause more wrist problems than they solve. If yours is a pistol grip, you may want to get a barrel type cutter.

As you begin to score the glass, make sure that the cutter is vertical, in both directions, front to back and side to side. It's best if it's held at exactly 90 degrees to the glass. This allows the most direct pressure from your arm to be focused into the glass.

You need to exert firm pressure, but not to excess.

Now make sure that as you push the cutter along the glass that you are rolling the cutter wheel. Many times, I see and hear students pushing the cutter along and it's slightly twisted. By doing this, the wheel doesn't roll straight along the glass but it rolls along and makes a kind of grinding sound. If this is the case with your cuts, you would feel that the cutter is slipping and not really giving you a good score.

Another thing that could have happened, if you ever score a piece of glass and then score over the same line a second time, the cutter can become dulled and this would cause it to not score properly. So you may want to purchase a replacement tip for your cutter (they're a lot cheaper than buying the whole thing). A sharp cutter will "bite" into the glass with very little pressure, a dull one doesn't.

And a note about brittleness of glass, some glass, often browns are more brittle than say clears and it will feel as if your cutter is dull as you score the glass because the glass reacts differently because of it's brittleness/hardness. Try your cutter on a piece of window glass to see if that's part of the problem.

Finally, you may have read all of this and said, yea but that's not what's happening. If that's the case, please get back in touch and describe what's going on in more depth. It's kind of like being a mind reader for me, trying to imagine what's actually happening as you score your glass.

Question 40: I was interested in pressing flowers between thin sheets of glass, then copper foiling. This appears to be very popular! Unfortunately I'm having trouble finding thin enough sheets - together I would like them to add up to the same thickness as a normal cathedral sheet. The two shops I frequent in my area do not have them. Any suggestions?

Answer 40: I go to my local glass store (not stained glass store) and purchase single strength glass. Normal Stained glass is 1/8" thick or more. Two pieces of single strength glass will be a little thicker, especially since you've got something in between, but they'll be close. Any thinner and it will break too easily.

Question 39: I would like to start making stain glass (jewelry charms with lead free solder) and am looking to purchase a good soldering iron. I am so confused. Do I need a high wattage(>100w) or a mid-range(60-80w). Ceramic or not...etc. What do you recommend for a newbie just starting out?

Answer 39: You ought to buy an inexpensive 100 watt iron, one with a 1/4" blade that is common when doing any type of stained glass work and then get one of the sharp pointed lower wattage (80 watt) irons for fine work. You can find many on ebay and at different outlets.

I also think you ought to visit http://www.abbottglass.com
It's the site of Linda Abbot, who is a fantastic glass artist. Her etched glass is just gorgeous and she also does jewelry work. Her contact information is on the site and you might want to get in touch with her to get more detailed guidance.

Question 38: I am just heartsick about a copper foil panel I recently finished. It was not yet framed and got knocked out of a window, cracking and breaking dozens of pieces. Nearly half of the approx. 200 pieces are cracked. All are still in place however. Taking it apart and replacing each piece is just too much to contemplate. Is there any way to perhaps fire and fuse the panel without removing the lead and foil? Or any other method of somehow sealing the piece as is? Most of the pieces are so tight, if there was some way to glue them or seal them, they may not even show. I love this piece and doubt I would ever be able to re-create it with the unique glass I used. It is a dragon in flight - approx. 24" x 36".

Answer 38: I've had the same problem and when I repaired the window I wrote an article which has photos of the steps which you can read at http://www.betterstainedglass.com/Newsletter/Archives/2006Mar-severedamage/severedamage.htm
That time it worked well.

Later I tried it again and I made some mistakes. I didn't have it sealed well enough (stick celo tape on the other side to seal any holes so the epoxy doesn't run through) and make sure to set it on a paper or cardboard so you don't accidentally glue it to your work bench like I did.

Question 37: Mice got into a whole box of zinc came. I took the zinc out of the nasty box and left the came out in the elements on my porch for a couple of weeks until I had a chance to clean it, which I did, with SOS pads and rinsed very well. Now I'm using the zinc for the first time and am having a huge problem getting the solder to adhere to this zinc even after rubbing the necessary areas with steal wool and refluxing again and again.

Answer 37: Hardware stores and stained glass suppliers sell a small wire brush, a little bigger than a tooth brush. Use one to buff the metal, the scratching of the metal will help provide some clean spots for the solder to stick.

You also want the most strong flux you can get, Laco brand is pretty strong. That should give you some help in your soldering of the zinc.

The reason that the zinc manufacturers coat the metal with so much oil, is to keep the oxidation from getting to the metal. I've given boxes of lead away because it wasn't used in a year and I didn't want it to be wasted.

Question 36: I had two 19 x 27 panels custom made to insert into a double hung window for privacy. Now in new house, they do not fit, and I would like to invent a way to put them on the wall with a light source behind them. Any ideas?

Answer 36: Sure, I have lots of ideas on how to hang a window. If you look at the article http://www.betterstainedglass.com/Newsletter/Archives/2007Apr-smallbacklitpanel/SmallBacklit.htm
you can see how well simple 12 volt undercabinet lights work behind a panel.

Could you send digital pictures of the panels and the place you'd like to hang them so we can further discuss ways to hang them?

Question 35: I would like to make suncatchers with clear thin window glass on the front and decorative glass for the back with pressed flowers between, my problem is moisture. How do I avoid getting moisture between the pieces during cleaning? I have done using wider foil and covering both peices at once and this did not work. Is there some type of glue, silicone that would seal the pieces together and not flow into the design area but withstand the heat of the solder?

Answer 35: We did some of that type of work when we first started in glass art and we occasionally get a request to sandwich something in between sheets of glass.

The first thing to pay attention to is something you are already doing. Make sure the glass is very clean before you start.

Second, I like to place 1/4" foil around each piece of glass. One application on one piece and another on the other piece of glass. This does something to seal the glass and allows the piece of foil which goes over the entire assembly to achieve a better seal. I tin the 1/4" foil on each piece of glass, then clean it well. Put the desired items in between the glass and foil the whole thing with either 3/8" or 1/2" foil, then solder around it, using flux sparingly.

Third, when you clean the panel, don't immerse it in water. Spray in with window cleaner and wipe it off. You may even want to have a clear label printed up to warn consumers not to immerse it in water, just clean with a damp rag.

