Stained Glass

How to Properly Solder Your Stained Glass

2008-01-22T01:11:00.000-08:00

The right soldering iron and type of solder can make the difference in the overall quality of the finished stained glass window or other project, however, and should be given more attention.

Using a low wattage soldering iron as one might find handy from household projects is a bad idea. Irons of less than 75 watts do not retain enough heat to handle the large amounts of solder that are needed to complete your stained glass project. When the iron loses heat from constant use, the solder suddenly becomes sticky and slow and the joints become messy and unstable. Not only will your stained glass project look unprofessional, it may well fall apart!

Using a soldering iron with too high a wattage can also present a problem. Soldering irons over 200 watts will heat the solder too quickly, causing drips and possibly burning or melting the metal cames and irrevocably damaging the stained glass project. Turning the iron off periodically may help this problem, but all too often one forgets to turn it back on and is left with a cold iron or the same problems as using the too low wattage iron with slow, sticky solder.

The tip should measure about 1/4 inch and be comparable to a flat tip screw-driver in shape. The first step in soldering your stained glass project is to heat up the soldering iron. Once it is heated it is important to clean the tip to remove impurities either by wiping it on a damp rag or sal ammoniac (a naturally occurring mineral that reacts with the heat of the soldering iron to clean residue when the tip of the iron is rubbed across it). Next, brush the tip of the soldering iron with a little flux and then melt a little dab of solder onto it. When the solder melts into a shiny liquid bead, you will know your soldering iron is ready to use on your stained glass project. Start by soldering all of the joints in your stained glass piece, that is any area where two pieces of came intersect. Then you should carefully run a bead of solder along all of the sections of came on your stained glass project.

If the solder is too sticky you should wait for the iron to heat up a little more, if it is too runny your iron is too hot. You want to be careful to ensure a smooth finished look, but do not worry about the heat of the iron cracking the glass since stained glass is kiln fired at temperatures about 1000?

How to Install Your Stained Glass Window

2008-01-22T01:09:00.001-08:00

Many centuries ago stained glass windows were used almost exclusively in grandiose cathedrals. The installation was easily achieved as on opening was made in the stone and concrete structure to the window specifications (or the window was made to the size of the opening) and metal loops and bars were cemented into the window opening during construction specifically to be soldered to the metal bars and loops that are attached to the stained glass window. Stained glass in no longer limited to places of religious worship or even to just the rich and famous, so how does one go about installing a stained glass window in a modern day structure?

You have a several options available to you, assuming that you do not live in a grand cathedral and that your home was not specifically constructed with stained glass windows in mind.

One of the easiest ways to install your stained glass window is over the existing window. Your stained glass window overlay should measure about 1/8" smaller around each edge than the original window. First make sure the existing window and inside window frame is clean and dry, you don't want any dirt or moisture permanently pressed between the pieces of glass. First, check to see that the stained glass panel will fit into your window. You can place 1/8" cardboard or wood spacers around the bottom of the window and run a small bead of caulk around the inside edge of the window frame.

You may use either clear caulk or a colored caulk that matches your window frame. Now, press the stained glass panel into place and fill in carefully with additional caulk. Be sure to smooth the caulk carefully with your fingers, wiping the excess unto clean tissue and discarding immediately. It is important not to get the caulk on the stained glass panel (if you do simply wipe it away with clean fingers and wipe them with clean tissue). Once the window is caulked in place you will need to secure it there for 24 hours to allow the caulk to set properly.

Using wood blocks or stacked pieces of cardboard brace the window in place and tape across the bracing for the next day. At this point, you may consider the job complete or you could add some wood trim around the inside for a more finished look and added stability. Another easy solution would be to use your stained glass panel as a window hanging and simply solder hooks to the rebar on your stained glass panel secure a chain into the window frame and hang the stained glass panel. This option allows you to take your stained glass with you if you move.

The next option may require some professional help. You may want to have your stained glass panel put into a wood, aluminum, or vinyl window frame. The stained glass window can be protected on either side with tempered glass which will provide better insulation to your home as well. At this point the window can be installed in the same way as a normal new or replacement window, by screwing it into the window frame. Whatever method you choose, your new stained glass window is sure to add beauty, value and enjoyment to your home.

Decoration With Stained Glass

2008-01-22T01:07:00.000-08:00

Many years later, wealthy aristocrats added the elegance of stained glass windows to their mansions and palaces. These days just about anyone can decorate their home with the beauty and elegance of stained glass. Back in the 18th century, stained glass artists like Tiffany and La Farge changed the face of stained glass and proved that the medium could be used for more than just windows. Light fixtures, lamps, picture frames and mirrors lined with stained glass are all beautiful additions to almost any home or business.

