Stained Glass Window Project

 I have sold the 41 Cadillac and the Hudson project cars & needed a new project & decided on a stained glass window for the Caboose.

  

I start with a picture or an idea in this case it was a picture on a puzzle I have that is just half of the running woman. The sketch or drawing on the left is close to the size and look that I wanted with the rest of her body drawn in, the center is the actual size of the window and the right is the pattern paper that will be glued to the glass. Carbon paper is used to transfer the sketch to the drawing and pattern paper.

 

I made up a table out of plywood and attached it to a roll-a-round cart then laid out the glass size on it, and attached the 1X11/2 frame to it that is the size of the glass & zinc (less the oak frame) then put the drawing in it.

 

The pattern paper was cut to size and the 1/2" U Zinc Cane cut to size and laid in at the perimeter of the glass. 

The pattern's for the glass were cut out using pattern scissors that allow for the copper foil and solder joint.

The pattern's were glued to the different colors of glass that has been pre selected.

The glass is cut as close to the pattern as possible using a glass cutter, the one I use has the cutting fluid in the handle.

For the more difficult cuts I have a small bandsaw with a Dimond glass cutting blade in it.

I use 2 diamond grinders 1 with a 1" bit and 1 with a 1/4" bit, both have water reserve below with a sponge wiper that keeps the bit wet.

Once the glass is cut, ground and fit to each other and the pattern the copper foil is attached to the edges using a copper foil tool.

All the foiled glass is fit onto the pattern drawing and to the edge U Zinc Cane ready for solder.

Once the soldering is done on both sides the glass and all the joints are cleaned with a solder & flux cleaning solution then I used black patina on all the joints. Below are some of the products & tools that are available including the copper foil tool.

 A large verity of glass is available, I bought the glass for this project from Delphi Glass.  

The oak frame from Delphi as well as the foil tool and other products needed for glass work.