Lastly, look for a desiccant. They make them out of sand, rubbery tape and you can even find paper that will absorb moisture. Follow directions for driving moisture out of it, then place it attractively in between your glass, you could punch it out using scrapbooking tools. And that should help if any moisture gets in which would cause the glass to fog up.

Question 34: How to you reinforce an intricate copper foil panel internally?

Answer 34: I've written three articles with illustrations about reinforcing copper foil panels.
http://www.betterstainedglass.com/Newsletter/Archives/2006Aug-reinforcinglargepanel/aug2006reinforce.htm
tells how to reinforce a window. It has the illustrations that you need to do it yourself.

http://www.betterstainedglass.com/Newsletter/Archives/2007Mar-agressivereinforcment/AggressiveReinforcement.htm
shows how to reinforce a window by doubling up the strips. And Finally,

http://www.betterstainedglass.com/Newsletter/Archives/2007Oct-skylight/skylight.htm
shows how to use a thicker copper strips to reinforce a panel that will hang in a skylight.

Question 33: How can I go about authenticating a Tiffany Window. It has a small metal plate at the bottom in the lead that reads "Tiffany Studios, New York".

Answer 33: What you need to do is contact someone who can authenticate your Window. http://www.stainedglass.org/ will take you to the home page of The Stained Glass Association Of America. Once there you can search for Fully Accredited Studios and Active Accredited Members. There you'll be able to locate someone who can do that type of authentication. For values of windows, refer to the new "Stained Glass Appraisal Guide". You can find it on their site also.

Question 32: I've been working with stained glass for about two years now and am beginning to make bigger pieces (2'-3' ). I've framed all my pieces in the past using zinc came, but am worried about twisting, warping, and security. What is the best way to frame panels that are not going to be installed into a building, panels that will hang in front of a window?

Answer 32: For that type of installation we continue to use Zinc. The type we use is zinc outer bar which has a channel that fits over the glass and measures about 1/4" in both directions. It adds an additional 1/8" to the size of the panel on each side of the panel, 1/4" overall.

This type of zinc is best cut with a hobby saw. Jarmac makes one and it's pricey, but you can fins a deal on one if you search for the "Mitey Mite" at the Harbor Freight website. They are only available at the website, but the $49 price is good. Then you'll want to pick up a Jarmac brand blade which is like a round hacksaw blade, very sharp. It will cost around $15 from a stained glass supply.

When we first got one of these "baby" saws, we were building production panels for furniture entirely with zinc and it took all week to build ten panels. With the new saw we were able to build ten in about 6 hours. I illustrated using a saw in an article at http://www.betterstainedglass.com/Newsletter/Archives/2007Apr-smallbacklitpanel/SmallBacklit.htm

As you approach the 3 foot mark in your construction, you'll want to think about adding copper reinforcement strips to your panels to make them stronger. I wrote an article about reinforcement at http://www.betterstainedglass.com/Newsletter/Archives/2006Aug-reinforcinglargepanel/aug2006reinforce.htm

Question 31: Have made quite a few flat copper foiled items over the last few years, mirrors, photo frames, etc. but nothing curved. I have been asked if I would repair a Tiffany lamp with two broken pieces. The thought of doing this is a little daunting, but I am tempted to have a go. Would this be difficult and how would I go about it?

Answer 31: Right off the bat I'd refer you to the article you mentioned on how to fix copper foil glass pieces at http://www.betterstainedglass.com/Newsletter/Archives/2006Jan-brokenpiece/brokenpiece.htm that will show how to remove the old glass and get you ready for the repair.
I show how to build a globe at http://www.betterstainedglass.com/Newsletter/Archives/2005Nov-buildaglobe/nov2005buildaglobe.htm
That article shows steps in globe or lamp shade construction. This is only about a lamp shade which is built with the copper foil method, if another technique is used, you may have to adjust.

Pay attention to the way I show how to solder the project using a box and some crumpled up paper to hold the shade while soldering.

Question 30: I've worked in glass for many years, but have an intersting challenge. My husband, a woodworker, and I are building an inside door with an arched top and which incorporates a tree design which branches upward into the top 1/3 - 1/4th which will be glass. I do a lot of fusing and often incorporate fused pieces in my panels. My big question is whether I can use copper foil for this construction and have it be strong and flexible enough. I envision 5 fused pieces with Mtn. Ash leaves and berries tack fused to them. These pieces would fit into slots in the tree on one side and would be copper foiled to one another on the other with the foil line representing branches. I'd thought to do the entire piece as one in the kiln, but my kiln isn't quite large enough. I can divide the top into 5 and have a nicely balanced design. I have never done lead construction, but could will learn if I need to for this piece. Is NO Days Glaze a good option if I need to use this technique!

Answer 30: Well, right off, I'm going to answer your question a part at a time, because you've actually asked several questions.

First, will it be strong enough? Yes. Copper foil construction is the strongest technique since it adheres directly to the glass and doesn't need to be cemented. Now part of the strength of your finished piece is derived from the framework that your husband is making, so the glass may be fragile as you work with it, but it will gain lots of strength when it's attached to the woodwork. Use the techniques described in http://www.betterstainedglass.com/Newsletter/Archives/2007Nov-cabinetdoors/cabinetdoors.htm to install the glass in the framework.

You ask if it will be flexible enough and I assume that you mean flexible to fit in the framework. You may need to consider foiling the edges of the glass and "tinning" them and then doing the final soldering after you have the pieces in place. This is another advantage to the copper foil method technique, the ease of making things fit.

Finally, you ask if No Days glaze is right for this and the answer is that you won't need it. With the copper foil method, the foil is adhered directly to the glass and the solder is applied directly to the foil, so not only is there virtually no gap between the lead line and the glass, it's also stuck by means of the adhesive on the back of the foil.

If you don’t have much experience soldering on an irregular surface you may want to review the steps I took when soldering a 3-D globe at http://www.betterstainedglass.com/Newsletter/Archives/2005Nov-buildaglobe/nov2005buildaglobe.htm

Question 29: I've got a pattern created in Glass Eye 2000, intended for a 25 x 42" copper foil panel. So far, the largest panel I've made is 16 x 24", and I've printed out the patterns in tiles, when necessary, and taped them together, covering them with a clear contact paper for water repellency. I'd like to know what technique you and Jeanne use for your larger panels. I was thinking of taking my 8-1/2 x 11" pattern to be enlarged on a blueprint machine, running two copies, using one covered with a sheet of clear acetate for my working pattern and the other rubber cemented to cardstock to be cut out for the pattern pieces. Does this make sense or do you have a better idea?

