Stained Glass Articles

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At Gomm Stained Glass we've written a number of articles which not only offer training, they are often an inspiration. This page serves as an index to those articles. Newer ones have more description and as you go down the list, the description gets smaller.


"My Stained Glass Adventures" Blog

Welcome To 
Gomm Stained Glass Articles Page

 

 Two Kinds Of People
Have you ever noticed that there are two distinct kinds of people? The first group is suspicious of others and secretive and the second group is open and generous...<click here to continue 

A Great Install
It is so much fun to go on certain installs. When the client is there and thrilled with our work, it really is fun. Yesterday, we installed three transom windows. Cindi really liked them, we know this because she kept repeating every sentence three times. "I love it, love it, love it." ...<click here to continue 

stained glass salmon

 Salmon Swim Upstream
Every day, the news is full of bleak reports of economic downturns. The bad stories and negative images is enough to make a person give up hope (that's why they called it the Great DEPRESSION). With the trials that the building trades have experienced, I confess that I’ve even give thought to taking work as a tech writer again and putting stained glass on part-time...<click here to continue 

How To Shorten A Stained Glass Panel 4/08 
I felt like a transom window I was building was wrong, but each time I checked the measurements we took, they were right on. When we showed up to deliver the windows, it was obvious that it was too long. So I had to shorten it to fit...<click here to continue 

How Did That Happen?
Ever ask yourself that? There are times you ask and you really have no idea. Most of the time when unexpected things come up, we know right away what went wrong. “Oh, I forgot to tell you not to paint the fence when the wind is blowing.”...<click here to continue 

