What Tools are Needed to Create a Stained Glass Project©
Posted: Thursday, January 26, 2012
by Arlene Wright-Correll
http://www.learn-america.com
This week’s email question asks, “Exactly what tools will I need if I want to create a stained glass project?”
First let me answer the question by saying doing stained glass of any kind, whether it is a large panel or a small sun catcher, requires the same tools and the investment in these tools is considerable in the beginning.
If you do not know how to do stained glass, but want to learn how we recommend you take a stained glass workshop with a good instructor and with one who has good professional tools in their workshop studio. At least at the end of your workshop you will also know two more things. One will be whether or not you like doing stained glass well enough to make the investment in your own tools and secondly what are the best tools to buy.
Basically, you will need a good glass cutter and there are 3 kinds, the straight cutter often referred to as the pencil cutter, the pistol grip cutter and the saddle grip cutter. Most people like the pistol grip cutter which is self-oiling. I personally like the saddle grip cutter and Carl prefers the pistol grip as do most of his students.
This is the pencil grip cutter.
This is a pistol grip cutter
This is the saddle grip cutterNext you will need a grinder even though you could use a diamond file which requires a lot of time and effort to say nothing of maybe cutting your fingers as you are trying to file the sharp glass so we recommend a good electric grinder with a foot control which allows you to quickly smooth out the glass cuts for better fits and easier foiling. This grinder shown has a face shield on it.
Next you will a good table foiler once your pieces are cut and ground even though you could foil by hand with only a foil burnisher. However, most projects have a lot of pieces to be foiled and doing it the old way is very time consuming so we recommend you invest in a table foiler since it is faster and easier.
This is a table foiler.At this point you may be thinking about the various stained glass saws and unless you are really into it or have lots and lots of spendable cash you may want to wait to invest in one of these.
However, a very important tool is the soldering iron and the soldering iron stand plus a flux cup and flux brush. The stand, flux cup and flux brush are very inexpensive and you can even get a cheap soldering iron, but you will just be wasting your money on that piece of equipment. Get a good soldering iron and a temperature controller or better yet a soldering iron with a built in temperature controller.
This is a soldering iron stand and a soldering iron.These basically are the “must haves” in the way of tools and the “nice to have” tools would be came saws, came benders and came stretchers. I hope this has answered your question.
Come for a free tour and demonstration at Avalon Stained Glass School & Creativity Center during business hours and you can ask our glass guru, Carl Correll all about stained glass creation.
May the Creative Force be with you,
Arlene Wright-Correll
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Top-level comments on this article: (1 total)What an art. What an artist. Lovely and arresting images. You're sharp.Thank you so much for your kind words.
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