Answer 29: For many years we couldn't justify getting a plotter (which prints 36" wide prints)
So what we did was take our drawings to the local print shop and have them sized for us. We've worked with CopyMax, Kinkos and the local blueprint shop. This is what will be easiest for you, find a local print shop who can help you.

Then, you'll need to print the file. Check to see if the version of Glass Eye you have will let you print to a PDF file. If so, good. If not, you'll need to install software that lets you create a PDF file. Adobe makes the software for this. The reason for needing a PDF file is that the print shop will be able to open it and size it for you. When I print to a PDF file, it gets saved on my computer and then I send it with an e-mail to get it printed. Then I call them and make sure they get all the information they need. You can probably get the second copy of the print done on cardstock, or take posterboard with you to get it printed on, then you won't have to mess with rubber cement.

I worry about laminating the working pattern. Make sure that if you solder over it, it doesn't melt with the heat. Personally, I'd just get a couple of throwaway copies of the print done on paper to build on.

I hope this helps.

Now about the size of the window. You are right on the edge of needing reinforcement in the window. You may want to consider using some with this project. We say that anything larger than 36 x 36 should be reinforced. Since it's narrower one way, you can get away without it, but it's good practice to reinforce your work. I wrote and illustrated an article about reinforcing a panel and you can see it at http://www.betterstainedglass.com/Newsletter/Archives/2006Aug-reinforcinglargepanel/aug2006reinforce.htm

Question 28: Do you think foiling machines are a good tool to have? If so, can you recommend the best one and tell me why you like it? I'm considering the Glastar and the Table Foiler. I've been doing copper foil since July and so far have made smaller panels, the largest of which is 16x24. I'm getting ready to start a 250-piece panel that's 25x42, and I'm thinking a foiling machine might make the task less daunting.

Answer 28: Okay, now since we only do copper foil windows in our studio and since we have been building them since 1983, you'd think I ought to be qualified to answer this question. Right now we have three panels we're building in the studio with more than 340 pieces in them, so I'm pretty familiar with foiling.

I bought a Glastar machine in the early 80's hoping that it would help me to speed things up and then I bought an Inland Machine two or three years ago. I'm sorry to report that I found it difficult to use them and I was easily able to foil without a machine much faster than with one.

But I haven't given up hope. I continue to look for one that works well. I may try a Diegel Foiling Machine next. And some people have had good success with them. I visited a friend's shop in Branson, Missouri and there were foiling machines mounted on boards near the cash registers so that the employees could foil projects while not waiting on customers.

Now, one thing to keep in mind is that Jeanne and I can foil very fast, since we've had so much practice. If you are slow at foiling you may find that the investment of around $25 is worth it to you. You can read the Glaster manual for their foiler at http://www.glastar.com/manuals/foiler.cfm it may help you to understand the process more and help you make a good decision. You can read about the Inland Edgemaster at http://www.inlandcraft.com/Uguides/UGedgemaster.htm and you can read about the Diegel at http://www.hoevel.com/foiler/Foiler%20Instructions.pdf

Question 27: I have just purchased three Tiffany style lamps with copper foil. But the letter of authentication says there is lead in them and that lead is known to cause cancer.

Well I knew that, but will the amounts in these lamps, in the same room, put me at risk for cancer?

Answer 27: Lead poisoning is something that we as artists take very seriously. In days gone by, there were many paints that contained lead and a good number of artists became sick from lead poisoning. This because the lead went from their paint to their mouth and into the body. In those days, pencils contained lead as well, so kids were warned not to suck on their pencils, but many did.

Over the years, it became apparent that lead based paint was getting into household dust and children were even poisoned by the lead in paint when they ate paint chips from walls.

So the government began to regulate the use of lead and banned it from use in household paint. Some governments even carry regulations to a greater extreme than others. The state of California has seen fit to declare that lead is known by it to cause cancer. That may be true, but you’ve got to eat it in order to get it in your system. The warning serves more to warn of the health hazard associated with lead. It would be harmful to use stained glass (because both Tiffany style and leaded style contain lead) as a candy dish or as a serving bowl because it would come in contact with food and the risk of contaminating the food would be great.

But your lamp won’t be coming in contact with food and you probably won’t be licking it either. Since solder used in stained glass is lead based, we follow some basic precautions. We never eat, drink, or smoke in any area where soldering takes place and we always wash our hands after soldering, in our studio we recommend washing once and then washing again. We also make sure that soldering equipment and supplies are kept out of the reach of children. And we don’t use lead in items that will be handled a lot or come in contact with skin or food. If we make dishes or jewelry or kaleidoscopes or baby mobiles, we use lead free solder.

"Lead soldering usually does not represent an inhalation risk since controlling temperature of lead below 900 ºF(melting temperature = 621 ºF) is effective in controlling lead fuming."
From www.osha-slc.gov/SLTC/Lead/index.html

So, don’t worry too much about harming yourself, just be aware that you want to keep your hands clean after handling stained glass and keep it away from the kids.

Question 26: What is the best way to frame a glass panel? I have seen wooden frames with a channel to fit the panel into, but how about putting them into more decorative frame moulding? Traditional glaziers points often show from the other side. Is there an alternative method for holdin in place that will not show from the other side?

Answer 26: This is a very good question, and to answer it properly, we first need to consider the window itself.

How is the stained glass meant to be displayed. Are we trying to fill an existing space, hang it as a decorative piece in front of a window or install it into a cabinet or a piece of furniture? Go to http://www.imaginestainedglass.com/hangit/hang.htm to view a page about the different ways to hang stained glass.

Then if you will give me more detail about the panel you are wanting to display, I'll be happy to answer your question more fully.

Question 25: When making arched windows, do you use lead came for framing it out? The zinc is too stiff to bend, so I assume you use lead. I'm making one for my own home so I can get the feel of doing this. We will not install it, just hang it because we are leasing this house. (My husband contracts at places for a year and then we usually have to move...thus the leasing situation! Miss having my own place!) So I wondered how you framed out the pieces when there are arches. Plus, I have several couples who want me to make large bathroom windows, but they don't want to take out the existing window...they want to just hang the stained glass window over the existing one. What do you usually use (brackets?) to hang windows in this way?

