What Are Stained Glass Kits And What Are They Used For?

Creating objects from stained glass is an art that goes back for centuries. The beautiful stained glass windows that you have seen and the wonderful Tiffany style lamps are examples that show what can be done working with stained glass. This is a craft that anyone can learn. And getting started making your own projects is a great way to get started. One good method of getting your feet wet is to start with stained glass kits that contains all the basic starting materials you need.

Stained glass kits can be bought at any arts and crafts store or online, and you can begin taking advantage of this fun activity today. A stained glass kit is best suited for those who haven’t previously tried stained glass. Basic kits start with the min1mum tools and supplies you will need to get started. This would include a soldering iron, solder, flux, a glass cutter, glass pliers, glass cutter oil and copper foil.

You’ll also find stained glass kits that include all these items plus glass, patterns and additional items to enable you to do a complete project from the start.

Making your own stained glass projects is an extremely fun and enjoyable activity.

What else goes into using stained glass kit?

Cutting the shapes and determining what kind of design you want is just the beginning. After you’ve done this you still have to make sure the designs are right and properly placed. What happens next is the shapes are placed into metal strips soldered together to give the glass strength and stability. This is very important because you would not want to go through the trouble of making a design only to have it be overly vulnerable.

When you see all those pictures in the church window do you think that glass is fragile? I’ll assure it is not and it would take a lot to break it. You’ll also want to consider that when you use stained glass kits you do not have to make them using a design at all, they can just be a collection of colors you like.

You can make them in various geometric designs and patterns. You can even have a collection of small pictures which make the design, but they may only be seen if someone pays very close attention to them up close.

What glass stained kits can do for you:

You’ll be able to create various designs you like however you like. Stained glass can be purchased in various sizes. Large sheets are cut and available in smaller sizes, and then you create your individual pieces. Stained glass comes in many types and styles in thousands of colors. They also come in a series of textures, some of them come with an uneven surface or a pebbly surface. This makes the glass look jeweled when light passes through it. The possibilities when working with stained glass are endless.

If you are interested in trying this fantastic hobby, start with a stained glass kit and give it a try. You’ll find that you will love the results!

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If you are just starting out in the art of making stained glass you may feel a little daunted at the thought of cutting your first piece of glass. Don’t be, because like most other new things we try, its just a matter of practice. After a few attempts you will realize, that although not yet an expert, you are getting much better at it and once mastered it will be the spur to a lifetime of creativity.

If you are the sort of person that can’t stand wearing protective gloves then you must expect some cuts and bleeding. When I first started, I ruined a good carpet by dripping my bleeding fingers on it but this was mainly due to my haste in wanting to see the finished results.  So, remember to cover and protect the floor areas if you prefer to work without gloves, at least until you are a proficient glass cutter.

Below is a video giving a demonstration on cutting a simple straight line. Practice this on some cheap pieces of glass until it comes easily.

Rosemary

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Firstly Get The Tools You Will Need To do The Job?

When you are first decide that you would like to try your hand at making stained glass it may be an idea to start on something simple first like a suncatcher for example. They are popular with the beginner because they are inexpensive and there are many kits available. The kits will provide you with everything you will need to get your project started and the results can be very rewarding.

However, if you feel brave enough to start making a suncatcher from scratch then here is some information to help you and here is a list of the stained glass supplies and tools that you will need to begin…..

  • A room with lots of light to work in
  • A sturdy work bench
  • A good quality glass cutter
  • Some safety glasses to protect your eyes
  • A hobby knife
  • A soldering iron and stand
  • Some cleaning cloths
  • A scrub brush and toothbrush
  • A good abrasive surface cleaner
  • Diagonal cutters
  • Grozing pliers
  • Sponge and tray
  • Flux brush
  • Carbon Paper
  • Tracing paper
  • Colored glass
  • Cutting oil
  • Medium copper wire
  • Copper foil
  • Copper reinforcing strip
  • Horseshoe nails
  • Gloves
  • Emery cloth
  • Wooden fid
  • Flux
  • Glass grinder (optional)
  • Solder
  • Paste wax
  • Patina

Suncatcher step by step instructions

In the next step you will need to decide what colors of glass you want to use. You will also need a ready made free pattern, or perhaps try and design your own.

Once you have decided on the glass colors to use then the next step is to start cutting. If this is the first time you have tried to cut glass, it may be an idea to practice on some cheap clear glass first by scoring and breaking pieces off one at a time. When you have the hang of it you can start on the colored glass.

Now you will need to use your grozing pliers to nibble away at all the ragged, rough edges and then smooth them as much as possible with either the emery cloth or a grinder if you have one. Then thoroughly wash and clean each piece as you go.

The next stage is applying the copper foil and you need to try to apply it as evenly as possible and then using the wooden fid to burnish and flatten the foil to the glass.

The solder is going to make the finished lines along the foil so trim any area where the lines don’t line up very well. Now spread the foiled glass pieces over your pattern on your work bench. You now need to hammer some nails along the sides to keep each piece from moving whilst you start to solder them. The best nails to use are called horseshoe nails because they are easily removable.

Now you need to start soldering and begin by heating the soldering iron until it’s hot enough to melt the solder. Make sure you are wearing your heat resistant gloves whilst testing the solder. When its hot enough you are ready to start but keep a wet sponge nearby to clean off any impurities that get burnt on the tip.

Where the lines meet on your project you will need to dab some flux along them using your flux bush. Then using the soldering iron, release some solder along the fluxed areas. You will find that the solder will probably only adhere to these fluxed areas.

Try to solder along all the lines as fast as you can because applying too much heat may cause the sticky backing on the foil to melt and burn. When you have completed soldering all the lines and outside edges, leave to cool down. When cool, turn it over and solder the back. This will not take as long because the area between each of the pieces has already been adequately filled.

Any area that has drips, lumps or bumps need to be repaired by using the hot iron to smooth them out. This applies to the outside edges as well.

The next step is to clean off the flux residue with the abrasive surface cleaner, water and a sponge. Once this has been completed, use the toothbrush to apply the Patina along all the solder lines. Choose the patina effect that you want for your finished project early on because the result will be black or bright copper. However, over time the initial color will eventually develop into antiqued look.

The patina needs to be brushed along all the soldered lines of both sides of the project and wiped off again straight away with a cloth. Then clean the whole project with the cleaner once you have achieved the desired effect.

Lastly you need to apply the wax to the project because this application will help keep and preserve the original finish. Make sure you apply the wax to the corners as well and then clean it off. Brush it all over and polish with a dry cloth.

You will be overjoyed with your first project and that sense of achievement will hopefully get you started on the road to making many beautiful creations like the butterfly and the fish images above.

Delphi Glass Free Catalog 125 x 125


Fish suncatche image credit to http://www.flickr.com/photos/lukaquinn/454865476/
Butterfly image credit to http://www.flickr.com/photos/basykes/8919171/

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