_Next PageOver the past few years this site has been up, I've gotten tips from other people. This page is for their tips. I've asked each person if it's ok to post their e-mail address. I didn't get too many response back. But being the swell guy that I am, I'm going to post those tips with their names and E-mail addresses. I can't guarantee that these addresses will work. But it's only fair that they get the credit it for it.
If you have a tip you want to see, e-mail me, I'll stick it up with the proper credit. Though it may take up to 4 months or more before I stick it in. Unless you happen to give it to me just as I do an update.
I set the page up so the user tip's will be in italics and my comments will be in normal text. I put them in the order I got them in.
November 11, 1997
Miriam Alario-Wolski
Miriam reminds us to be sure to use rubber gloves for lead work. If handled, for as little as 15-30 minutes, you can get a harmful dose of lead. Lead is accumulative, and you may not have any effects to it right now. Down the road however, is another question.
Lead is very bad. I don't work with lead, so I'm a little bit safer. Gloves should always be worn for soldering and patinaing. A Good doctors type glove is what you want to get. I'm not sure if a dish washing glove is ok, you would have to consult an expert on that. Rubber gloves aren't the strongest in the world, but it will protect you hands from the lead in came, and from solder. Plus it will keep you from getting corrosive chemicals on your hands. One other use is if you have a cut on your hand, it will keep it safe from flux.
July 28, 1998
Yvie
Yvie says that warm glass is easier to cut then cold glass.
I haven't tried this yet. But it makes sense. A warm ice cream cake is easier to cut then a frozen one.
September 3, 1998
Linda Johnson
Linda gave a few tips. The first is to buy pointed Q-tips which can be found in beauty stores. The pointy end is real handy for getting into tight spots. Her second tip also mentions warming glass. She uses a heating pad to heat her glass. She places each piece of glass on the lower half of the heating pad, then folds the top piece over like a sandwich. She suggests medium heat works best.
I personally never heard of a pointed Q-tip, maybe all you make-up fiends out there knows what it looks like. The only pointy Q-tips I know of, is when the cotton falls off. I guess I'll have to look for these.
September 4, 1998
Victor Modiano
Vic uses fishing spinners for his hooks. The spinner allows free movement of the sun catcher, no more twisted strings. There good for mobiles, or anything you don't want twisted. They come in a variety of sizes, they come in black, silver and brass. It's also real easy to attach, just a little wire at the bottom. And there real cheap too, if you get them in an off season.
This is a neat idea. I haven't tried it yet. I don't make a lot of suncatchers. But I'll keep them in mind next time I see them at a garage sale.
February 2, 1999
Ray Laidlaw
Ray uses a CD box to hold his copper foil. Cut a small slot on the bottom. Pop the foil in, and viola, a case for your foil, that doesn't unravel. When your done using it, through it in a Ziplock bag, to keep it from oxidizing.
I would guess that this would work for foil up to 1/4". I should really try it out. Currently I use tape to hold the foil in place. The only bad thing I can think of with this idea is that certain foils are stickier on the outside then others. It may glue itself in place.
March 27, 1999
Stephen Heller
A fellow stained glass artist of 20+ years working with glass, gave me these tips: he uses golf gloves for foiling. And baseball batting gloves (a little thicker), for other aspects. He uses wooden chopsticks for rubbing down the foil. He says that there are two types, one hard, one softer - each has there own use.
I've seen the gloves, never tried them on. I may try it. Personally never knew there were chopstick hardness grades. I guess you would know immediately if you take a bite and part of the chopsticks are gone.
April 29, 1999
Susee Q
When making a blob lamp, she discovered the best way for the foil to stick, was to lightly grind the edges with the grinder. It gives the foil an extra place to bite on.
I've actually been using this for sometime. However, I don't think I put it on my site. But it's here now, so there. Grinding it also shows you the center of the blob. I use this method for foiling marbles as well.
April 4, 2000
Linda Neff
Instead of using tape to stop my copper foil roll from unraveling, she just takes a twist-tie (like the ones that come with garbage bags, or food storage bags), she then put's the flat part on the outside of the roll. Twist it tight on the inside of the copper foil roll. When she's finished foiling, she just moves the twist-tie around the roll until the foil is secure.
It sounds good enough for me. The inside of the roll may get a little pointy though.
June 13, 2000
Scott Tracy
Foil rolls: He uses rubber cement on the edges. Generously coat both sides of the roll of foil with rubber cement and it won't unravel on you. Masking tape dries out over time and loses it's adhesive.
- I've tried something similar. I glued paper edges to the sides. The problem i've encountered is that the foil is now extra sticky on the edges and sticks to everything. The paper (for me), never worked, due to the constant trimming. The masking tape works pretty well, and can be replaced.