How To Rebuild A Leaded Glass Window 3/08
When the perspective client arrived with his window that "needed a little work", it was taped and wrapped to a board to keep it from falling apart. We explained that we'd have to completely rebuild the window, so he asked if we could make some design changes while we were at it. We agreed, while securing the added stipulation that we would rebuild it using the copper foil method....<click here to continue
It Makes A Difference
Just the other day, a married couple called to talk about the windows that had just been installed in their home. The husband said some very nice things about the sidelight and door inserts and was about to comment on the other panels, which went in their living room, when his wife took the phone away from him. She explained to Jeanne that she had to talk to her because he just wasn’t being enthusiastic enough in his praise of the beauty of the windows! Then she began to try to describe how marvelous the windows were and how pleased they were. She tried to express how happy they were with them and what a difference they make in the look of the home. She just couldn’t say enough to describe how incredible the windows were!...<click here to continue article> 
How To Add Coining To A Panel For A Very "French" Look 2/08
To get really good "coining" we reasoned that we were going to have to actually apply real coins. So we started with pennies, after all they would only cost a penny each!...<click here to continue article>
The Painted Leaf Project 1/08
When we worked on a recent project of four transom windows for Kent Walker, one of our favorite architects, we wondered if we could paint leaves on some of the big panels. This would allow us to skip some of the lead lines, allowing the design to be more open and natural...<click here to continue article>
Is that all there is? 
Peggy Lee asked the question over and over in a song that hinted at disappointment and despair. And I’ve recently heard it from the mouths of several of my grandkids. Christmas time is here and they tear excitedly into the wrapping paper and then stand with starry eyes like sharks in a feeding frenzy and ask, “Is that all there is? I want another present to open.”...<click here to continue article>
A Pleasant Surprise
I get such bad service from people at different companies that I work with so often, that I often don’t ask for help...<click here to continue article>
Repair Stained Glass That Has Separated 12/07
Our studio repaired this window before and when the owner of the panel hung it up, she still didn't use all the rings that were designed to hold it, so we decided to add additional reinforcement to it after we got it back in place. Maybe that will keep it from coming apart...<click here to continue article>
How To Install Stained Glass In A Cabinet Door 11/07
We recently installed a number of panels in cabinet doors which gave us a chance to film the process.
Start by checking that the glass fits in the opening. You don't want to lay the glass down in silicone and then find out the glass doesn't fit...<click here to continue article>
Warm Glass Book Review
Andy works for a local stained glass studio and teaches classes at BYU. I enjoy talking to him about stained glass and he is full of really good advice about kiln fired glass. Recently he recommended Warm Glass to me. I got it and I love it...<click here to continue article>
How To Reinforce A Stained Glass Skylight 10/07
I have a tendency to "over build" projects, because it worries me that something might happen that wasn't planned. So I add extra wood to shelves so they won't sag and extra time for glass to cool in the kiln so it won't break. Sometimes these extra steps may be unnecessary but they give me peace of mind....<click here to continue article>
Should I Start My Own Stained Glass Business?
Every stained glass student who builds a piece of glass and enjoys the process, toys with the idea of starting a stained glass business. I give all of our students the same advice. I wrote an article http://www.gommstudios.com/stained-glass-articles/howcanImakeit.htm which gives views about those who are already in the business or considering buying one.
If you think you might want to start a stained glass business, then start slowly...<click here to continue article>
How To Add Extra Foam To A Crate To Protect The Glass 9/07
Last month we showed how to build a crate to ship more than one panel. We recently had a panel which was shipped to Georgia and arrived cracked. We learned that UPS requires 2" of foam when shipping glass. Fortunately, that package had been built with 2" foam. This month we show how we build a double foam crate to better protect the glass...<click here to continue article>
How We Crate Same Size Multiples of Glass 8/07
There is a time when we need to ship several panels and a little more weight in one crate costs a lot less than shipping several different crates...<click here to continue article>
Running A Stained Glass Business In Provo, Utah
I have to confess that I don't know everything! This comes as quite a shock to myself, since I thought I knew everything for such a long time. I still have an opinion about everything; such is my confidence in my own ideas and judgments. But I just don't know everything!...<click here to continue article>
How To Install Stained Glass in an Existing Window Frame 7/07 
We often have requests for articles on how to install stained glass windows. It's hard to get enough pictures to do an article because we are usually in such a hurry to get the job completed that we don't take the time to take a lot of pictures. 
But a month or two ago, we took our time on an install so we could get enough pictures to show how the install went...<click here to continue article>
Learning Precision
Back when I started doing stained glass, I didn’t quite understand the concept of precision in my work. I would cut out pieces of glass and for the most part they were close to what the pattern piece was. I would lay the pieces of glass out, one by one, on the print of the window and they would pretty much fit, but not quite. After I gout all the pieces cut out, I would shift them together so that they fit tightly and then I would grind one or two pieces to fit into the space that was left for them...<click here to continue article>
How To Solder A Reinforcing Edge On A Curved Panel 6/07
We often get asked how we put 1/4" outer bar on curved pieces. It's very difficult to put outer bar on a piece which has a radius of less than 4', but with a larger radius, the process is pretty straight forward...<click here to continue article>
