Saturday, January 6, 2018

A Beginner's Guide To Making Stained Glass Windows New Jersey

By Douglas Schmidt


If you like the look of stained glass and are interested in having pieces in your own home you may be put off by how much they cost. Making stained glass windows New Jersey can be fun and a great way to add personal touches to your home. Here are some top tips that you can use if you decide that making a piece like this is something that you want to try and do.

Regardless of how the designs differ the manufacturing process is always the same. A craftsman will take sheets of colored glass and cut them into smaller sections. They are then wrapped with foil and set into a pattern. Once this has been finalized, the pieces are soldered together. Older windows often had thick lines of lead running between the sections although now less toxic materials are being used more and more.

Patters can range from simple, geometric ones to very complex designs that may have thousands of small sections. If you are a beginner, look for designs that have straight edges on the individual sections. Repeating geometric designs can be incredibly beautiful and may be easier for you to work on. It is hard to cut sections with curved edges and so patterns with these shapes may be better completed once you have more experience.

You will find it hard to put your window together if you don't have the right tools. Cutters and clippers are essential as sheets of glass are hard to cut without breaking. Materials that can smooth sharp edges, tape to wrap and soldering supplies will also be needed. Wood that will be used to form an outside frame will also be helpful as well although you can always buy that once your piece is complete.

If you are not sure where to find completed pieces you may want to find stores that specialize in stained glass. You can get the names of local artisans who may have completed pieces and may also be able to find patterns and materials if you decide to make your own piece instead. The people working there can give you valuable suggestions about which glass will work best for your project.

Finding patterns that are easy to read will also be helpful. Eventually, you may be able to start designing your own pieces but in the beginning it is a good idea to have a pattern to work from. Get used to scaling them up and down in order to create windows of varying sizes.

Make sure you get comfortable transferring patterns to glass and learn how to make accurate cuts. This is where a simpler pattern may come in handy. Over time you can work on more complex designs as your confidence and skill increases.

You may be frustrated by the length of time that it takes to complete a single piece especially if you have a complex pattern or are working on a large window. While it may take time to finish, once you see how beautiful your window looks you will consider your labor to be time well spent.




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