ALWAYS PURCHASE ENOUGH GLASS FOR THE JOB, ALLOWING FOR WASTAGE, AS SOME TYPES OF GLASS MAY BE EXPERIMENTAL RUNS OR DELETED WITHOUT NOTICE. CERTAIN COLOURS OF GLASS VARY FROM BATCH TO BATCH ALSO JUST LIKE DYE LOTS OF WOOL OR FABRIC. YOUR LEADLIGHT SUPPLIER MAY ALSO BE CLEARING OUT A SPECIAL THAT CANNOT BE REORDERED.
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IF USING SUCKERS WITH HOOKS TO HANG THE LIGHTER WEIGHT SUNCATCHERS..................
USE VEGETABLE OIL INSTEAD OF WATER TO STICK THEM ON YOUR WINDOW. LESS LIKELIHOOD OF EVAPORATION DURING SUMMER AND SUCKERS GIVING WAY AND DROPPING YOUR SUNCATCHER.
WHEN FITTING A LEADLIGHT INTO A DOOR OR WINDOW USE A BEAD OF SILICONE ONLY BEFORE THE WINDOW GOES IN AND NOT TO STICK THE BEADING BACK ONTO THE LEADLIGHT. IF THE WINDOW EVER HAS TO COME OUT TO BE REPAIRED, BOTH THE BEADING AND HALF THE WINDOW WILL BE DESTROYED TRYING TO SEPARATE THE EXCESSIVE AMOUNT OF SILICONE APPLIED IN THE FIRST PLACE. A CASE OF DEFINITE OVERKILL !
ALWAYS seal mirror before using it in a leadlight or copper foiled project. You must seal both the mirror back and the cut edge to prevent moisture and corrosive fluxes causing the "dreaded" BLACK SPOT. Black Spot can show up later after you've gone to a great deal of trouble to create your masterpiece. SO...using a spray pack of a polyurethane varnish, spray the back and cut sides whilst the mirror is face down on a sheet of newspaper. Hand puttying a leadlight mirror is also a good idea for the same reasons.
SAVE ALL YOUR
OPALESCENT SCRAPS
FOR FUTURE
GLASS MOSAIC WORK
NEVER USE A U LEAD ON ANY LEADLIGHT FITTED INTO A REBATE. IF YOUR LEADLIGHT GROWS DUE TO INACCURATE CUTTING, YOU HAVE NOWHERE TO GO. AT LEAST WITH A H LEAD YOU CAN CARVE SOME OFF WHERE NECESSARY. IT IS ALWAYS IMPORTANT TO HAVE THE WOODEN BEADING SITTING ON A CUSHION OF BORDER LEAD AND NOT ON GLASS AS WOULD BE THE CASE IF YOU USE A U LEAD.
CAR POLISH WILL CLEAN AND POLISH YOUR COPPERFOILED PROJECTS, HOWEVER THE SPECIAL POLISH PRODUCED FOR THE PURPOSE " Stained Glass Finishing Compound" DOES A FAR SUPERIOR JOB.
ALWAYS ENSURE YOUR FLUX IS REMOVED FROM YOUR PROJECT, ESPECIALLY IF YOU WON'T COMPLETE IT IN ONE DAY. FLUX IS VERY ACIDIC AND IS BEST NOT LEFT ON YOUR WORK NOT EVEN OVERNIGHT. CLEAN UP WITH NEAT DETERGENT, A SOFT BRUSH AND SOME BICARB SPRINKLED ON TOP TO NEUTRALISE ALL.
FISHING SWIVELS ARE GREAT TO ATTACH TO SUNCATCHERS. THEY ALLOW THE SUNCATCHER TO SPIN IN THE BREEZE.
THERE IS A SIMPLE METHOD TO MAKE LOOPS TO HANG SUNCATCHERS FROM. GET A LENGTH IF COPPER OR TINNED WIRE, WIND IT ROUND AND ROUND A PENCIL OR SIMILAR OBJECT, FORMING A SPRING SHAPE. REMOVE THE "SPRING" AND WITH YOUR SIDECUTTERS, SNIP ALONG THE SIDE LENGTH OF THE SPRING. YOU WILL HAVE PERFECTLY FORMED LITTLE LOOPS.
IN THE PUTTYING PROCESS
When your leadlight panel has some really chunky textured glass (like sparkle), use a handful of sawdust thrown on top when scrubbing with your hard brush. It will help clean off the excess putty that sticks to the textures.
LEAD HINTS
Learn about all the different lead sizes and vary their use through your leadlights. Bear in mind strength, and emphasis of design elements. Try not to get stuck on a particular favourite especially where a stronger lead is needed in a bigger panel. If in doubt, always ask a professional.
Before you putty your leadlight coat your hands with BARRIER CREAM and you will find cleaning up easier.
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CLEAN ALL IS A PRODUCT DESIGNED TO GET LEAD RESIDUE OFF OUR HANDS AND SKIN.
ASK YOUR LEADLIGHT RETAILER FOR YOURS NOW
YOU MUST PUTTY & POLISH A LEADLIGHT REGARDLESS OF WHERE IT WILL GO AND THE NEED FOR WEATHERPROOFING. THIS IS AN ESSENTIAL STAGE AND CANNOT BE DISMISSED ! A CUSTOMER OF MINE CAME LOOKING FOR BLACK PATINA TO DARKEN THE LEADS OF A FULL LEADLIGHT ENTRY SHE HAD MADE AND FITTED WITHOUT PUTTYING ANY OF IT. SHE WONDERED WHY THE LEADS WEREN'T DARK ENOUGH. WHEN INFORMED OF THE VITAL IMPORTANCE OF THE PUTTYING PROCESS SHE INSISTED THAT IT WAS ON A VERANDAH AND WOULDN'T GET WET. AFTER SOME HARD CONVINCING OF THE NEED FOR THE FINAL STAGE OF PUTTYING, SHE THEN ASKED COULD SHE NOT PUTTY IT IN SITU AS IT WAS WELL SILICONED IN BY NOW !
If you need twisted wire for special effects, try this method:-
Select a long length of tinned or copper wire (about 12 ft or so), fold it in half. Put the two separate ends in the chuck section of your electric drill and tighten. Put the remaining loop over a tightly fixed nail on your bench or on a fence. Press the trigger slowly and your twisted wire will form itself. Too fast and you will end up wrapped around your bench or fence !!! Stop when it is as twisted as you want. Release and cut into sections.