How To Fix or Reinforce Glass With A Solder Bridge 5/07
This is a panel that we built which had a weakness in a long thin section. We built several of them and they would sometimes crack at the thin point of the glass. So to keep that from happening and to reinforce the weak spot, we needed to reinforce the spot where the break was taking place...<click here to continue article>
The Problem With Teaching Classes
The other day some students from a nearby college called to say they’d like to stop by and discuss taking classes from us. Those who know us, know that we teach classes not to make money, but to get to know great people and rediscover the joys of stained glass. This was not such a meeting...<click here to continue article>
How To Build A Window For A Backlit Space 4/07
One of the most challenging skills a glass artist needs to develop is that of fitting a panel to fit a specific space. This month we show a unique install of glass over a pre-made opening which is lit by cabinet lighting...<click here to continue article>
Aggressively Reinforcing A Window 3/07
We try to encourage designs that are not only beautiful, but practical as well. Occasionally a client wants something that challenges us and we need to add additional reinforcing to strengthen the window...<click to continue article>
Soldering A Zinc Edge On A Panel 2/07
Many times we solder zinc 1/4" outer bar onto a window as a framework to strengthen it. Raw glass panels are usually very weak but adding zinc really increases their strength...<click to continue article>
What Goals Does An Artist Set?
As I read and learn about how to run a business, I’m often confronted with the question, “What do you want to accomplish with your business?” Usually the article or speaker will go into depth and describe lofty goals of somehow creating an empire, a money machine, a legacy...<click to continue article>
How To Cut Very Rough Glass Into Diamonds 1/07
When building French style windows, we need to cut many diamond shaped pieces and it would be tedious to draw around a pattern piece for each one. So we came up with a system for cutting them quickly. When we cut vecchio glass the challenge is even greater because of the roughness of the glass...<click to continue article>
How To Build A Solid Shipping Crate 12/06
To ship a piece of glass, it needs to be crated and well protected. We build a crate around every piece of glass which we ship. It needs to be a custom fit so that the glass can be adequately protected. The following pictures are of us building a crate for an 18" by 30" window. We use the same techniques when crating bigger windows...<click to continue article>
Appreciating Stained Glass
In 1983 I opened a stained glass studio in the small town of Pierce City, Missouri. It was a small studio during the first few months and then I got a chance to purchase a large building for a really great price. I soon moved across the street into the new location and set up shop...<click to continue article>
How To Clean A Really Dirty Window 11/06
Once, I left a window to be cleaned for over a month. It was made with clear artique glass, so all imperfections showed up and the flux that had sat on the panel left the glass looking cloudy after a normal cleaning. I was really worried because I had done this to several windows and faced having to build them all again from scratch. Flux should be cleaned off of a window as soon as possible to avoid this problem...<click to continue article>
How To Clean And Apply Patina 10/06
Okay, it's not brain surgery, it doesn't even sound that complicated, but if you follow these steps, you'll have success when applying patina, and if you don't, you'll end up with very mixed results...<click to continue article>
Build Your Own Work Bench 9/06
Sooner or later, the bug is going to hit you and you'll no longer be satisfied with going to the stained glass shop to build a window. You need your own space, where you can cut glass. And you'll need to build a bench. These instructions will guide you....
The Business Dream
Sometimes, it’s just great to be in business! I step back for a moment, the floor is swept clean, a cool breeze runs through the studio, the finishing touches have been made on a big project which is ready to deliver and the bills have been paid for the month!..<click to continue article>
Reinforcing A Large Window 8/06
We recommend that windows which exceed 3' by 4' in size be reinforced to prevent breakage. If a window is 3' by 3', it might not need to be reinforced, that's usually a judgment call based on where it is to be installed. In the old days, when a panel was large and needed to be reinforced, artists actually installed big pieces of rebar, no kidding rebar, in window frames and wired the stained glass to the rebar. This was an effective method of reinforcement, but it was far from attractive...<click to continue article>
Insulating Stained Glass To Be Installed In A Door 7/06
Tempered glass needs to surround decorative glass used in a door. This protects people from injury if the glass is broken and it also serves as a barrier against heat loss during cold months. Tempered glass must be ordered in advance and once its been tempered, it can't be cut or ground...<click to continue article>
Just Too Happy For Words
The other day a client came to pick up a window we built for her. She took one look at it and broke into tears. Yes, it really was that beautiful, a real knockout of design. Most people don't burst into tears over the beauty of their window, that comes later on an overcast day, when they are in a mood and they walk in to see those vibrant colors that somehow draw emotion out of you, forcing you to pay attention....<click to continue article>
When Is Enough Enough? 
There are times when I really wonder what I should do. Like the time that a window was broken by a friend who installed it as a favor to a customer. Do I have a responsibility because I knew them? Where does my involvement start and end? I mean, I want to be a good guy, but I'm also in business to make a profit, not to lose money.....<click to continue article>
Removing Corrosion From Stained Glass 6/06
Sometimes we find that the metal surrounding a piece of glass begins to corrode. It is quite easy to remedy the problem. Some folks in the chemical industry refer to this white powder as "mold", but I believe they are mistaken. Mold doesn't grow as fast as I've seen some oxidation take place.....<click to continue article>
