blindly scoring forwards

Well maby not so blindly, but it feels like it. I am new to stained glass. I have been reading, taking classes, and practicing. I am doing okay with 'cutting' my glass, but when it comes to 'pattern making' there are so many different opinions on the best way to proceed.

To some, the best way is the fastest, to others, the most accurate. I have a textile background, and tend to be a bit detail oriented (read-overly picky about exactness). What are your preferences is getting your pieces cut? for example, trace pattern right onto glass; cut out pattern with pattern shears - then trace on to glass...you get the idea. I know about leaving room for the foil, but some say to cut your pieces so they fit exactly, others so there is wiggle room.

I sure would like to learn from your experiences. I love what I am doing...even when I make a mistake(s) or my glass doesn't break like I want it to. Maybe I am still in the honeymoon stage. But I love it!!

Thanks badcatbailey

Reply to
badcatbailey
Loading thread data ...

Why would speed appeal to anyone starting out, unless you are into making money? Slow and steady and accuracy is where it's at. As for pattern cutting, you need to work from an exact pattern, and learn to cut as perfectly as possible. If you don't try to be perfect, (you won't anyway), then what chance do you have? All that said, keep in mind that SG is a hand made craft, and is not intended to look like it came out of a mold. Variance in hand cutting will effect line thickness, and soldering will always be a bit imperfect looking anyway. To me it's all in the design and the glass used. Maybe one out of a thousand that looks at your finished piece will say, "my my look at how accurately he cut those pieces", instead of "wow, look at that beautiful glass".

Reply to
Glassman

20 year hobbyist here. Don't worry about speed, especially at the beginning. As Glassman notes it is all about the art of it. I take some pride in skinny solder lines that indicate that the pieces fit really well together (unless I want a thick line for some type of effect).

I generally cut my pattern into pieces (with plain old scissors - it is only paper photocopy), trace onto the glass using a paint pen, then cut the line off best I can and then grind to accuracy. Yeah the line washes off sometimes - I dry it off and replace it if I need to. Maybe I don't need to. Sometimes I put the pattern on a light box and trace the outline right on the glass if I am using clear enough glass (saves cutting up a pattern).

I always have another iteration of the pattern on a piece of flat styrofoam and this is where I lay out the finished pieces, and line up the piece I am grinding to see how the fit is going. I use straight pins to pin it all out, and have been pretty successful at using a ton of them to simulate the thickness of the foil (as well as hold it all in place). If the gap is one pin all around I am happening. Then when I foil I just remove the pins as I go along, except for the pins around the edge, Then solder it all up. Hope this helps, Tomes

Reply to
Tomes

i only use a cut out pattern when cutting black glass. I always lay the glass right on top of the pattern and cut. that way you see the grain direction of the glass, too. No pins, just frame the outside edges and begin along one side or corner.Light table is handy for opaque glass, also having carbon paper is handy. Just lay the carbon on opaque glass, pattern on top, and trace the outline .m

Reply to
michele

I like the carbon paper thought - have not tried that. Now I gotta try it, thanks. I wish I still had my light table, but it was too big to move out of the doorway when I moved, and there it stayed to my chagrin. I had just cut (and routed) a rectangle in a big long table that was built by previous owners in that room and laid a piece of thick clear glass into it and a light beneath.

So you do your scoring right on your light table? I have my work table covered with really short carpeting and I always thought that it used that bit of flexing when scoring to help things along. I also guess that you have conquered the other problem of it slipping around on the light table when scoring - how? Curious Tomes

Reply to
Tomes

If you're using lead, the amount you can vary depends on how wide your lead profile is. You need to fit under them! ;-) If you'r esuing foil, there should be enough space for the two layers of foil, and some small additional space for the solder. If there is not enough space, the panel may be weak. Hobbyists don't need to worry about speed. But if you turn pro, time is literally money, so don't dawdle. Of course, you want to be fast as a hobbist too, because, who wants to waste time? But only as fast as you're comfortable.

Reply to
Plastic Sturgeon

Reply to
michele

Interesting setup, Michelle. It is amazing what we come up with when we look around for something that will work using what we have. My table now is a big old beat up heavy dining room table that I screwed a full sheet of

5/8 plywood onto and braced up the legs with diagonal studs. Like a rock now. I then staplegunned the carpet onto that, and mounted an electrical strip and my iron temp control dial on the front. Tomes
Reply to
Tomes

I made a light table out of an old Studer two track recording machines that I stripped all the electronics from...the top is a piece of 1/2 inch plate glass from a salvaged table top with a flourescent light diffuser panel mounted to it....it has 5 light fixtures mounted inside with single flourescent lights in each fixture....

My work table is made from anther studer machine stripped with 5/8 inch plywood top and 1/2 inch gyproc on top for soldering on....it also has a backboard with power bar and temp control with pegboard for tools....mounted on the top of the backboard is a two 48" flourescent tube fixture....

Both tables are on tube steel frames with heavy duty castors for easy movement... I have a bigger table for bigger work with same plywood and gyproc top....

I am just a hobbiest...but I like my tables....

Reply to
Puffy

InspirePoint website is not affiliated with any of the manufacturers or service providers discussed here. All logos and trade names are the property of their respective owners.