Help with Stained Glass Questions

Whether you are a beginning stained glass student or an experienced glass artist you can always learn something new about the craft. Here are a dozen or so tips that might be new to you.

Which is the correct side of the glass to use?
There is no real front or back to a piece of stained glass, though the two sides often look very different. Use whichever side you like best for the piece you are making. The only time "front" and "back" matter is when determining on which side you will score. Always cut on the side that feels smoother when you touch it. Often, this is the "back" of the piece of glass you want to cut. If that is the case, be sure you turn your pattern piece over before tracing or gluing and scoring.

Suncatcher Help
Try using a plastic sheet protector, the kind made to fit in a school notebook, to cover your glass pattern as you work. Just slide the pattern inside, then piece your ground glass over the plastic to be sure the fit is correct before you solder. The sheet protector will keep your pattern clean and dry. Don't solder on it, though- it will melt.

Edge Soldering
Use spring-loaded wooden (or plastic) clothes pins for holding small suncatchers when you edge solder. Just clip the clothes pin on the suncatcher, then hold onto the pin, not the suncatcher, as you work. Any dripping solder won't hit your fingers. A similar idea is to cover your hand with a rag or towel as you work.

Save Your Flux and Patina
One of our students brought in a few of those little plastic cups that hold Crystal Light mix. They work perfectly for holding small amounts of patina or flux so the entire bottle doesn't get contaminated from brushes being dipped in it.

Try using a cotton-tipped swab when you apply flux to a small area. Also works well to apply patina to a suncatcher.

Making Zinc Black
Patina is a wonderful way of finishing the solder seams on your panels, but it never seems to take as well on zinc. Try painting some vinegar onto the zinc before you use patina. It helps neutralize any leftover flux and makes patina stick better. If that doesn't produce the look you want, try painting the zinc with Rustoleum paint either in black or in a color that compliments the panel. (Be sure to tape the glass above the zinc so it doesn't get painted, too.)

Secret From an Electrician
Electrical tape is the perfect way to hold 3-D patterns that need to be shaped before soldering. It will stretch and not break while helping you form the glass pieces to the proper shape. It will also maintain the shape as you solder.

Find Yourself Fid-less?
Ready to foil but can't find your fid to burnish the edges? Try using one of these as a substitute for a fid: wooden chopsticks, broken pencil (no lead), large knitting needle or a pen that's out of ink. It's also a great way to recycle "useless" items!

Copper Foil Sheets
These squares of thin copper are a good way to add detail to a panel or project. Some are adhesive-backed, others are just a sheet which can be soldered into your piece. Cut the desired shapes from the foil using scissors, then prepare them and solder them to the panel. Always pre-tin your overlays on a board or tile before adding them to your project. This avoids excessive heat build-up on the panel, which could break your glass.

The best way to secure a copper overlay is to solder it to existing foil lines. If the detail needs to be in the center, not touching any solder lines, don't count on the adhesive on the sheet to hold it in place. Instead, apply a thin coat of silicone adhesive to the back of the copper and press it against the glass. Be sure to clean away any excess glue while it is still wet. It will be a lot harder to get rid of it after the glue dries.

Pattern Double Check
After enlarging or photocopying your pattern, check it to be sure your enlarged pattern remains square and the pieces are the same as on the original. The process of photocopying can distort a pattern's shape.

Be sure to indicate the grain direction on the important pattern pieces in a panel (muscles, leaves, feathers, etc.). Also check that both copies of the pattern include these so you can be sure of correct cutting as well as placement.

Working With Mirror
Prepare the mirror by cleaning the edges with alcohol, then covering the back with contact paper to prevent scratches through the backing. When you foil mirror, seal the copper tightly against the contact paper to prevent flux from penetrating through and etching the glass.

The best way to avoid chipping the backing off a mirror when you grind it is not to grind it. Cut it as accurately as possible, then grind surrounding glass pieces to fit it, not the reverse.

Hope these tips will make your work easier, and will help you be a better glass artist.