Re-Apply Patina 5/06 
Here is a panel that is in need of brightening. The blackness of the patina is dull and you can see that there is a buildup of pale corrosion around the edges of the lead lines.....<click to continue article> .
Competition Is Only An Illusion
It's important that we as stained glass artists realize that we are not in competition with each other. There is a tendency to see someone else’s success and feel jealous. “I should have gotten that commission, I could have done better.” We see artists in all mediums belittling their colleagues work. What’s wrong with us? Are we working from an attitude of scarcity or abundance? Those who have a view of life that there exists abundance become much more open and able to feel joy for the success of others. They are able to be inspired by the work of others instead of feeling jealous......<click to continue article> 
Dragging Myself Out Of Depression
I have been cursed with depression most of my adult life. I especially remember that my bouts of depression would center around the delivery cycle of The Mother Earth News magazine. It came every two months and I would read it from cover to cover and then, usually fall into a blue period which would sometimes turn into depression. I figured that it was because the magazine caused me to dream of freedom and a different lifestyle which was very different from the one I was living. I didn’t feel there was a way to live the life I longed for, that I was stuck, so I became depressed.....<click to continue article> 
Artists Learn To Live With Disappointment, How To Lessen The Impact Of Setbacks
One of the realities of being an artist is that we take risks with our art and often fail in the process. Sometimes things go wrong with the techniques we are using and sometimes we bring failure on ourselves. We imagine making a beautiful piece that will only take a few minutes, which we begin and it ends up taking weeks......<click to continue article> 
Studio Chemicals 4/06
 We use many chemicals in the stained glass studio. It's sometimes helpful to review how they are best used and when they should be used. This helps us achieve better (and safer) results......<click to continue article> 
How Can I Make It In The Stained Glass Business?
Recently, one of the best stained glass supply and teaching centers in Salt Lake City, closed their doors. They were very aggressive and well run. They had been in business for over fifteen years (I don't know how long their actual years of operation were). Why did they fail? What was new? Two years previously, the long time run business was sold by the original owner who wanted to retire to a man who had made enough money for the purchase running a janitorial business. 
But, he was soon to discover that the stained glass business is different than any other business. I have often said that I could probably make more money and be more successful in ANY OTHER BUSINESS that I chose to run. That recent business closure illustrates the fact that the stained glass business is very competitive and labor intensive......<click to continue article> 
Fixing A Severely Damaged Stained Glass Panel 3/06
Ed Sibbet is one of the very few book designers who creates designs which can be built as drawn and has great perspective.    The Gemini Girl was the first design that I ever built. I built a second copy of it after the first was damaged in a house fire. I spent 2 or 3 months building a custom oak frame in a college class. So it was very painful when the panel was knocked from it's hook and shattered into many pieces. Rebuilding it was out of the question, nearly every piece was damaged. It would have been easier to build a new one rather than using traditional repair techniques......<click to continue article> 
Should I Ever Barter Away My Stained Glass Art Or Should I Hold Out For Cash?
Over the years, we’ve, of course, had many occasions to make cash deals on our stained glass art and occasionally we’ve had a chance to barter stained glass for goods and services. Over the course of years, we’ve had some barters and trades that worked out well, but many trades seemed to go sour......<click to continue article> 
Faking A Repair 2/06
This type of repair only works when you can easy cover a crack in the design. We do this by covering the crack with copper foil and soldering over the foil. We do this on both sides of the glass, thereby creating the illusion of a lead line.
The design to the left is the design we're going to demonstrate with. This panel had a weakness in the design and the side glass was cracked when the glass was being encased in tempered glass......<click to continue article>
Repairing A Broken Piece Of Glass 1/06
In an effort to help others to fix or repair mistakes, I thought I would go over the techniques for repairing windows. This is a simple one piece repair, not like the major damage we showed how to repair in last October's newsletter.
Here is a scratch or the start of a break. It might have been caused by excess heat or a flaw in the glass. It's been circled with pen so you can see it more readily......<click to continue the article>
Marketing Stained Glass 12/05
I attend business workshops and seminars every month in an effort to learn more about running a business. The one common question that I hear the most is how can I market my service or product. We often have students who catch the glimpse of how great it is to do glass and they start to imagine themselves doing glass work for a living. Some have been brave enough to ask us how they might be able to make money doing stained glass. We have many times replied that we don't know, if they find out, will they please let us know how? But here are some of the basics of promoting and marketing stained glass......<click to continue the article>
What Are The Different Types And Qualities Of Stained Glass?
Many times we meet people who are interested in stained glass, but they haven’t learned enough about it to really be able to tell whether a piece of glass is a true work of art or just a good piece. I once overheard a woman gushing over a piece of glass that had been painted with fake glass paints, the kind that craft stores sell. “Oh, Look at that, I love stained glass, that is exquisite!” Her comments were nice since she had an appreciation for art glass, but they were also ridiculous because painted fake glass just isn’t in the same class as other techniques and certainly should be described as “exquisite”......<click to continue the article>