Where should you add stained glass? Stained glass will add color and style to an otherwise boring door and window pane in your entryway. The stained glass will allow light in while adding very desirable privacy to your home. Modern stained glass comes in a variety of styles and colors and can easily be matched to any décor whether modern or classic.

Living rooms can benefit from unique and beautiful Tiffany-style lamps. Choose a color and style that compliments your upholstery, carpet and wall colors or go for a highly contrasting eclectic look. The stained glass lamp can simply blend in and be a useful source of light for reading or it can be the added bit of character that serves as a "conversation piece" in the home. The dining room is a great place for a stained glass chandelier. Lighting certainly sets the mood for the dining room and stained glass provides just the right feel. The bathroom can be accentuated with a beautifully stained glass framed mirror and/or Tiffany-style light fixtures.

How about a jewel-look stained glass soap holder? Use one of the main colors in the stained glass to match your towels, toothbrush holder, shower curtain and soap dispenser to for a fabulous, elegant rich look. A beautiful stained glass window over the kitchen sink would certainly make doing dishes more enjoyable. Casual meals in the breakfast nook would seem more extraordinary when surrounded by beautiful stained glass. Dishes in one of the jewel-tones of the stained glass and a contrasting jewel-toned tablecloth would pull the look together nicely.

Beautiful stained glass lamps gracing the nightstands on either side of the bed could help to set the mood. A stained glass vase or jewelry box on top of the dresser could be just the touch you need.

There are so many ways to decorate with stained glass. You could easily put a stained glass piece in every room of the house either to compliment your decorating theme or even AS your decorating theme. Let your imagination run wild and enjoy your newfound love of stained glass.

Buying Stained Glass

2008-01-22T01:03:00.000-08:00

If you have a retail stained glass shop, you probably already have a wholesale account set up with a supplier like Ed Hoy's or Delphi Glass, but what if you don't have a shop and you are a stained glass hobbyist? There are several places you can go to buy stained glass.

You can establish a retail account with some of the same stained glass supply companies with which retail stores set up their wholesale accounts. Most require credit cards to pay for your purchases if you order by phone from their stained glass catalogs. Some allow you to pay by check, but wait until the check has cleared before they ship your stained glass order.

Stained glass magazines are full of advertisements for stained glass suppliers and you can search on-line. The magazine advertisements and articles also show pictures of some of the stained glass available so you get an idea of what the different types of glass look like. The stained glass suppliers' catalogs have color pictures of all the glass and colors they offer. The only problem is that you can't get a true feel of the glass and see exactly how it looks with natural light going through it.

If you can visit a stained glass warehouse, you will be able to see for yourself the many colors and textures of stained glass. This will help you so you know in the future what you are ordering. Be sure to call the stained glass wholesale warehouse or store before you travel there to be sure that they are open. Some wholesale stores only allow people with wholesale accounts in their warehouses by appointment; some have certain days when retail buyers are allowed.

There are many types, textures and colors of stained glass from which to choose. Sample boxes from different stained glass manufacturers can be purchased, but are very expensive and not practical for a hobbyist. You can create your own sample box by cutting squares or rectangles of about 1" x 2" of the glass that you do purchase along the way. Label them with the manufacturer's name, the color, and the universal order number which stands for the name, color and texture.

When you order stained glass by phone or by mail order, the glass can be sent to you in 12" x 12" sheets or up to 1/2 sheets. Most full-sized stained glass sheets are 24" x 48" and do not ship well, so they have to be sent by freight truck, which is quite expensive. If you order over $1,000 worth of full-size stained glass sheets for your retail store, you can offset the cost of freight through your retail pricing. If you are a hobbyist, it isn't practical.

You can purchase most of the stained glass you need through a local retail stained glass shop. Some will special order glass for you, but don't be surprised if a small shop owner cannot accommodate you by special ordering a piece of stained glass. Wholesalers require them to meet minimum dollar amounts and the small stained glass shop or studio owner probably will not be able to meet that minimum based on your needs, alone. Stained glass shops with a larger client base will place stained glass orders more frequently. You might have to wait until the shop has a large enough stained glass purchase order.

Stained glass varies in texture and color. Your supplier may not be able to match additional stained glass sheets; so, purchase all the stained glass for your project at the same time.

How Stained Glass is Made

2008-01-22T01:02:00.000-08:00

Stained glass is a beautiful and unique art form that has existed for centuries. Although many different techniques, such as painting on the glass, have been created over the years, the process of making colored glass, true stained glass remains nearly unchanged after all this time. The stained glass making process begins with some basic natural raw materials like sand (silica), soda or potash, lead oxide or lime and one of the various metal oxides to provide the different colors used in stained glass designs. F turning the mixture into molten glass which can then be processed in a variety of ways depending on the effect desired for a particular piece of stained glass.