Answer 25: Nope, we never use lead came..see http://www.betterstainedglass.com/Newsletter/Archives/2007Jun-Reinf-Curved/ReinforceCurve.htm and http://www.betterstainedglass.com/Newsletter/Archives/2007Oct-skylight/skylight.htm the second one doesn’t show how it’s done but does show the panel with outer bar all around it.

We frame bathroom windows tightly. See http://www.gommstudios.com/stained-glass-gallery1/fentonvilla/countryvilla.htm the bathroom window was made to be 1/8” smaller on each side of the frame (1/4” total) and then silicone in place. To see how to silicone a window in place see http://www.betterstainedglass.com/Newsletter/Archives/2007Jul-Install/Install.htm

Question 24: I have been asked by a friend to make a stained glass panel to insert into her front door. The opening is 10" x 46" high. Since this door is in the Bahamas and I am in Virginia, I can't measure it myself to see if these are exact measurements.

What questions should I ask so there are no problems in the installation? Also, I see you use copper foil. I was thinking of a combo?

Answer 24: Windows installed in a door are encased in between tempered glass, so talk to a local glass shop about what dimensions they need to build an insulated unit that will fit and follow their recommendations as to what size to build your art glass. Your friend in the Bahamas could have a glass shop come out and take measurements, since they will probably do the install.

Copper foil method is stronger and I think a better choice for door windows, but if you use lead, don’t cement because offgassing happens from the cement and can cause fogging in the tempered unit.

Follow up Question 24: What should the frame be? Zinc for strength? Or H lead that can be cut if necessary?

Follow up Answer 24: No frame is needed, the insulated unit is made with a foam tape that is pressed up to the edge of the glass. See http://www.betterstainedglass.com/Newsletter/Archives/2006July-windowindoor/howtohangindoor.htm to see how an insulated unit is put together.

Question 23: I've been trying to figure out how to enlarge a pattern for a fanlight window in our house. How do you two enlarge your patterns? My husband bought me a pantograph, but I'm not sure how to use it...it doesn't feel very user friendly to me. What do you do to enlarge your patterns for odd shaped windows?

Answer 23: When we started with stained glass, we drew all patterns, so we often used a pantograph, it worked pretty good. What we do now is take digital pictures of the opening and import it into AutoCad and then trace the picture.

Many of our stained glass students take pictures and drawings to Kinkos or Office Max and have them blown up to the size they need.

Question 22: I'm a little confused on how you run the second copper strip from one side to the other. How can you cross over another copper strip? Wouldn't you have to cut the second one which would be crossing over the first? Do you know what I mean? And if that's true, wouldn't I be making it weak?

Answer 22: I wrote two articles about copper reinforcement at http://www.betterstainedglass.com/Newsletter/Archives/2006Aug-reinforcinglargepanel/aug2006reinforce.htm and http://www.betterstainedglass.com/Newsletter/Archives/2007Mar-agressivereinforcment/AggressiveReinforcement.htm

You may want to visit http://www.betterstainedglass.com/index.htm and read all the articles and keep copies for your stained glass folder of those that are especially helpful.

Question 21: David, thank you for all your help you have giving me, they have been very helpful. I do have another problem. I am doing a Marilyon Monroe piece and the eye brows and lashes are very small and I once i foil and solder I will not be able to see the black....so i was wondering if there was a pen that would work on glass? I did try a black sharpie, but when I held it up to the window I did not like how it looked , you could see right thru it. Someone told me about a pen that was called painty, but no where have I been able to find it. So again I have come to you for help with this problem.

Answer 21: Look at the article at http://www.betterstainedglass.com/Newsletter/Archives/2008Jan-paintedleaf/paintedleaf.htm and do the same thing we did only for the face features and then use black epoxy based paint for the sand blasted features.

Question 20: I am building an 8' long x 16" swag valance in stained glass and I am using lead and zinc. I'm also going to use the "no days glaze" that is heated up. My problem is how to hang it up on the window. Can you give me some advice?

Answer 20: You really have two choices, you can either hang it from above which means installing hooks on the ceiling and hanging the panel from chain to get it to the right height, or you can mount it to the wall which means mounting some strong support to the wall at each end..maybe a “T” shape made in wood and then another at the middle of the curtain for additional support.

If you go with the hanging choice, it won’t look as nice but it’ll be a pretty easy install..put rings on the zinc and hooks on the ceiling. If you go with the wall mount, I’d recommend that you talk with a local cabinet shop to see if they can make the side mount brackets you’ll need.

……..We build everything using the copper foil method. It’s much stronger than the lead came method. Have a sheet metal shop build some brackets for you out of galvanized metal so you can solder to it. I’m attaching a sketch for what will work. (You could also use copper, but that would be more expensive. You may need three center brackets depending on how much sag you have in the panel. You’ll solder the brackets to the window before the install.

Question 19: I recently purchased a new home that has two stained glass windows. One of them is a 3-4' square window of cala lilies, but I really don't like the colors of it (primarily peach) and it doesn't go with anything in my home. Is there any way to change the color in certain areas or would I have to remove the piece entirely and have those areas replaced (which, unfortunately, I probably can't afford to do)?

Answer 19: The best thing to do is to rebuild the window or create a new piece to replace the old one. But on a tight budget, you could get some of that fake stained glass craft paint that they sell at Walmart and craft stores and brush that on to the areas that you don’t care for. You would then end up with a combination of colors, yellow glass painted with blue tint would give you green and the like.

I encourage folks that need stained glass on a budget to take a class and build their own. Stained glass costs are mostly about the labor. We figure you can build a stained glass panel for about 10 to 20% of the retail cost of the window if you make it yourself. So a $1000 window would cost between 100 and 200. You can read about our classes at http://www.gommstudios.com/aboutus/aboutus.htm and if you live too far away from us for a class, our beginning video is almost ready, read about it at http://www.betterstainedglass.com/Videos/Stained%20Glass%20Videos.htm

Question 18: While in Eastern Ontario this summer, I saw some window hangings using a collection of antique dishes, candle holders etc. It was all held together with some kind of wire and used glass pieces between the shapes. All the pieces were of different thickness, and shapes and sizes. There was clear glass pieces between to hold the plates together for strength. I would like to be able to make some of these for our home. I have purchased many glass items at thrift shops and antique stores. I have made many windows using cane and or copper foil but have no idea how to go about the construction of this. Do you know how to proceed?

