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How to Do Stained Glass

Stained glass is a hobby and an art. It has been used for centuries in churches to communicate Bible stories and to bring warmth into large, stone buildings. Professionals and novices enjoy creating windows, lamps and framed stained glass works that reveal stunning colors and beauty when illuminated. While it is an expensive hobby to get into because of the equipment, materials and workspace it requires, making stained glass can bring hours of enjoyment and pleasure to those who do it.

Things You'll Need

  • 100-watt soldering iron
  • Glass cutter
  • Inland grinder with 3/4-inch grinding bit
  • Glass-breaking pliers
  • 2 square feet of colored, transparent glass
  • 1 roll of 7/32-inch black-backed foil
  • 1 pound 60/40 solid core solder
  • Flux
  • Black marker
  • Pattern
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Instructions

    • 1

      Select an easy pattern for a small, stained glass art project that involves simple, geometrical lines and about 20 glass pieces. Find a free pattern online or draw one of your own that depicts a square or diamond in the center and four lines coming out from the shape's edges to the edge of the paper, giving you a very easy five piece pattern. Mark each piece of the pattern with a letter indicating which color glass it will be made from. Lay glass pieces on top of the pattern and trace the pattern onto the glass with a black marker.

    • 2

      Cut the pattern out of the glass pieces with a stained glass cutter. Grind the glass piece edges on an inland grinder with a 3/4-inch grinding bit installed. Rinse pieces in sink to remove any shards. Dry pieces with a clean cloth.

    • 3

      Lay cut pieces on top of the pattern to ensure all pieces are cut to fit and make any adjustments, including new cuts, as necessary.

    • 4

      Wrap 7/32-inch black-backed copper foil around the edges of all pieces, being careful to lay the middle of glass edges in the center of the foil wrap. Press foil down on the glass faces and smooth foil with finger until it's flat around all glass edges.

    • 5

      Lay glass pieces down on a flat metal or wood table and brush all foil with stained glass flux. Plug in and heat soldering iron while fluxing.

    • 6

      Melt 60/40 solid core solder with the soldering iron so that it covers all foil lines. Let sit for 60 minutes and flip glass project over. Flux foil lines and apply solder to them. Wait one hour and flux sides of project. Apply solder to edges. Allow project to rest for another hour and then rinse off in sink. Dry with clean cloth.

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