For instance, to make the glass used in stained glass windows, a lump of the molten glass is caught up at one end of a blow pipe, blown into a cylinder-like shape, cut, then compressed into sheets and cooled. "Flashed glass" is made by putting a ball of molten white glass inside of a layer of molten colored glass which, when blown and flattened, results in a less concentrated color because it will be white on one side and colored on the other.

This allows a much greater variety of colors to be created for use in stained glass art. Another process that is used for making Cathedral glass is done by rolling the molten glass into flat sheets. Then there are the "Norman slabs" which are created by blowing the molten glass into a rectangular box shaped mold. Larger manufacturers use much the same techniques, but the mixing and shaping processes are done with large machines instead of by hand.

As mentioned above various metal oxides are added to produce different colors of stained glass. Golden, yellow and vermillion glass is sometimes created by using uranium, cadmium sulfide or titanium. Adding gold produces a beautiful ruby color Cobalt creates most shades of blue. Chromium and iron oxides can also create green shades. The beautiful pieces of stained glass are turned into beautiful stained glass windows and other beautiful artwork in a variety of ways. Other techniques use a special type of cement or other metals "foiled" to hold the stained glass pieces together.

Stained Glass Window Cost

2008-01-22T00:58:00.002-08:00

When you go to a stained glass artisan, don't expect to walk in and tell him/her you want a window put in your front door and then ask, "How much will it cost?" The stained glass artisan cannot give you a quote off the top of his/her head. There is a process to arriving at a price for a stained glass window.

When you know that you want a custom stained glass window, you should arrive at the stained glass studio with some facts and ideas before you ask a stained glass artisan for a price quote. The first thing you need to know is the exact measurement of the opening. The base price of a custom built stained glass piece begins with pricing based on square footage, and then per piece. Therefore, the more intricate the piece is, the more costly.

Each stained glass artisan has his/her own pricing scale. An example of just the basis of the quote would be: $125 per square foot plus $1.50 per piece in the pattern for a stained glass window constructed with lead came. A lower charge of $110 per square foot plus $1.50 per piece might be given for a stained glass window constructed with copper foil. But that's just the beginning.

If you don't know what design to settle on and you request full-size cartoons (patterns) to look at on your opening, the stained glass artisan might charge $50 or more per cartoon to cover his/her extra time - especially if you decide not to have the stained glass window made.

The type of glass used in a stained glass window has bearing on the cost. For instance, red glass is more expensive than some other colors because gold is a metal used in making red glass. The brand Kokomo glass is generally more expensive than Spectrum glass. Some of the "art" glass is more expensive than other glass.

Beveled glass and bevel clusters (especially if they have to be custom made) are often far more expensive than stained glass. For an individual stained glass artisan to custom make bevel clusters, it requires a lengthy process. This would increase the quoted price for your custom stained glass window.

If you decide to have gems, glass globs or faceted jewels or rondels added to the design, these will increase the price of your custom stained glass window. Some gems are more expensive than others, and these add to the intricacy of the work to be done.

Other considerations in the overall cost of your stained glass window are installation and how it will be framed and whether or not the artisan will be responsible for framing and installation. The stained glass artisan may refer you to a framer or a carpenter if the artisan does not do the installation. Other costs include things like whether or not a storm window is included or if the stained glass piece will be sandwiched and weather-sealed between two pieces of glass.

It will help the stained glass artisan to know what type of glass to choose if you know whether or not you need glass that will provide total privacy. Is there anything that you would like to bring into the stained glass design like nature or flowers? Do you want colors or just clear textures? Do you like Prairie style or Art Nouvea?

When you have a design and the glass chosen and the finished size, your stained glass artisan will be able to give you a price on your beautiful custom stained glass window.

Beginning Stained Glass Class

2008-01-22T00:58:00.001-08:00

Every stained glass instructor is different, but the things you will learn from someone who has already been through the frustrations of learning the art of stained glass are invaluable. You will learn the basic techniques for scoring, breaking, grinding and leading stained glass. You will also learn about the basic tools necessary to complete a stained glass project.

In your stained glass class, you will learn how to select stained glass for your projects. You will learn about different types, textures and colors of stained glass and how to optimize the use of colors in your design.

You will probably do a simple stained glass suncatcher from a pattern. Depending on the length of your stained glass class, you might also make a small stained glass panel.

You will begin by choosing glass for your stained glass project. You will learn the appropriate way to hold a scoring tool and then how to break the scored glass with your hands, groziers, or running pliers (for straight lines). You'll be taught that scoring is done on the smoother side of the stained glass.