Answer 18: Sure, if you visit Susan’s student page you can see the window she made using plates while taking classes from us. http://www.gommstudios.com/studentwork/Susan/Susan.htm The secret to success is to build the window using the copper foil method. You wouldn’t even consider trying this using the lead came method. (came not cane) The window Susan made had plates and then she used glass globs around them to hold them in place, she left air gaps between the globs, but they could have been filled with clear glass. She had fun laying out the window and trying different combinations of bevels to add interest to the project.

Next add additional lines for the rest of the glass you’ll use to hold things together.

Question 17: Have you or anyone you know used safety film on a stained glass piece to
prevent glass shards if shattering occurs?

Answer 17: There are times when it is prudent to protect the public from glass breakage, we artists often encase stained glass between panels of tempered glass to protect public places from potentially dangerous conditions.

In doors and sidelights we generally install art glass sandwiched in between tempered or laminated glass. It satisfies requirements by the Consumer Protection Agency and most building codes. I’m not familiar with “safety film”. I assume it would be similar to tinting that sometimes is applied to glass. That is applied directly to the glass and would not provide as good a safety barrier as tempered glass, laminated glass or a layer of Plexiglas or Lexan. But basically, anything that prevents shattering is an effective way to protect people from harm.

Those items I’ve talked about aren’t necessarily the only way to keep folks safe, but you’ll find that doing that which is normal, will get approved by building inspectors more easily because they are used to seeing it and they are comfortable with standards such as tempered and laminated glass. Glass based products also have the advantage of keeping the art clean and being easy to clean themselves.

To see an illustrated article about how glass is placed into an insulated unit of tempered glass go to
http://www.betterstainedglass.com/Newsletter/Archives/2006July-windowindoor/howtohangindoor.htm

Question 16: Most of the designs I draw (on Auto Cad LT) have enough detail in them that they are copper foiled. Typically, they are in the 24" round or 24" x 24" size range and are for interiors only. I have recently hung one piece (hooks soldered on a round zinc frame and placed at solder joints for support) and about a month later I've noticed a crack, which I have to assume is a stress crack. So...
1.)Other than being wise about shapes...do different glass weights cause cracks? Some glass is thinner in thickness than others in this piece.
2.)Would less of a tight glass fit help...but then the gap would just be filled in with more solder? And would that make it heavier and add to stress?
3.) Would it help to add reinforced copper strips? Or would that just add to the weight bearing down on the glass?

Any suggestions or "wise" comments would be welcomed. I don't want to have to compromise detailed designs...I'd rather do more work reinforcing the piece if necessary.

Answer 16: This is difficult without seeing the actual placement of the crack (you could e-mail a picture to david@gommstudios.com) but I imagine that the crack is stress related, but not due to the weight of the window.

First of all, a 24” window isn’t very heavy and doesn’t need extra reinforcement. Think about how the window hangs on the hooks, the weight is pulling AWAY from the window, so if anything, there would be less stress at the point where the window is hanging, not more.

Cracks can occur in a window that is hung in direct sunlight pretty easily. The light from the sun is full spectrum, meaning that it contains all colors. If it passes through a piece of blue glass, the glass filters all the colors except blue out of the light and that filtered light becomes heat. So the gless heats up quite a bit, (put your hand on a piece of stained glass which is hanging in the sun) Now when things heat up, they expand and then at night they cool off, so your glass is expanding and contracting quite a lot during a 24 hour period. So cracks can occur-Stress cracks, from that expansion and contraction.

I try to do two things when building windows to avoid cracks, I try to build windows with a little wiggle room between pieces. You’ve seen how tight a window can get as you wrap each piece with foil. Well, I make sure to grind pieces down some if the window is beginning to get tight. Just think, if you’ve placed all your glass into the window tightly, all the pieces are already pushing tightly up against each other. Then the sun comes along and crack! Things expand! So try to avoid a window being too tight.

Second, when grinding, if you use a “speed bit” on your grinder which is course, you’ll notice that the bit chips the edge of the glass. I try to only grind close to the profile I want in the glass and then switch to a finer bit (usually I use a fine bit all the time). This keeps the edges of the glass smooth and will eliminate weak points where a crack could develop.

In your question you asked three things.
1. Do different glass weights cause cracks? My answer is that I haven’t noticed the thickness of the glass being a problem.
2. Would a less tight fit help? Yes as answered above.
3. Would copper strips help? Generally you don’t need reinforcing strips until a window is 3’ X 3’ or more.

Question 15: I have been making glass panels to sell for a few years and have had
some of the rings where I hook a chain come loose causing the panel to
fall. Am I doing something wrong that causes the solder to become weak?

Also what can I do to keep solder from oxidizing?

Answer 15: Here’s the most important thing to know when soldering rings to a panel; any movement when the ring is cooling will cause the joint to be weak. When there is any movement in a solder pool as it is cooling, the solder structure can be changed, it’s called a “cold” joint. The solder forms in a more crystalline structure and has a crumbly property to it. It may look the same as other joints, but the movement in it as it cooled has caused it to weaken. To fix it, just reheat it and let it cool with no movement. This should fix your ring problem.

To keep solder from oxidizing is a real challenge. The key is cleanliness, you’ve got to get all of the flux and patina away from the window and this includes that which has soaked under the lead line. We flood the project with water, dry it off and then liberally apply CJ’s flux cleaner which neutralizes and cleans the project. We then apply Kwik-clean to the window. If it is going to get patina, this is the point where we add it and then dry it and apply more Kwik-clean to the surface. Finally we apply Clarity Finishing Compound which is a waxy protectant. And after all that, you still might have problems with oxidation, but they will be lessened. For more information on the chemicals we use in the studio (with pictures) go to
http://www.betterstainedglass.com/Newsletter/Archives/2006Apr-chemical/shopchemicals.htm
and let me know how it goes! Just remember, when you’re trying to get a panel clean and keep it clean, you need to be liberal in the application of the chemicals and the water.

Question 14: I have a 3' by 4' project I'm working on and cracked one of the larger pieces. Is there a technique for detaching a piece of glass that is already soldered?

