Fruit Lamp Repair #5

Classic fruit themed lamps were very popular in the 1970's and this post will show the repair of yet another icon of this era.  These lamps are characterized by the dimensional glass pears and apples and the quilt-style patchwork of different opacities and colors of glass. They also have a crown of upward facing identical pieces of glass at the top.

Fruit lamps are typically weigh a lot because they are heavily soldered.  This one weighs 12 pounds.  Most are swag lamps.  The bulb fixture on this one had been re-done at some point.  Since my husband Eric decided it could present a hazard, he re-wired the lamp as well.  This is my fifth fruit lamp repair.  Click here to view other fruit lamp repairs.  (Click on any photo to enlarge).

This lamp had been hanging from the ceiling for over 40 years.  Fortunately when it gave way and fell to the floor, no one was nearby.  It sustained damage to the crown and then landed on the side, cracking over 20 pieces of glass, including a few dimensional pieces.

The lamp hit the floor so hard it dented in the side.

Marked with blue tape are the cracked pieces I'll be replacing.  There are a few more on the opposite side, as well as one piece in the crown that needs replacing.

 First, I focused my attention on the crown.  Only two pieces were still attached, but loosely.  I carefully removed the pieces, some of them still fused together.  Below, I'm tugging off old solder and foil to prepare for new foil and a stronger bond.

This line of crown pieces were still firmly attached.  I like to keep old lamps as original as possible so that the repair is not obvious.  For this reason, I left this line together.  Since they will be soldered to the fixture directly, they will be sturdily attached when I'm done. I sprayed them with a generic grease remover and brushed them clean.

 Some of the glass in these lamps is not grinded on the edges.  Grinding helps the copper foil to adhere, so here I'm running the loose crown pieces through the grinder.

Copper foil comes in various widths.  This lamp was constructed using the most popular width, 7/32", so I used the same size.  Here I'm wrapping a crown piece with foil, which must be centered on the edge of the glass for even coverage on either side.

 Next I'm pressing down on the copper foil on each side, to make sure that no liquid or chemicals can get underneath and affect the adhesive properties.

At this point, all but one of the crown pieces is ready for installation.  Since I knew this lamp would need to be re-wired, I set the crown pieces aside and turned my attention to the dome itself.  Below, I'm wearing leather-palm gloves and I'm gently pushing and pulling the dome back into shape.  As I do this, the glass crunches and shards fall off.  Notice that the lamp is set in a large box of packing peanuts.  Because the lamp is so heavy and the dimensional fruit is fragile, I did the entire repair with the lamp in the box.

 Working on older lamps requires a lot of melting of old solder of questionable origin.  In order to keep my soldering iron clean, I frequently "tin" it using a block of sal ammoniac (ammonium chloride).  Whenever I'm cleaning the soldering iron, or soldering the lamp, I'm wearing a 3M breathing mask which protects me against toxic fumes.

Below, I've removed one of the cracked pears and I'm melting out the old solder that was surrounding it and several cracked adjacent pieces.

 When I'm working on an older lamp such as this, I try to retain as much of the original glass as possible.  In this case below, part of the amber glass cracked.  The upper part was fine.  Therefore, I removed the cracked piece and am using a hand file to grind the edge where I removed the bottom.  Since this lamp is an abstract design with so many pieces of different glass, I now have an opportunity to choose glass which is colorful and compatible to the overall look.

 The majority of stained glass lamps are constructed with a reinforcement wire around the entire perimeter.  Shown below is a new dimensional apple piece which is replacing the cracked apple I already removed.  I've rested it on the reinforcement wire and have soldered it in place. 

 Now I've made a manila folder pattern of the opening and I've sketched out three pieces of glass which will fit above the new apple.

 Shown below are the three new pieces above the apple as well as the replacement pear mentioned earlier.  Some of the pieces have been soldered and a few are copper foiled but not yet soldered at this point.