To successfully break the stained glass, you will learn how to score straight lines, inside curves and outside curves. You will also learn how to use a glass grinder so that you can smooth the edges of the stained glass and make adjustments so that the pieces will fit the stained glass design. You will either learn the copper foil method of stained glass or the lead came method. You will learn how to wrap and burnish the stained glass edges with copper foil. You will learn how to assemble your stained glass project using lead channels. You will learn how to use cutting tools in order for you to cut and fit the came so that your stained glass project will have smooth lines and joints.

You'll be shown different tools for wrapping foil; or, you might prefer to wrap by hand. Various burnishing tools are available. Try out different tools.

For the copper foil stained glass project, you will use flux to prepare the foil for applying solder to it. You will learn how to use a soldering iron and how to "tin" the foil by applying a flat coat of solder to all surfaces of the foil. After you have framed the project, finally, you will learn how to clean and polish your completed stained glass panel.

Designing Your Own Stained Glass

2008-01-22T00:56:00.000-08:00

Creating works of art in stained glass in an immensely satisfying and interesting hobby. You may soon decide that you are ready to create your own stained glass design and bring it to life. All stained glass art projects, big and small begin with a cartoon. The cartoon is a drawing on paper of what you would like your stained glass artwork to look like. The fact that you are translating your artwork into a stained glass piece provides some extra challenges. You will have to take into consideration the strength and integrity that the different sized pieces of stained glass will create. This skeleton needs to be thought of as not only a strength or support to the stained glass, but an integral part of the design itself.

There are many places you can and should look for inspiration for your stained glass design. You will find many books and websites about stained glass from which you may find ideas. Paintings, magazines, your home furnishings or any interesting pattern you see may provide insight. Your stained glass art may be a scene from a family photo, a familiar landscape or a completely abstract design.

Once you have decided on a design for your stained glass it is time to draw it out on paper. Think of the size your finished piece will be and draw the perimeter and begin planning the stained glass design within it. Once you have made the initial drawing, look it over and think about whether any of the pieces will be too difficult to cut and consider changing the lines slightly to avoid difficult cuts.

Remember that smaller pieces with more leading between them will make the stained glass stronger, so consider adding lines in areas that are too large. Remember that even the great American stained glass artists like Tiffany and La Farge started with small jobs before they adorned America's great churches!

You will need one for cutting the stained glass design out and at least one other for checking that the pieces fit together. When placing your pattern pieces to cut your glass take into consideration any irregularities or streaks in the glass and consider how to use them to your advantage such as a streaky blue being used for a cloudy sky. Most importantly, relax and trust you intuition. Your stained glass will be a one-of-a-kind and an expression of your unique personality.

A Brief History of Stained Glass

2008-01-22T00:55:00.000-08:00

Accounts vary on the earliest use of stained glass mainly because it was invented before recorded history. Stained glass eventually gained recognition as an art form sometime in the fourth century as Christians began to worship openly and built elaborate churches to celebrate their religion. Other historians point to evidence in ancient ruins that implicate the use of stained glass in pagan traditions and decor. While we may never know the exact origin of the medium of stained glass it is clear that the spread of Christianity is directly related to the expansion of stained glass across the globe.

The twelfth century began what is known as the Gothic Era and stained glass windows took center stage in elaborate and monumental cathedral designs. Beginning with the innovative designs on the St. Denis, stained glass windows were used to bring light, both literally and metaphorically, into cathedrals to enhance the worship experience. The bold lines and strong figures of Gothic style stained glass were eventually phased out as Renaissance artisans leaned toward greater detail, more delicate coloring and increased realism. Stained glass windows evolved into something more like a painting on glass than an architectural element and some of the notable elements such as lead lines disappeared. Although there were numerous pieces created and even some masterpieces, due to the difficulties in expressing the great detail of requisite to the Renaissance era, true stained glass became somewhat of a lost art.

Not only were cherished stained glass windows recklessly destroyed, but many of the glass making facilities were ruined as well. Religious unrest was not the only factor in the decline of stained glass. During the Baroque period the fashion leaned toward more intricately detailed interiors and elaborate wall painting which necessitated the use of clear glass in the architecture. Many of the remaining stained glass windows were left unmaintained and allowed to decay during this period and very few new stained glass windows were created.

With the return of Gothic architecture emerged a newfound interest in stained glass. Artists initially continued to use the technique of painting on glass, but eventually realized the superiority of the old pot metal glasses used in medieval times. This coupled with a reluctance to give up the newer more detailed "modern" depictions of scenes and figures lead to windows with an interesting design with the old architecture and an unusual blend of the old and new stained glass styles.

During the nineteenth century, artisans La Farge and Tiffany created new variations of opalescent stained glass. La Farge tended towards architecture and window designs with a small private studio, while Tiffany boasted a larger studio that branched out into other areas, like the Tiffany Lamp which has become a household name. Today's stained glass artists are bound by no particular style or religious themes. New and innovative techniques are constantly being discovered and stained glass continues to add interest to our lives.