Answer 14: I'm excited to answer this question, because it seems like a big deal, but it really isn't. Copper foil windows are the easiest to fix and I wrote an article about how to do it with pictures to show how it's done and you can look at that article at
http://www.betterstainedglass.com/Newsletter/Archives/2006Jan-brokenpiece/brokenpiece.htm

Question 13: I have left the back of a stained glass piece unsoldered with old flux still on it for about two years. I added additional solder and it wouldn't stick. I then cleaned the flux off the whole piece reapplied new flux and the solder still will not flow/stick. Any ideas as to what I should be doing to correct the problem. Would really like to finish this piece.

Answer 13: Back in my early days in the stained glass business, I made the same mistake that you made. I left the flux on too long. Generally, we now try to get flux off a window within two hours of applying it. If left longer, it can dissolve too much or etch the glass. In my case, the copper foil on the backside of my window dissolved, that was tricky to fix.

I think you need to first make sure the window is clean. I wrote an article at http://www.betterstainedglass.com/Newsletter/Archives/2006Nov-heavyclean/heavyclean.htm
Go to that URL and read the article and follow those instructions.

Once the window is clean, try to solder again. If it works, great! If not, you may need a stronger flux. Laco brand is the kind I was using when I dissolved the back of my window in the old days. That's the stuff you should try.

Question 12: I make stained glass panels and lamps and sell them on a website. Recently, a woman emailed me to ask if I could fix her stained glass chain. It's not a big deal...but I'm not sure what I should charge for attaching a new chain hanger and reattaching the chain to the hanger. Pretty simple job, but it's my first time fixing anything for anyone and I haven't a clue what kind of fee to charge. Can you give me an idea?

Answer 12: When we fix a broken piece of glass, we charge $45 per piece (2006). This covers not only the cost in time and materials, but it also covers the RISK. This is where you need to be cautious. If she sends you her lampshade, make sure to have her insure it for it's proper value. Then make sure that you charge enough to cover your time and materials and the cleaning of the shade. You'll also have to repackage it and take it to the UPS store (unless they pick up from your location). You can easily run into some serious time just doing a simple fix. $45 would not be out of line and your shop rate may be higher. Just explain to the customer all the steps you'll have to take and she'll understand why the cost is what it is. If she thinks it's too high, no big deal, you're not in the repair business anyway, but you have offered service to her for a fair price. If she has you do the repair, then you're getting enough to cover your time. Since you say you haven't done repairs before, you may not yet dislike the prospect of doing a repair that I do. There isn't much reward doing a repair, you're simply fixing someone else's work, so not so much pride of creation.

Question 11: I am now living in Florida . I began making stained glass projects in Maine and did not have much of a problem with my pieces oxidating. Here in Florida it seems that my projects oxidize very quickly. Is there something I should be doing differently here? First, I have my shop set up in my garage and I live about 2 – 3 miles (as a crow flies) from the ocean ( Gulf of Mexico ). Secondly, I had my supplies in storage for a few years in Maine and some things may have frozen, etc. So I have thrown out some of the flux I had and am now using new flux. But can solder go bad? And what about the foil can that lead to the problem also?

Answer 11: Oh the horrors of oxidation!

There is some controversy about what causes oxidation. Some folks think it's a white mold and others think it's an oxidation of the metal. I'm pretty sure it's an oxidation because it can happen so fast! Mold takes some time to grow and I've seen oxidation happen overnight.

First, your supplies are probably all right. Solder doesn't go bad, even if oxidation forms on it, you can still melt it and use it. Flux and patina rarely go bad they have a very long shelf life and freezing won't affect them, sometimes you have to shake up patina if crystals start to form in it. Copper foil can get an age patina on it when it's old and it just requires a little more, or a little stronger flux to get the solder to stick.

I've been in contact with a stained glass firm in New York, that had a commercial job shipped to Florida and the windows oxidized almost overnight. They don't usually have that problem in New York, but Florida has salt air. Salt attacks metal and so you have to be vigilant to protect lead from the elements. But you've probably had occasions to notice oxidation even back when you were in Maine.

Here's what I think is going on. We solder, using flux, a light acid and we clean our windows and then we patina the windows using an acid base chemical and we clean and then the lead starts to oxidize. My belief is that in the process of making the window, we get those acidic chemicals under the came or copper foil and when we clean the panel, there's always a bit left behind. So when you get done with the project, it looks great, but underneath there's a bit of chemical lurking and when the panel is exposed to temperature fluctuations which cause expansion and contraction, the chemical begins to get forced out onto the surface of the metal and begins to oxidize it.

The secret then is deep cleaning. I try to be vigilant in cleaning at each step. When we get done with a window, before adding patina, we spray the panel down with Kwik-Clean spray cleaner. (They call it a mold inhibitor) But it's great for getting the flux away from the lead lines and getting them ready to accept patina. You'll notice that if you use the Kwik-Clean before applying patina, you'll get much more vibrant results. After the patina is applied, we then apply CJ's flux remover and water to the window and we scrub the panel with a scrub brush. Then, we again use Kwik-Clean and try to spray a heavy amount on the lead lines, in an attempt to neutralize the acids under them. You can read about the chemicals we use in the studio at http://www.betterstainedglass.com/Newsletter/Archives/2006Apr-chemical/shopchemicals.htm
Last, after the window is cleaned and dried, we apply a coating of Clarity Finishing Compound and polish the panel (except when the panel is to be insulated, then the wax would interfere with the bond in the insulated unit. The wax may help you to avoid the part of the problem caused by salt air.

After all this, you'll still have problems with oxidation, but not as much. I'm planning to build a vertical tank where I can give panels a good soaking as part of our cleaning process. If it works, I'll talk about it in our monthly newsletter, if not, well, I'll keep trying to discover a more permanent solution.

Question 10: I am a stained glass artist and I really enjoyed your piece on reinforcing large panels. I have been using a different method, yours is totally superior! I am writing to find out where to get this thin copper strip you use. I have looked around and cannot find it anywhere, please advise!

Answer 10: I have to tell you that I used to have to have copper strips cut for me at a local sheet metal shop. It was thicker and more difficult to bend and I had to solder it to the outside edge of the stained glass. It really worked well, but was difficult to bend and to clean around. I still use that type of strip on chandelier pieces that are big and need more support.

