Stained Glass with Beth
Guys, I have this amazing friend who is multi-talented. Not only is she an awesome Spanish teacher, soccer player, cyclist, and non-judgmental friend to all, she is a stained glass artist! When I asked her if we could make a stained glass piece for my blog she was, of course, into it.
Let me tell you, it was more challenging than I anticipated! We opted to do a simple three piece heart. This shape would allow me to cut both straight and curved lines. Here are the basic steps to building an awesome stained glass piece:
Using a pattern and light pad trace the shapes onto your chosen glass with a whiteout pen.
Use a glass cutter with a medium amount of pressure to score the traced lines. Then snap them apart with your hands or with running pliers.
Use a grinder to smooth/even out the edges to better match your pattern. Make sure to wet the grinder and wear safety glasses!
Wrap all edges evenly with copper foil and smooth out with a burnisher/fid.
Make your loop to attach for hanging.
Apply flux to the area that you plan to solder to clean the area and allow the solder to flow properly.
Tack your three pieces together with solder and soldering iron. Attach the hanging loop.
Stretch some lead came to go around the edges of your piece… Really stretch it! And then wrap it around the heart.
Continue fluxing and soldering until you have covered all the seams and the outside edge.
Wash the piece with dish soap and baking soda. Set out in the sun to dry.
Apply patina to make the solder dark. Don’t get this on your hands… Ouch! Clean it up with a paper towel and isopropyl alcohol. This will neutralize the acid.
Rub some special stained glass wax on your piece and wipe it off. Buff it. And your done!!
I now have my very own stained glass heart! Thanks to Beth at Nevada County Glassworks! She really is a fantastic teacher! If this form of art is something that interests you, find a local stained glass artist that teaches classes or is willing to teach you one on one. I’m always up for a new challenge, and this was a fun one! It’s not something that comes naturally to me, but as I’ve said before, it is so important to take time to create and do something that you can be proud of.
Hugs and colorful glass!