 After each piece has been soldered in place, I spray the affected areas with Kwik-Clean Flux Remover and wipe it dry.  Then I apply Novacan Black Patina as shown below.  This chemical turns the solder black immediately.  After a few moments, I wash off the remainder of the patina.

 Here is the newly replaced side of the lamp that sustained the most damage.

On the opposite side of the lamp, a green apple cracked, so I replaced that also.

 Here I'm plowing through the thick old solder using the hot soldering iron.  And again, I've left the wire reinforcement on the edge.

 And below is the new apple, soldered in place.

 At this point, all of the 20 or so pieces in the dome itself have been replaced.  Now I'm turning my attention back to the top of the lamp and the electrical re-wiring.  The owner of the lamp gave me a plastic bag with the fixture parts.  My husband set one of them inside the dome and bolted on another metal cross-bar for added strength.

 For the best bonding, surfaces must be clean.  Here I've sprayed he glass with cleanser and am brushing it down.

 I've removed and cleaned off the old solder and copper foil from the ends of the glass which are inside the copper ring.  Here I'm applying 1/4" foil to the edges of the glass.  I'm using thicker foil for a better bond since this area will be carrying the weight of the lamp.

 I've also added 1/4" copper foil to the edge of the fixture piece.

 Looking into the dome, I've soldered both sides of the inside cross-bar to the solder lines.  For this task, I used a hotter, 100W soldering iron.

 Next, I added lengths of tinned braided copper reinforcement wire to the gap between the fixture and the glass, again for added strength. Then I added solder to fill the gap so that the fixture is attached directly to the glass.  Now the weight will be evenly distributed on the cap and crossbar.  I also applied black patina to this solder.

 Looking down on the dome.  I cut and taped a round collar of manila folder paper to prevent the solder from dripping through to the area where the crown pieces will be attached.

 One of the crown pieces had to be replaced, so I made a pattern out of manila folder paper and cut a new piece of glass.

At several points around the ring, I soldered the crown pieces to lock them in.

 Now the crown pieces are soldered to the fixture.  After soldering, I cleaned and patinaed the pieces, then waxed the entire lamp. 

And here's the lamp, repaired and almost ready to be hung.

Final step .. Eric is attaching the electrical wire and chain.

And here's the finished lamp, with the once-damaged side in front.  Its now ready to provide another 40 plus years of light and enjoyment to the family.  Thank you to Mr. G., Dave, Carolyn, Gene and Mary for bringing your family heirloom to me ... It was a pleasure to repair!

 Please visit my website to see my custom windows and repairs (click here).  And if you are on FaceBook, become a fan and I'll keep you up to date on all my stained glass projects.  Call me any time at 201-600-1616 or email with your questions. Thanks!

Rug Design in Stained Glass - Installed

Over the weekend, Eric installed the window in a lovely sitting room.  The true colors of the stained glass really show only when its installed.  Our customer had already chosen the glass before I started working on it and she was very happy with the results!  (Click on any photo to enlarge).

On the left is another computer rendition of the window with similar glass as was used in the finished piece.  The design is spot on, but the colors are a bit off.  We already had the palette chosen, so the computer rendition served as a good guide as I was cutting the glass.

And here's the window after installation.  The colors are more subdued and warmer in these photos.  But in early morning and early evening, the saturation will change.  The colors will also vary as the season change and the outdoor greens fade and snow begins falling.  I usually tell customers that you need to enjoy your custom stained glass window for a full year before you see all the variances.  

My next projects include another commissioned window, three lamp repairs, and the addition of a metal frame to an existing stained glass panel.  Stay tuned as I post these projects over the next several weeks.  Thank you!

 Please visit my website to see my custom windows and repairs (click here).  And if you are on FaceBook, become a fan and I'll keep you up to date on all my stained glass projects.  Call me any time at 201-600-1616 or email with your questions. Thanks!

Rug Design in Stained Glass - Soldered and Framed

This posting will cover the final steps in creating this beautiful window which I designed after a hand-hooked rug in the same room in which it will be installed.  (Click on any photo to enlarge).