Humor Helps To Overcome Adversity-Don't Be Like Milo
Back in 1985, I had an experience which really was a set back for me. It was at a time when a lot of pressure was building. I wasn't sure which direction I wanted my stained glass art to go. We had experienced a house fire and I needed to concentrate on rebuilding. I had sold the video rental part of our business, which was also the part that brought in income on a consistent basis. But I still loved stained glass, it was just that the shine was starting to wear off, it wasn't as fun anymore......<click to continue the article>

You’re Never Supposed To Let Them See You Sweat 
In business, it’s a common saying to “Never Let Them See You Sweat.” But sometimes it’s just plain hard to keep unemotional as you do business with someone. When you close a big deal, get permission to build a fantastic piece of art and get paid an unreal amount of money for the project, it’s pretty hard to maintain professional composure. You want to jump up and down, hug the client and turn cartwheels. But we must maintain our dignity......<click to continue the article>

The Client From Hell - Learn To Walk Away
Early in 2003 I ran into some folks who wanted some stained glass in their home. A friend had been discussing another project with them and mentioned that he had an associate who did custom stained glass. They mentioned that they would like to meet with the artist and my friend called me and gave me all the information. He was excited because these folks seemed to want a lot of stained glass and he wanted to help me to succeed. He did warn me that they had a hard time visualizing jobs, so I was going to need to provide drawings every step of the way......<click to continue the article>
Building A Globe 11/05
We've been working the whole year on planning for the candy windows that the Provo Arts Council sponsors each year at Christmas time. I was in charge of getting a globe for the moon in our display. I thought that would be easy enough, but it wasn't. I finally resorted to building two half round lamp shades and putting them together <click to continue the article>
Repairing Major Damage 10/05
We left to do an install, but even before we got there, we realized that the 5' by 4' panel we were carrying had slipped off the rack on our trailer and had been broken. <click to continue the article>
Moving And Handling Glass 09/05
We've all seen those trucks running down the road with their loads of glass sitting in upright racks. It's such a common sight that we may not even ask ourselves why they ship glass standing up? 
Glass racks used by commercial glass companies are designed to hold glass vertically and at a slight angle.

Our glass rack is built 52" high and the bottom is 13" wider than the top. This gives us about a 14 degree angle to hold the glass.  <click to continue the article>
Installing Art Glass In A Pool Table Lamp 08/05
We had a metalworking artist build a framework for a pool table lamp. It was a little tricky but not difficult to install the glass. We don't electrify lamps, because that would require U.L. listings and the costs for custom work would be prohibitive. What we do instead is call the lamp a "lamp shade" and allow local electricians to install whatever light package they desire.<click to continue the article>
How To Ship Stained Glass 07/05
To ship a piece of glass, it needs to be crated. We build a crate around every piece of glass which we ship. It needs to be a custom fit so that the glass can be adequately protected. The following pictures are of us building a crate for a 3' by 5' window. We use the same techniques when crating a smaller window.<click to continue the article>
How To Repair A Leaded Glass Panel 06/05
A client called and asked us to repair a window in their home. The window had a broken piece of glass and we would need to take it from their home, repair it at our shop and reinstall it in their entryway.<click to continue the article>
These articles may be distributed freely on your website and in your ezines, as long as the entire article, copyright notice, links and this resource box are unchanged, or if using a portion of the article, it points back to one of our pages where the entire article resides. Copyright © David Gomm All Rights Reserved.

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