Where to buy clear colored glass?

Anyone know where to buy large sheets (36x48") sheets of transparent (clear) deeply-colored glass? Looking for red, cobalt blue, green.

If large sheets are not available, I've even had trouble finding smaller sheets in completely plain clear glass in these colors.

Any help appreciated.

-Dean

Reply to
DeanB
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Bit hard to give more than very general advice without knowing where in the world you are.

Your friendly, local, stained glass supplier will be able to help you

- though you may find it's difficult locating a supplier of such large sheets. My supplier here in Ireland (for instance) tends to supply mostly 12" x 12" (nominal) sheets of glass - which he cuts down from

24" square stock sheets.

As we're out in the wilds and he's 5 hours away by car, I tend to buy the smaller sheets, which can be posted (mailed) to me. If I needed the larger sheets then I'd need to drive to collect them.

Your stained glass stockist will have a range of samples from the various manufacturers. Spectrum is (at least, over here) one of the more widely-available ranges - they do a 'waterglass' which is very a lightly rippled surface and available in the colours you want.

Can you use smaller sheets and adapt the design to join them together

- maybe ?

Adrian

Reply to
Adrian

As Adrian mentioned...knowing where you are would be a big help. Spectrum glass

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makes the colors you aretalking about in 24" x 48" sheets although you won't get them in acompletly smooth (like window glass) they wiill have some very slighttextures.

Reply to
Chemo the Clown

Apologies! I am in Princeton, NJ, USA. Thank you for your input - is there a word I should use instead of 'plain' colored glass? What I mean is no pattern or texture, just regular flat glass like a window.

Cheers for the info and link.

-Dean

Reply to
DeanB

Cheers for the info and link.

-Dean

Reply to
Moonraker

Some or all of the Spectrum fusible transparents come smooth. 2x2 sheets.

Jack

Reply to
nJb

Yes, I have just ordered the Spectrum sample set, and that has the colors and styles that I think are the close. I know its expensive, but in the long run I think it will be good for choosing colors.

This is for a project I want to build into a skylight in our living room - the sun comes in as a rectangular beam, and I think it would be beautiful if it were through either one straight rectangle, or some kind of cathedral-style mosaic, though I have never made anything like this before. I was imagining a window which includes perhaps 20 pieces of glass in a simple pattern, perhaps just group of rectangles. I'd like to put it under the existing window, which I won't touch (we never open it), and maybe make alternate patterns to swap out occasionally.

-Dean

Reply to
DeanB

Jack - what does fusible mean here?

Reply to
DeanB

Not jack, but a fuser. Fusing is melting glass together in a kiln instead of seaming with lead or folio. To be fusible the glasses have to behave the same way trough a large temperature range. Otherwise some glass expands/contracts more and induces a stress in the seam that soner od later breaks apart.

Most factories that make fusible glass sell also glass that has not filled their fusible test for stained glass work. Both Spectrum and Bullseye mark their tested fusibles withan F in the code ( plus a sticker on thesheet).

Schott Artista is one of the smoothest colored glasses I know. It has a very fine hairline surface that slightl distorts the image seen trough. If I remember correct, Artista sheets are 80x120 cm approx. 3x4 ft.

Living in Finland, I do not know your local code for overhead glass works, but I know there are some strict safetyregulations.

-lauri

Reply to
Lauri Levanto

Sounds nice ! I don't think you told us the dimensions of this window. There are various ways of constructing it from coloured glass - possibly the simplest of you've not done any of this before is to use copper foil tape (the Tiffany technique) and then solder the joints.

However, if the window's any size at all, and given that it sounds to be mounted horizontally, you'll need to include some reinforcement in the design, otherwise it may sag in the middle and eventually fall apart!

Alternatively you could look at using lead 'came' (= channel) to hold the window together - but it will be considerably heavier and will also need reinforcement.

An 'off the wall' idea..... Make up a complete window in a frame, same size as the skylight, using clear glass. You can then cut the coloured glass to shape / size, and simply lay it on the top of the clear glass - arrange some way of fixing the new clear framed window in position (chains, hooks, hinges..?)

When you get tired of the effect simply lower the complete frame down, and rearrange / replace the glass.... how's that for a plan ??

There are also 'bevels' available in clear and coloured glass. There are thicker pieces of glass which have had the edges ground / polished at an angle - so they will break up white light into rainbows. Not expensive - and might produce a nice effect...

Thinking about it - I don't think that you'd notice the slight texture that you get with Spectrum waterglass - might even add to the interest

- it's also relatively cheap, and easy to cut.

Good luck Adrian

Reply to
Adrian

=A0It

Thanks again - the "laying on plain glass as support" idea is great! I have so much to learn!

The window is about 45 degrees from horizontal, and about 30x50", its a typical Anderson skylight. I was going to fix a thin wooden frame just below the existing window frame, and then use that to attach any other windows I make, hopefully in a convenient form. Even just a few pegs may be all that's necessary to hold it up while its screwed/ bolted in properly, as I will have to stand on a step ladder.

-Dean

Reply to
DeanB

HI Dean

It's not a 'conventional' approach - just something that might work in your case...

Right - that's a fair old size - glass is heavy, and a permanent installation using either copper foil or lead will be even heavier....

better make it safe - you don't want it landing on your head....

Don't make it too thin - I think I'd be looking at 2" x 1" or even 2" x 2" - buth then - I always over-engineer things

Some small pulleys would allow 'somebody else' to take the weight of rht panel while yuo secure it into position. I think that, if it was me, I'd make two panels - each 30" x 25" - be much easier to handle and install.

If your windowframe is at 45-degrees then you might need to use some sort of transparent tape to stop it all from sliding about if you go for the 'lay it on loose' technique...

I'm almost afraid to mention it in this group - but you 'could' use self-adhesive coloured plastic film to do the whole job. It's what they often use instead of real glass inside doubleglazing units. Not the same thing at all - but cheap, quick, chreerful and easy to install.... cuts with scissors...

Adrian

Reply to
Adrian

Construction of a panel this size would best be done using zinc came instead of lead or copper foil. Zinc is stronger and lighter than lead, and much stronger, I think, than any foil job. Reinforcing bars which follow the design can be put on what will be the "top" side, and hidden from view.

Several years ago, I did a project similar to this for a customer. The panels were installed in skylights in a bathroom. There were two or three of them, as I remember. I'd suggest you get some paintable 3/4" steel (maybe aluminum) angle iron and fit it around the rectangular opening at or near the same level as the ceiling. If there is a "tunnel" between the bottom of the skylight and the ceiling, you can "hang" the decorative panel like a suspended ceiling tile. You'll need some air space between the skylight and the decorative panel for maneuvering the panel for installation.

Reply to
Moonraker

Reply to
michele

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