Learning how to make stained glass windows

[zigs]

Tetters gave me loads of stained glass kit for Christmas so I been a busy Ziggy

 

[DirtMechanic]

Very cool! Do you mark the glass off a stenciled drawing? How do you trim the glass?

 

[zigs]

Very cool! Do you mark the glass off a stenciled drawing? How do you trim the glass?

I usually start with a tracing paper drawing and build up from that, but I have tried using templates recently

I use a glass cutter, then trim with Grozing pliers, also known as American pliers. You can nibble the glass to mm tolerances with them

 

[DirtMechanic]

I usually start with a tracing paper drawing and build up from that, but I have tried using templates recently

I use a glass cutter, then trim with Grozing pliers, also known as American pliers. You can nibble the glass to mm tolerances with them

I would have thought you sanded them. I suppose it is soft. We sometimes use the blue belts on a sander for glass edging. I believe it is aluminum oxide grit paper. You can frost clear glass with it. We sometimes get asked to cut patterns on our plotters for people to etch glass with acid cream. Interesting art. Having no talent myself I can only stare!

 

[zigs]

Glass is 7 on the hardness scale and steel is only 6.5 so the steel does wear after a few years.

Now that's useful, could use that to frost 4mm float glass

 

[DirtMechanic]

There exists a studio here in town that is run by a lady named Niki who is super nice and super talented. Becky and I bought a stained glass window for the Chapel where and when we got married. It is just fascinating to me how artists create. I would have a pile of mess and bleeding fingers. Once upon a time I hired a young fellow that had me buy this software. It let him design and then print out a template. Most importantly at the time it was not very expensive. He would use flat backed caming lead and window film to create the illusion of stained glass. They even made flat backed crystals that were glued on with the UV cured glue used for repairing stone chips in automobile windshields. Pretty cool for a fake.

 

[zigs]

Only cut my wrists once since starting doing this, I was down with depression when I started and Sis thought I was trying to top myself

 

[DirtMechanic]

Only cut my wrists once since starting doing this, I was down with depression when I started and Sis thought I was trying to top myself

Careful! I suspect artistic accidents are the hardest to sleuth out!

 

[zigs]

Careful! I suspect artistic accidents are the hardest to sleuth out!

Least I didn't cut me ear off

 

[DrCase]

Your doing some nice work ... Zigs

 

[zigs]

Was given these by a friend today, loads of patterns too

 

[Becky]

That looks great! I see the thunderflies seem to like it too!

 

[DirtMechanic]

What is a thunderfly? Is that the same as a horsefly?

 

[zigs]

What is a thunderfly? Is that the same as a horsefly?

Thunderflies are very small, also known as Thrips

Horse fly is huge and will rip a chunk of flesh out of you @DirtMechanic

Didn't notice them till you mentioned them @Becky

 

[Becky]

Didn't notice them till you mentioned them @Becky

Oops, sorry!