Archive for the ‘The Art Of Stained Glass’ Category

Stained Glass – Moving From Ancient to Modern

Stained glass from ancient to modern Mosaic

Stained glass is the ancient glass art that was used for decorating churches, chapels and important shrines and places of pilgrimage in the ancient times. From its past heritage and usage to the modern decoration ideas, stained glass art has come a long way. It is today one of the breathtaking concepts in design and decorating public places and recreational joints with modern scriptures, caricatures, public figures, beauty depictions, female figures, and animal forms.

The stained form of glass began its modern curve in the 19th Century itself with the use of the art for decorating glass windows and doors in homes. From the European to the Asian homes, the form became a regular option for colored glass doors and windows, entrance doors, verandah or porch doors, patio and gallery boundary etc. One can now find their use in modern workplaces and commercial centers.

The use of the stained glass art is visible in office cabins, workstation area and other interior as well as exterior décor of an office. Today, the said form of glass is one of the essential parts of decoration used in uplifting the appearance of a place. Read more »

Selecting a Quality Stained Glass Studio

Quality Staiend Glass Studio selection

Everyone wants to know the magical formula to select the correctstained glass studio to complete his or her project. While a studio cannot do this for you, there are ways to sort through the information and make a quality selection.

A common question that the clergy will ask a stained glass studio is, “How do I get an apples to apples bid?” Unlike many industries, stained glass is extremely specialized. Often, others do not know the terms and jargon outside the industry. This is what inspired Associated Crafts to write this article.

The other aspect of this industry is the lack of regulation by the industry. The industry consists of many smaller companies started by craftsmen and artists who took a hobby and changed it into a career. This is certainly admirable but these individuals often do not have the knowledge of all the facets of the business or of stained glass. Professional studios often compete with specifications written by some completely incompetent companies. This is why we diligently work to educate our clients. Often times, a simple understanding of terms and jargon will allow the church to see the correct scope of work. Read more »

The Secret to Perfect Solder Lines

Stained Glass Soldering

Solder is used to hold the various pieces of stained glass together in a stained glass panel. To achieve a professional quality, solder lines need to be smooth and uniform. This can be achieved by following basic steps and using quality tools and supplies.

The tools and supplies needed for soldering include a soldering iron, solder and flux. The soldering iron should have a ceramic heating element with either a built in temperature controller or plugged into a separate temperature controller unit. The solder used needs to be a 60/40 mixture of alloys for the majority of your soldering. For decorative soldering, an alloy mixture of 60/37 solder is recommended. An odorless non-smoking liquid flux is the preferred flux.

Basic Steps for Soldering

    1. Heat the soldering iron to 68 on the temperature controller
    2. Use an abrasive pad or wet sponge to clean the iron’s tip before you begin and periodically as you work
    3. Lightly apply flux to a section of the stained glass project you are working on
    4. Using 60/40 solder, unroll it to a manageable length, and then lightly touch the area to be worked on
    5. Place the solder on the tip of your iron and move both the iron and the solder at a slow constant rate following the fluxed copper foil seams
    6. When you need to end or stop, do not just move the iron vertically off, but rather slide the iron towards the glass
    7. Don’t solder out to the perimeter of your stained glass piece, leave approximately ½ inch along the edge. This will allow the zinc came to fit over your glass

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