Fids: Toothbrush handles and round pens, such as Sharpies or flairs, make excellent fids / burnishers. They're also cheap! And if you are already marking on glass with them, you have them sitting around.
- I've used Sharpies before, but only in a pinch (there too small for my hands). Don't use a pencil, the graphite will get all over the glass and nothing will stick.
Patina: Particularly with copper patina, He put's a drop of Soft Scrub on a wet sponge and rubs the solder with it. Too much Soft Scrub will take off the patina. The right amount gives a better shine than any other chemical he's ever seen.
- Never tried it, though I've found that Soft Scrub can scratch the glass. So be careful.
Foiling nuggets / globs: Don't laugh, but it's faster than grinding. Stick the nugget in your mouth and dry it before foiling. There's some enzyme in saliva that makes the foil stick great. He doesn't recommend it for cut pieces... They tend to be sharp and it's the saliva, not blood, that makes the foil stick! Also make sure they are free of any patina or flux residue. It won't really hurt you, but it sure tastes nasty!
- EWWW.... You can try it if you want. Wouldn't try it in front of customers or a safety person. I have to disagree with the chemicals not hurting you. I'm sure it has some property in it that makes it bad for you. But it does taste awful.
Cutting glass: ALWAYS cut the big pieces first... That way, if it breaks wrong, you can still use the left-over for the little pieces. As common-sense as that sounds, it's amazing how many teachers leave that out... Probably to sell more glass... And students don't seem to think of it on their own. It can save you A LOT of money on glass
- I would also add, you should do the big pieces first of the main subject. The background is a secondary part of the project. If you dent in a flower people would notice, a background they wouldn't.
Inside curves: Cut inside curves first. Those are the hardest. So cut the inside curves, along with relief cuts, first. And by doing that near the edge, if you do break it wrong or "scallop" the inside curve, you can move the pattern back 1/4" and try again. If you cut the easy outside curve first, when the inside cut goes sour, you are stuck with it... Or cutting it again.
- This way is always best. Especially on expensive glass or real difficult cuts.
June 29, 2000
Gary Tucker
A tip for any sandblasters: On mirrors to etch designs, if you mask and sandblast the back side with the silver you will not get the double image or shadow that shows when you etch the front.
I don't sandblast, it sounds like it should work. Mirror reflects whatever is on the front. My guess is that the shadow is the thickness of the glass reflected. Blasting it from the back would eliminate that problem. However make sure you reverse the pattern first (everything will be backwards otherwise).
September 19, 2000
C Tucker
He doesn't have a glass shop set up or anything. His operation is mobile. By using Drywall he can turn any table into a work station. He buy's a sheet of drywall (4' x 8' x 1/2 inch). Use a drywall knife or a utility knife and cut it to the size of your table. You can use it for cutting and soldering. And what's really cool, is you can use push tacks to hold your projects together. For small projects he cut's the drywall about 10" larger then the project and pin it down, that way he can turn the project any way he wants it to be.
Works well in a pinch. Drywall absorbs moisture though, so it may not keep as long as you like it.
October 2, 2000
Randi - Black Cat Art Glass
Marking on dark glass: Use a White-out pen. If you let it dry it even holds up well under a wet glass saw. If your doing extensive cutting of dark glass on a wet saw - draw the lines with White-out and then cover them with clear packing tape or that sticky laminate plastic they sell in office supply stores. ...Works to keep Sharpie marker from floating away too.) If your grinding (you shouldn't use the tape method) clear stick deodorant will keep you lines from floating away.
I may try it out. Though I can't stand the smell of White-out, which is why I use White-out tape. Though that won't help you here.
March 20, 2000
Elizabeth McMillan
Marking on glass: She uses an alcohol based pen for marking glass. She says it works well for her. The marks stay, resists flux and comes off with regular $1 bottle of rubbing alcohol. They also come in a variety of colors and are inexpensive.
Sounds good to me. I might even have some of my own, I'll have to look in the collection.
November 11, 2000
Marjorie Lambe
Marjorie Lambe, a person who has been working in stained glass for over 10 years, She uses Lolli sticks to rub down foil, remove putty, and clean out corners. She takes the stick, sharpens it to a point, and uses it. She also remarks, that it doesn't scratch the glass.
I don't know what a Lollie stick is. I would assume a Lollipop stick. But I always thought they were made of paper. Maybe it's a foreign term?
December 12, 2000
Jennifer Alenuik
Rubber Gloves: The best ones are gloves are Johnson + Johnson's Micro-touch Latex Medical examination gloves. They work great for keeping the glass fragments from clinging to your hands and also help prevent cuts. The gloves have to be latex and not vinyl or they will just shred. She uses them for cutting, chipping and grinding.
Sounds good to me, I'll have to look for them.
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Started on 9-12-99