OLD CRAFTS SIMPLIFIED. (Leaded Glass Work)

Member Name: thingywhatsit

Product:	Leaded Glass Work
Date:	24/03/06 (1404 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Easy for people to try.

Disadvantages: Not as good as the real thing, but more affordable.

LEADED GLASS WINDOWS

We can't all afford the luxury of real leaded glass windows in our homes, although retaining the traditional in places like churches is important. I learned the skills of leaded glass, and because of the difficulties of technique and time consuming nature of the work, tried to find alternative ways of producing the same effect.

The original leaded glass windows were pieces of glass placed into an H shaped lead, soldered together and firmed up with a special putty. Nowadays, manufacturers have realised that hobbiests such as me want similar effects, without the complications of the craft, and here, they have produced lead in manageable strips with a self adhesive backing that can be used to create doors and windows that enhance the home.

The Process

The tools that are required to do this work are as follows :

1)A boning tool (plastic spatula type tool supplied by leaded strip manufacturers.
2)A sharp craft knife
3)Paper to make template
4)Fine felt tip pen to trace out design
5)Glass Paints. (These should be good quality paints that are solvent based).

On the paper, you work out the design of the window that you wish to make. Here, being very complex is not a good idea at first because it takes time and practice to be able to turn corners with the lead, and to get accustomed to handling it. The drawing should be the exact size of the window in question, and allow for the rebated area of the window which won't be in view when the glass is put in place.

Once the design is drawn, place the glass you have bought for your project onto the pattern, and here it is a good idea to make sure that it won't slide around. I personally cellotape both ends of the glass to the paper so that nothing budges. At this stage, it's a good idea to clean the glass thoroughly, as inevitable traces of grease will be found that are left there when the glass shop cut the glass to size.

Working from top to bottom of the piece, lay the lead over the areas to be leaded, and use the boning tool to make sure that the lead is properly flattened against the glass surface, so that the glue adheres. There is a paper strip attached to the back of the lead. Only move this, when you are sure that you have formed the shapes desired, and here, be very careful not to stick the lead in the wrong place, as removing it will leave glue marks. That is why I always work with the paper backing still on the lead to minimise this risk.

Strip lead is relatively easy to use, although intricate designs take a lot of practice. In the picture illustrating this work, hours of concentration helped me produce good uniform results, making the three windows line up exactly.

Wherever there are joins in the lead, you should press the lead firmly and overlap joints. Use the scalpel for cutting and try to cut in one even movement to minimise scratching the glass surface.

Once all the leadwork is completed, you come to the exciting bit, and once again, before painting the glass, bear in mind that whilst you have been leading, it is likely that you have created dust or marks and each area to be painted needs to be thoroughly cleaned ready to take the paint. I tried several experiments with paints, and found that the water based ones are really not suitable for outdoor work. The better quality ones work very well in areas that will be in the shade, although I would discourage use of them in areas that are exposed to harsh sunlight, prefering to use a film of colour (available to purchase from craft shops) in place of paint when it is known that harsh sunlight conditions prevail.

Many methods are available to a glass painter, and I must have tried them all, although learning very fast that paintbrushes are no good, in that often you lose bristles on your finished work. They also leave patches which will show up terribly once your window is in place. My advice is to use a nail to apply the paint, dipping the nail (or even a fine knitting needle) into the paint, and letting it drop onto the surface of the glass, and then moving it around the piece to be painted methodically until the whole area is covered. This produces super uniform results.

A few tips when painting are to try and work in as dust free an environment as you can, and to avoid wearing clothing that leaves dust. Working from the centre outwards is good too, because that way you avoid the areas already painted, rather than leaning over them.

Warnings :

1.Always wash your hands after handling lead. It is potentially dangerous.
2.Always close your bottles of colour as soon as you have finished with each of them.
3.Work in an area that has good ventilation, as solvent based paints smell strongly.
4.Always try to put masking tape around the raw edges of the glass to prevent cuts.

After having performed all of these tasks, what you get at the end of the drying time is a wonderful display of colour and the way in which the light comes through leaded glass windows can really make a difference to your home. In ideal circumstances, glass paints need baking, although if you avoid the areas of high sunlight, I have found that the more expensive solvent based ones last very well without baking. After all, who has an oven big enough to take a huge piece of work ? What I have also found is that if colours do weaken (and on one window that I did, this was the case), the paintwork can be scraped in the area affected, and then the film from the craftshop applied as a repair.

This is a wonderful hobby and one that I really do enjoy. Projects such as windows, doors, or even smaller items can be achieved effectively, and here I practiced on small pieces of glass to perfect the craft. With the innovative products now available to the public, this is a craft that is evolutionary and it never ceases to amaze me the number of new products available, such as bevels, and even film that looks like mother of pearl. Each window I make is individual, and I take pride in the work, and by sharing the hobby with you, as a reader, I hope that someone will give it a go.

Rachel.

Summary: A craft that anyone can try.