Stained glass foiling

nana431965

16 years ago

I have recently started dipping into the world of stained glass and fell so off the end of the world in love with it. My question is some of my foil comes off the edges (outer edges)when I am almost finished with the piece. I am trying to ensure that the edges are clean and free of finger oils, but it still comes off in places. The first picture is of my first pieces made, 4in X 9in. Second pic is the 4th piece I made, 17" wide X 22" tall. If any one has advice I would appreciate it.

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Comments (9)

bamasusanna
16 years ago
Burnish the foil down really, really well. (I use the side of a pencil to do this).
texaswild
16 years ago
Don't know a thing about that kind of work, but I REALLY like your second picture. There is a marked difference in the solder in the two pieces. You improved VERY fast. BEAUTIFUL work. How w/you frame this one?
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Calamity_J
16 years ago
Good for you! You have a whole world of addiction, er, lost hours ahead of you! LOL! Do you leave your work laying still the whole time? Cuz moving it may be catching the edges. Or if you are heating it up too long, you may be burning the glue off the side that sticks to the glass. How much flux are you using, this, along with the excess heat will burn away the glue. Just some ideas, it's live and learn. My fav mistake is I heat up in one area too long and have heat fractures in my glass...ooops!!! DARN!
Just keep asking questions!!!
cindiloo
16 years ago
I don't know anything about this, but I just LOVE your pieces!! Slow is right, you can see a HUGE improvment from the first to the 4th! And I think the 1st one is
very cool!!
Dottie B.
16 years ago
If you are sure the glass is clean and the edges are burnished really well, you could have some foil that is old or has been exposed to the air too long.

Both of your pieces are very nice. Great work! Keep it up!
nana431965
Original Author
16 years ago
Thanks for the compliments, and yes I burnish it well. Roller, cig lighter, or fingernail, whichever works best for the kinds of creases I have.

Until you mentioned it slowmedown, I never noticed the difference in the solder lines but you are right. Framing is a new one on me. I was on Garden Junk when I came across the 'something new' topic. I did not know you were to use cement or putty. As I am teaching myself this hobby, the closest class would be 3 hours from me. So I guess you could say I'm winging it.

Calamity, yes I do move my piece often as I have only one side to work from, causing me to turn it as I work. Maybe I should consider a turntable. The flux department is kinda on the heavy side, do I need to slow down with how much I put on there? The one thing I am sure about is I'm not getting it too hot, LOL, that is the only thing I am sure of.
icheer
16 years ago
Nana - that's some beautimous work there! KUDOS!

I dabble a bit in stained glass myself, both foil and leaded. I recently had a bit of foil pull away from the glass and discovered a few nifty little tricks shared on another message board I lurk on - after cutting and grinding your glass, wash it well in Dawn dish detergent to remove all traces of cutter oil, grinder gunk-o-la, oils from your hands, etc. Don't use any lotion on your hands while you're foiling. Dry the glass well and if the temps are cold, consider warming the glass slightly - the foil is said to adhere better. Then burnish, burnish, burnish! Also, don't spend too much time soldering over the same spot trying to achieve the elusive "perfect" solder line (although yours look pretty stinking good already! lol). I think I read somewhere that three or four passes is the maximum heat the adhesive can take before it fails. If you must pass over again, allow the glass/solder to cool between passes (that will help alleviate heat cracks, too)

Again, kudos!
User
16 years ago
Try and consider how each piece will fit into the design. Start and end your foil in a spot that will butt up against another piece, hidden within the design, rather than on an outside edge.

Hope that helps.
Calamity_J
16 years ago
I just hauled out some undetermined aged foil, that I bought somewhere...at a thriftstore, and I've been having the same problem with it coming off stuff so old foil is no good!! IMHO!

Stained glass foiling

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Stained glass foiling

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