Previous Page__Next Page

Advanced Box Making

Stained Glass Tip # 1

Make sure every side is as straight and even as possible. Because if you don't check this now, you'll be sorry later.

Beware of growing pieces: I never paid much attention to the foil thickness, because to me it wasn't very dimensional. But it is. On my current project, I made 1/2" pieces, but I didn't allow for the foil thickness. What happened was, it expanded by nearly 3/8's of an inch. So be sure to subtract for the foil thickness, a hair or two works fine.

Stained Glass Tip # 2

Use the edge guide that came with your grinder: My grinder (Inland), came with a triangular edge guide. For years I never found a use for it. It wasn't until my latest project that I started using it. The pieces were a 1/2" but apparently, they were a 1/64" off. Now that's not a lot, but when your talking 20 pieces, it adds up. And with the foil allowance not being enough, it grew quite a bit. I was able to set the grinder up to remove 1/16" or so of glass. I was able to trim pieces to exactly the same size throughout the project. I made a push stick from a piece of plastic with a notch taken out. This also works great when cutting 1/4" pieces, so there aren't any flares, or things sticking out.

Stained Glass Tip # 3

Make sure your projects are square: (Providing they should be square). After a very light tacking (a small drop of flat solder in the corners), you should check it for square. Check the outside, inside, and inside corners. I use a plastic triangle (3", anything larger would be difficult to use). I used to use a metal square, but it rusted to death. Once you know that everything is square, check to make sure that your lid lines up right.

Stained Glass Tip # 4

Always do a dry fit: You'll want to put the pieces together before and after you foil the glass. This is the best time to find out something isn't going to work right. On one of my projects, I checked after it was foiled, and then found out it didn't fit right (because of foil thickness), and wound up wasting an entire roll of foil. This of course could have been worse. I could have soldered everything and then found out what was wrong.

And it's important to make sure that your drawers or trays will fit into the right space, make sure to include the solder beads (if any). Plan ahead, make sure you know where you hinges are going to be and how you'll be soldering certain parts and in what order. It's kind of like painting yourself into a corner; you can build something (even tacking), then find out that you can't finish a part of it because the iron won't fit into that narrow space you made.

Stained Glass Tip # 5

Steps I do when building a box with a 5 piece lid:

1. Cut all glass, making sure that my foil allowance is correct and that the pieces are square and the right size.
2. Then I grind the pieces. I try not to grind too much, just a light go-over. If I have to grind strips, I'll do that now as well.
3. I then wash everything off in water, usually warm to hot (depending on weather). I'll try to rub the edges under water when I can, but if there are a lot of pieces, I'll just rinse them off.
4. Next comes drying, which is self explanatory.
5. I'll then do a dry fit. I want to make sure everything lines up. Sometimes I'll do this while grinding. But I have to be careful that the glass residue from the grinder doesn't scratch the glass that I'm adjusting.
6. Now comes the foiling. Generally I like using 7/32" because it still looks nice when soldered, and it's able to support the weight of the chain. I rub everything down, so it's super tight.
7. I'm ready to solder now. I'll prepare my fans, remove the glass crumbs from the surface, and get ready.
8. First I'll tape the sides onto the base. I have to make sure that the right sides line up with the correct lid side. a lot of times I'll choose a glass with an apparent pattern like Baroque, or a fancy iridescent. I'll line it up with numbers, letters, or lines marked on the sides. I'll tape both halves, so I have one taped box (lower half), and one tape lid (separate from the box).
9. I'll do another dry fit, making sure the top and bottom line up right. If necessary do the iridescent dance, if that's the glass you chose.
10. Next I'll put a touch of flux in the corners.
11. And then I'll put a very small tack in the corners (the bottom and top).
12. I'll do this on the lid and base. Do another dry fit, make sure the sides line up right, and look continuous.
13. Before or after that last step, I'll check for squareness. In order to have a professional looking box, the box should be as square as possible. First I'll check for overall squareness, the inside. Then I'll check for squareness on the outside, I want to see how straight the sides are compared to the table.
14. If things didn't line up right, I'll adjust them now, by carefully heating up the tack, and moving the piece in the right direction. Don't worry if you form a small gap between pieces. As long as it's square, the gap is easy to hide.
15. Now I'll flat solder everything. I'll also tin everything (BTW I took the tape off first).
16. I'll do one final dry fit, checking this time that the solder lines line up.
17. Next I'll re-flux again, and draw my beads, and put a quick bead on the top edge of box halves.
18. It's time to clean it, (see basic box tips).
19. Patina if I need to, and re-clean.
20. I'll wipe up the area I was working in.
21. Next I'll tape the lid onto the box (you'll want to remove your gloves first, the tape sticks to the glove really well). The tape is just to hold it long enough to put the hinge on.
22. I like using the knuckle type hinge (looks like a tiny door hinge). I'll fold the hinge onto itself (so it's in the open position), and put some white out on the knuckle.
23. I then put a tiny bit of flux on the back upper corners. If this is your first time, or if your not extremely skilled with an iron, put a bit of paper between the lid and base (in the back where the hinges are going). This will prevent the lids from soldering together.
24. Carefully flux both sides of the hinge, being very careful not to touch the knuckle.
25. Hold the hinge with a tweezers, or hemostat. I'll usually hold the hinge by it's knuckle (sideways, like holding the edge of a playing card).
26. Now this is the tricky part, soldering the thing on. It's tricky for 2 reasons, #1 it's really small and easy to mess up. And #2 if you patinaed it, it will resist the heat longer.
27. I'll put a little bit of solder on my iron, and lightly push on one end of the hinge. The hinge should be as straight as possible, and should be centered between the two halves. The hinge will push into the bead on the back. Repeat this for lid side. Then do the other hinge.
28. Remove the tape, and open the box. I'll check the gap between the lid and the base, and check for the gap (to see if it's even). It usually is. If it wasn't, it means that it wasn't aligned right and the lid is crooked on the box. This would have to be fixed. But if all my pieces were cut at the same time, it should be even when soldered. I'll also feel for binding; it can be felt. It will feel sluggish, and if you look carefully, the hinge will look twisted slightly. This means you'll have to un-solder, and re-solder it. You can do this about 2-3 times before the hinge freezes forever.
29. Next comes the chain. I always like putting a chain in the boxes, it gives it a more professional feel. I'll get the chain I like, and stretch it out on a piece of stone. Next I'll put a drop of flux on the end of it, the put a solder ball on it. It's important to let the iron sit for a second or so, so the chain can "absorb" the solder.
30. Hold the cooled chain in a pair of hemostats (a needle nose pliers works, but it can't hold onto it by itself). Place the chain in the inside front corner of the box. Place it at an angle 45 degrees or so. I usually rest the box on it's side, so I can see in better. Next I'll flux, and solder that point. With the ball of solder at the end, it makes pretty quick work.
31. Now with the box on it's side, I check for chain length. If there's a seam in the top, I'll measure from there. I open the lid up to the distance I like it to be at, hold the chain there, and add 2 or so links and cut the chain.
32. I do step #30 again only with the lid. But when I solder it to the lid, I rest the lid on it's top. You'll have to prop the other side (the base), up with something, because the chain is now in the way. Then solder the chain on.
33. Then I'll open the box, it should feel right. The lid should open without the box tipping over. It should feel like it fell out of my hand after opening it. The overhang should be about a 1/2" - 3/4" past the edge of the box.
34. Next I'll do a quick cleaning with alcohol and a Q-Tip, then patina those spots that were soldered, and repeat cleaning.
35. Then it's just, polishing, waxing, and signing. And the very last step is to glue felt or something to the base.
36. Then of course I'll take some pictures of it.

It's a little more difficult with some of my other projects. For the most part I really never use the tape technique; mostly I hold the pieces freehand.

Back to Tips and Observations Index

Home | About Me | Aliens | Foil | Miscellaneous | Shop | Projects | Shopping List | Links | Awards

Started on 9-22-98