Aboutlyn buerger Expertise Questions about construction of stained glass using copper foil or lead. Repair, designing a pattern, how I go about helping my customers achieve their goals.
Experience I've been doing stained glass for about 35 years. Teach stained glass in my studio and at the local University (UTA Eontinuing Edu)for over 25 years.
Organizations Many art related organizations, and several business organization Ecademy, RYZE, LINKEDIN.
Publications Many trade magazine and have published several art/craft instrucitonal books.
Education/Credentials Some formal college, but no degree. I just took classes that I thought would help me through life and did not work toward a degree.
Question I am constructing a large 24" round panel (copper foil with U came zink edging) that will have additional overlay of glass pieces on top of the main piece. My question is how is the best way to hang the piece so that there is not the danger of rings pulling out and the item falling. I have spent many hours and would hate for anything to happen to it. I do have a solder line at 2:00and between 9- 10:00. I was thinking of running a wire into the seam and around the edge of the came and to the backside into the seam again, but with the seams being unequal feel this will throw off the balance of the piece. Any help would be appreciated.
Answer Sounds like you have a great grasp of the problems that could arise and have solved them yourself. Putting your hanger around the piece so that it is soldered to both sides in a solder joint is absolutely the best way to go. I always check my designs before I start and maker sure there will be a seam in the proper places when I finished for just that reason.
However, no one can actually predict the outcome over a period of time because there are unknowns lurking in the background. You will affected by the weight, the strength of the solder seams ( 3/16 or 1/4 wide copper) the design of the piece, and even if it is touched often by passers. Kids like to pull on things.
You have done well in surrounding the circle with zink because it is stronger than lead but a little harder to bend. One trick, if you do not have a came bender, is to bend around a bucket of varing sizes until you have the proper bend and don't try to get your bend all the way to the end because it is almost impossible; but plan on trimming off the end you start with where it would not bend properly.
For future reference, there is a steel ribbon that is copper coated that you can put between the spaces in a piece that is copper foiled and you just solder over the ribbon. The ribbon does not have to be all over the piece but in places that could be stress points. Each stained glass design will have different place that it would be needed. It is the same thing as putting zinc or steel "rebar" on the outside of a leaded piece to make it stronger, except that it is invisible because it is buried in the solder. (not fun to repair though...surprise....surprise...some steel, yea)
One of the most important elements of a stained glass design is to look at it well and decide where it will hang and try to anticipate any future problems. I've seen published stained glass designs that are so unplanned that a novice could not do them and some I doubt that a seasoned artist could do without having to re-design.
I cannot get the spell check to work so hopefully I haven't missed anything really obnoxious. My Internet Explore recently upgraded and I've had a pop-up problem every since. Driving me nuts.
