Stained Glass Supplies - Getting Started

To prepare yourself to make the beautiful stained glass for your windows or personal viewing, finding the appropriate stained glass supplies might be confusing. One may not understand what is involved with creating stained glass, so here is a basic list of tools and supplies you will need to get started.

Your tools will include: Safety glasses, drawing equipment, a whisk broom, push pins or a layout kit, a workboard, soldering iron, lethekin or fid, glass marking pens, glass pattern sheets, a glass grinder, glass pliers and a glass cutter. Materials required are: Solder, flux and an application brush, copper foil take, pattern paper, card or carbon paper, glass cleaner and rags, antique patina, clear glass to practice - 3 feet, and stained glass to create the project. Be sure to reference your pattern as to what you may need.

Some may have never heard of these stained glass supplies, and that's normal - especially for beginners. Be sure to seek them out at a craft or hobby store, as they each have an important role in your strained glass creation. To help you find them easily, here are their definition and purposes.

Supplies:

Safety Glasses - Used to ensure no glass harms your eyes while working.

Drawing Equipment - Drawing paper, carbon paper, tape, pencils, erasers and a ruler.

Whisk Broom - Removes tiny pieces of glass from your work area.

Push Pins - They are helpful when holding the glass while working on it. Some also prefer tape, nails or wood.

Workboard - Your workplace for cutting glass and putting together your projects. A piece of plywood is what's used most.

Soldering Iron - Soldering melts solder to join metals and is especially useful when using copper foil. You'll want to purchase an iron that is between 80-150 watts.

Lathekin or Fid - This flattens the foil to the edges of glass.

Glass Marking Pens - A marker, generally black, used to trace your pattern onto your glass. If using dark glass, a while marker will be best.

Glass Pattern Shears - Removes tricky strips of paper when cutting out your patterns.

Glass Grinder - Grinds glass for shapes that are impossible to make during punching out your scores.

Glass Pliers - Has one flat jaw and one curved jaw and meet at the tip. It helps to hold on to the glass securely when scoring.

Glass Cutter - As the name indicates, it to help with the glass cutting to create your projects. You will use this quite frequently, so making a small investment in it will be worth your time.

Materials:

Solder - A mixture of metals that melt at low heat and fastens one metal to another metal.

Flux and Applicator Brush - Deoxidizes and cleans the copper foil tape. A very corrosive chemical, so use caution.

Copper Foil Tape - A thin sheet of copper with an adhesive backing.

Pattern Paper - To find a pattern you like the most and something to go off of when scoring your glass.

Glass Cleaner and rags - Used to clean the glass, best without ammonia. A gentle rag would be most appropriate to prevent scratching.

Antique Paina - Changes the color of silver to brass, copper or black.

Clear Glass - Easiest to cut, best for scoring. Available in two widths.

Building a surplus of the stained glass supplies you use the most would be your best bet, as stained glass can be a fun and addictive past time. Always use safety procedures when handling the broken glass, and be sure to dispose of it properly. It's a good practice to also keep a wastebasket nearby for the small pieces that break off while scoring and grinding your glass to fit your desired shape. In doing so, you will have less of a mess to clean up at the end of your project, and more time to admire your beautiful stained glass creation.

Steven Weber is an avid home hobbyist who works with glass, metal, and clay. On his website he offers additional information about Stained Glass Supplies

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