So when this thin copper strip came along, I was very happy. It doesn't have the strength that my sheet metal strips did, but I make up for that by adding extra strips in the panel. The product is made by Ventura and is called Copper Reinforcing Strip and it comes in 25 ft and 100 ft rolls.

You can order it from our web store by clicking here.

Question 09: I have been trying to find advice on making stained glass pool table lamps and saw your website. I was hoping you might answer a few questions for me as I’ve been attempting to make one myself. I’ve done foiled window panels for years and have been working up to The Lamp.

I’m having trouble finding information about the internal construction of these. Our lamp will be about 4’ long by 18” wide and 18” or so high, so big and very heavy. My husband (the over-engineer) wants to make sure it doesn’t fall on us and crush us to death while eating.
We’re trying to figure out an internal structure that I could attach the panels to. Or some combination of internal construction and zinc came (?) or other something that would make it strong.

My brother can weld a frame out of just about anything. We were thinking of aluminum but it looks like it’s hard to solder to. My thought was to have him make a frame out of something that I could weld the panels to, perhaps via came channels. Do you have any suggestions you’d care to share?

Answer 09: I'm attaching a drawing which I gave to my friend the welder to build a pool table lamp frame for me. I told him that I wanted it out of 1/2" angle iron and he was able to calculate the angles to fit everything together. The only other thing that isn't on the drawing is that I had him weld 2 pieces of 3" wide strap across the top of the lamp, about 4" in from each side. This gives you a place where chains can be attached to the top and a light or light bar can be attached to the bottom. Don't worry about using aluminum, steel is just fine and the finished lamp won't weigh more than most commercial lamp fixtures of that size.

Make your pattern from the framework and don't assume that any side is the same as the other because in this type of construction it's easy to be off a little. Make sure that you make the glass smaller than the inside opening because you'll be putting an eighth inch of glass or more inside and you need things to still fit. I recommend that when you make your poster board template for your pattern pieces that you take all four of them and make sure they fit into the lamp opening easily and with at least a quarter of an inch of play (1/8 per side) so the glass will fit.
Take a look at http://betterstainedglass.com/Newsletter/Archives/2005Aug-pooltablelamp/aug2005pooltable.htm
for step by step instructions on putting the glass into the frame once it's built.

Question 08: The problem that I seem to have is keeping the solder lines from forming a white mold like appearance. I have cleaned the work thoroughly with the Flux spray that I bought from you and then have polished them with a liquid car wax (Finish 2000) and buffed them out. When they are newly completed they are bright silver and look very nice but over time they seem to develop this discoloration (please note that I have not used a patina). You did talk to me about how to remove this film and re-clean the piece and I have done this but is there something that I am missing that I can do to prevent this from developing in the first place? Do I need to apply a patina to all my work to stop this from happening or should I use a different polish?

Answer 08: No, you're doing what's needed. The only solution I've found is to flood the solder lines with water and then apply the spray liberally to neutralize the acid in the flux (and patina when it's used). Then waxing helps slightly, but we don't have any iron clad solution to prevent the oxidation. Lots of water seems to get the corrosive chemicals that hide behind the solder line washed away.

Question 07: I did a stained glass piece that is in lead. My first one. Size is about 20"by 14" . All the joints are soldered. I did this about four months ago, then cold weather, and Christmas came. The cold weather is an issue as I don't want to put the whiting on top of the cement ...in my art room, as it has no windows. So I reasoned that I could wait till spring to finish it. The solder joints have all gone white, oxidized. Question: When I do my cement and whiting powder, will the oxidization come off?

Also, I need to put the zinc around it. It was originally going in a wood frame. But, I may hang it with just the zinc. It could hang side to side, or up and down. What is the best way to put the loops on for hanging something like this?

Answer 07: When you get ready to cement your window, you'll first want to clean it. We do this with the old fashioned method of putting Comet (or similar cleanser) on it and rubbing vigorously. It's similar to the whiting process. See http://betterstainedglass.com/Newsletter/Archives/2006Nov-heavyclean/heavyclean.htm for step by step instructions.

As you attach your zinc outer bar to the glass panel, you will solder each lead line to the zinc and you'll also solder the corners. I prefer to attach rings to the corners of the panel. This way, the rings are attached to a bar which is holding the entire weight of the window, which is soldered at various joints running down the panel, but also holding the bottom strip of zinc which holds the window. It's kind of like the handles on a basket, the way they are attached to the edges of the basket and are able to hold the entire weight of what's inside.

Question 06: Have you ever had problems with a haze or film getting on windows? I had this problem with sidelights [which] were installed next to tempered glass with the double stick foam tape.

Answer 06: The best thing I've found for haze on the glass, is to polish the glass with Clairity Finishing Compound. It makes the glass quite slick so don't put it on the edges of the glass if it's going to be put in an insulated unit. That will help with the haze, the only solution I've found to deal with the powder that forms on lead lines is to really clean them well, flood them with water and then apply Kwik-Clean generously to the lines. This helps to neutralize the acids from flux and patina. Then polish it with the wax to seal the lead against corrosion. Even with all you do, you'll probably notice some discoloration, that's when you shrug and realize it's just part of the art! A friend who helps build our insulated units says, "Don't use wax on windows that are going to be insulated."

Question 05: I am doing a large (5' x 4') panel for a friend to hang in front of a large window in her home foyer. It's being done in lead. I haven't done a project this big before, and have a couple of questions. I bought some rebar, but am not sure how or where to add it. Should I use that or some reinforcing strips inside the came?

Also, is it better to frame the whole project in wood afterwards? Would that help in solidifying/strengthening it? Or would the zinc frame be enough? I'm concerned about the weight of this project when done, and want to make sure it'll be safely hung. I usually just add the rings at the top of the finished project with some chain, and then use cup holder hooks (of various sizes) to hang it. Have you done a large project like this and what hooks/chains, etc. have you used in the hanging process?

Answer 05: We do many very large projects, but, we specialize in the copper foil method so my expertise is in that area of production. I have a friend who does a great volume of leaded panels. He suggests that when doing large panels, if they are to be sandwiched between tempered glass panels, they not be cemented, but if they are to be open, make sure to cement the panel.

Internal strips work well with the copper foil method, but we always use as many strips as possible. On some patterns, we have to double up on the strips because there aren't enough lines to provide adequate support.

