More progress ...

As of yesterday, the front and back of each of the 4 panels are soldered and are awaiting the zinc “H” channel which will bond them together.  The “H” channel has been cut but not yet installed and soldered.  My photography gigs are always welcome and this week and last week, I spent many hours behind the camera and then behind this computer, editing shots.  But the Tuscany villa will soon see the light of day, I’m happy to report.  The finished window should be unveiled within this coming week.

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Tuscany Villa window home stretch

Three panels foiled, one more to go!  Here’s another view of the top half of the Tuscan Villa window.  (The full scene will be unveiled when its complete). So far, I’ve gone through 105 feet (or 35 yards) of a combination of copper and black-backed 7/32" foil.  Several pieces of glass, as usual, needed to be ground down a bit in order to fit.  That thin wrap of foil around the edge of each piece of glass can be enough to fill up the space between the pieces and make them fit too tightly.

I’ve inserted strips of colored card stock in between the four panels so that when I begun fluxing and soldering the panels, they won’t accidentally get bonded together.  I've decided to build the entire window inside the confines of the jig, to ensure that the piece stays perfectly oblong until I'm ready to separate it into the 4 panels.  I hope to begin those final steps toward completing the window within the next few days.  Onward!

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Yet another update ... Tuscany Villa

Another several days gone by, and more progress to report.  We decided the blue sky was overly blue, so I replaced it with Spectrum “Monterrey” Spirit glass in crystal clear/ivory. This glass looks like puffy little clouds on a clear background, nice for sky alongside the clear glue chip glass.  Just a few more pieces to cut near the sunflowers (not shown) and the window will be ready for foiling.  Since there are over 270 pieces of glass in this 19" x 32", 4-panel window, this will take some time.

Here’s a sneak preview … During this phase, the stained glass windows look like ugly ducklings.  The idea is there, but they don’t come alive until they’re soldered.  The villas will have hand-painted windows.  More to come …

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Tuscany Villa window .. Still cutting glass

Still cutting!  I’ve made my way around the window, top to bottom.  I'm now working in the lower left corner, cutting the leaves for the two large sunflowers I added to the pattern.  They were drawn by Joe Larson of Home Studio Art Glass in Munfordville, KY who gave me the OK to use them for this piece. I’m finding some good greens in my glass inventory for the leaves. I still have a few more to cut, though.  The 50-or-so yellow sunflower petals will be cut next.  Then its time to take out the big gun, my Gryphon Wire Saw, the loudest thing this side of the Appalachians. I intentionally left a few complicated pieces uncut because they cannot be safely or easily cut by hand.  The wire saw will take care of them, but this thing is loud!  When I don my earplugs, I’ll know the cutting is almost done and it’ll be time to start foiling.  Stay tuned …

Click here for Boehm Stained Glass Studio website