Wood or steel framing is a must when doing panels of this size or greater. Zinc just doesn't provide enough strength and the weight of the panel will often pull joints apart if the framing isn't adequate. Rebar is very strong and is typically wired to the panel at the joints where wires are soldered as well as the joint. Then the rebar can be slipped into holes drilled in the wooden frame.

In our studio, we either do our own wood work or have it done by custom
shops. Recently, we did some large panels that hang in a ski lodge. They were
1-1/2 wide oak by 3"high and that provided good support. I designed one of
the frames with a middle break in the glass so it would give enough support
for the weight of the unit.

Attach the rebar first to the joints where you solder the lead lines of the window. The wire is bent in a "V" shape and inserted into the joint. Then it is soldered into the joint. Your local stained glass shop or instructor ought to be able to give you instruction on how this is done. Talking about it is good, but actually seeing it done is so helpful.

You want to plan exactly where your rods will go to reinforce the panel, so that you can insure that the rod will run in a straight line, get attached generally every 6 inches
to the window and mark where the holes will go in the wooden frame. I like to have the top hole go all the way through the frame so I can run the rod through. Then I have the bottom hole run halfway through so I can run the rod in, but you don't see an unsightly hole at the bottom. After the rods are in place and wired to the panel, I stand the frame up and add epoxy glue to the top rod to get a nice solid connection to the frame.

Dry fit everything before adding glues and resins so that you will be positive that everything fits. When I install a large panel in a wooden frame, I put a bead of silicon caulk into the frame, all around and then set the window into that bead of caulk. The silicon surrounds the 1/4" zinc creating a cushion between the metal and the wood. When it dries, it will form a rubber gasket which sticks wood, metal and glass in place which is strong and flexible. Make sure you've already drilled holes and attached wires for reinforcement before you silicone the window into the frame.

Follow-up to Question 05: I finished the large stained glass project I told you about, and had put
the rebar on the back, and decided to bring it to a recommended frame shop to have them do the framing.

However, the guy working on it, couldn't get the wood frame on it, due to the soldering I did around rebar and other joints... He did cut notches into the frame (on the backside, on just one-half of the channel) at various points to accommodate the rebar.

Long story, short... he attempted to force the wood on there, and BROKE two squares of the project. :( I took it to a recommended guy who does stained glass repairs, and he helped me by cutting the zinc frame in part, and got the two broken squares of glass out. I bought new glass to replace those, and worked all weekend in cutting the glass and fitting it back in there, soldering the new zinc portion, etc. I also re-did the rebar and made the soldering flatter where it joins with the zinc.

I can get the wood frame about halfway on there, but not totally. Should I just keep working on trying to shave portions the wood frame to accommodate the various rebar points? It's difficult to get in there with a saw, etc.... Or is it totally necessary to have this rebar on
there? Can a 2-inch oak frame hold this panel sufficiently? I'm just wondering what I should do...

Follow-up to Answer 05: Here's your problem...What is normal is you solder the wires that are going to be twisted onto the rebar onto the finished panel, so you have a bunch of little v-shaped wires sticking out all over the panel. Then you have the glass and rebar installed in the frame. The installer drills holes in the wood so he can slip the rebar through the wood in the exact place where you've got your wires ready on the glass. Then he glazes the glass into the frame and after the glass is installed, he slips the rebar through the holes in the wood frame. So, you have bars running across the glass that have their ends disappearing into the holes on either end of the frame. Then he twists the wires that are soldered to the window around the rebar which gives you a tight mechanical connection. After the wires are attached, he'll fill the holes in the wood where the rebar goes through with epoxy or some form of sealant that attaches the metal to the frame and seals it from the weather.

So next time, remember to keep the glass and the rebar as two separate elements. Glass goes in, Rebar goes in. The two are connected. If you don't have them attached in advance, you won't experience these problems.

To solve your current problem, you'll need to custom fit the whole glass and rebar panel into the frame. You might want to get a Dremel tool and whittle away at the frame, then test fit, mark where it doesn't fit and whittle some more.

Question 04: I am trying to build a model of a church in 1:87, HO, scale with stained glass windows. I don't have the ability to have a photo made into a transparency. Trying to put colors onto clear .010 styrene. Have tried magic markers, too runny, Tamiya clear paints, very limited colors. I'm lost.

Answer 04: If you go to an office supply, you can buy 3M transparency sheets. Next, take your small stained glass image, printed on a sheet of paper and run a copy on a color copier onto the transparency sheet. The color can be quite versatile and I'm sure you can figure out the best combination. Then cut out the plastic "window" and fit it in place!

Question 03: How much does a stained glass window cost to make?

Answer 03: The supplies for stained glass cost about 10 to 20% of the retail price of the
glass. So a $100 piece of glass will cost $10 to $20 to build. The expensive part
of building stained glass is the cost of the labor. We spend many hours
building glass and find that many times we make less than minimum wage on
the glass.

Question 02: How much training does it require to become a stained glass artist?

Answer 02: It is something that can be learned in about six weeks, but takes many years to get really good at it. Some people can cut glass easily, but find that cutting out the pattern or foiling the glass is very difficult. Some people
are good at many of the steps but can't seem to get things to fit right. Some students don't have the patience or won't listen to us when we give them ideas as to how to do a better job.
Stained Glass work is both a craft and an art. Those who have no artistic skills can succeed by using the good patterns that others have made. Those who have an artistic ability can draw great and unusual patterns.

Question 01: Can you tell me the steps in order to make a stained glass window?

Answer 01:
1. Decide the basic size and shape of the panel you want to create..
2. Make a sketch of the design.
3. Do a full sized drawing of the window so it will fit the space it will go in.
4. Color the design (called a cartoon)
5. Trace a pattern and an extra copy of the design.
6. Cut out the pattern pieces (on poster board)
7. Nail the other copy of the design to a board.
8. Trace the pattern pieces out on the glass colors you want in the window.
9. Cut the glass.
10. Grind the glass so it is smooth and fits just right.
11. Wrap each piece of glass with copper foil tape.
12. Flux the joints of the glass (apply a light acid at each place the glass
intersects another piece)
13. Tack solder all the intersections of the glass.
14. Solder all the lines where copper foil is showing (if the piece is large, add reinforcing inside the spaces)
15. Add outer bar to the panel for strength.
16. Clean the window on both sides very thoroughly.
17. Color the solder lines with patina.
18. Clean the solder lines again.
19. Wax and polish the window.

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