Below, the front of the window has been completely tack soldered, meaning that each of the pieces of glass has been connected to each adjacent piece by a small amount of solder.  At this point, I've removed the "jig" or metal "fence" and I'm carefully sliding the "cartoon" or pattern out from under the window.  This is to protect the paper from the chemicals and sprays which will follow.

Here I'm wearing my breathing mask and fully soldering the front of the window using Avril 60/40 solder.

The front is fully soldered now and Eric is taking measurements for the metal "channel" or frame which he will cut to reinforce the border of the window.

This photo shows the metal channel in place with the corner soldered.  In order to assure that the frame stays firmly against the borders of the glass, Eric has replaced the "fence" and added some pushpins.

When we build a window, we always make it as strong as possible to give them a long life. Below, I've extended the solder lines onto the metal frame.

After the window is soldered and the frame is secured in place, the entire window is sprayed and wiped down with Kwik-Clean Flux Remover.

Then the window is allowed to dry and I apply Novacan Black Patina with a metal acid brush. This chemical instantly reacts with the solder, turning it a deep black.  This same product works on the zinc channel frame as well.  When its wiped off the frame, it adds an antique look.

Here's a look at the window, bathed in black patina.  After this has set for several minutes, I spray on more Kwik-Clean and clean off the remaining patina.

At this point, I turn the window on its back and fully solder that as well.  Then the reinforcing bars, or "rebar" is applied as shown.  Here Eric is measuring a length of "tinned" rebar to be attached to the back of the window.  "Tinned" means that the brass bar has been fluxed and coated with a thin layer of solder.

The rebar is then placed, thin side up, on top of the solder line that runs from side to side.  I use the soldering iron to heat the solder on both the rebar and the window's solder lines.  This melts the solder and bonds the rebar to the window.  In several spots along the rebar, I added more solder for extra security. 

Here is one of the two lengths of rebar which is installed on the back of the window.  Note that it is also firmly soldered to the frame.  The rebar serves to stiffen the entire window and minimize any bending which could crack the glass.
The next steps are to patina the entire back and frame, as done to the front.  Then Clarity Stained Glass Finishing Compound is applied and buffed.  This is a light carnauba wax which serves to protect the patina and give the glass a beautiful shine. 

Shown below on the right is the window before waxing.  The photo was taken in my studio against a white wall.  The image on the left is the original computer rendition, allowing for variances in color. Photos of the installed window will be posted soon!

Thanks so much, Karen, for the opportunity to create this window for you.  It was our pleasure and we hope you and your family will enjoy it this Thanksgiving, and for many Thanksgivings to come!

 Please visit my website to see my custom windows and repairs (click here).  And if you are on FaceBook, become a fan and I'll keep you up to date on all my stained glass projects.  Call me any time at 201-600-1616 or email with your questions. Thanks!

Rug Design in Stained Glass - Foiled and Tack Soldering Started

The most recent post showed the copper foil process, which I've now completed for all 470 piece of glass.  I used about 61 yards of 13/64" copper foil.  Here are some photos to show the progress on the window as of this afternoon.  (Click on any photo to enlarge).

As shown earlier, I build the windows on a slab of Homosote, which is a building material used in sound-proofing.  Its an ideal surface because it absorbs spills quickly, it's fire retardant, and it accepts push pins readily.
In order for all the glass to be positioned correctly, each piece of glass must be flat on the Homasote before soldering.  Note below that a small bead of solder found its way under the pattern.  I cut away the area with an Exacto knife and removed it. Now the piece of glass will lay flat.

Here is the window with all of the glass cut and all of the copper foil applied.  I left the pen there for scale.

 Now that the glass is cut, I'm etching my name, the month and the year into a piece of glass near the upper right of the window. Since the etching is color-less, it will be barely visible after installation.

Now its time to add some reinforcement to the window.  Below are the two of the types that I'll be using. The top one is called Re-Strip.  Its copper, the same width as the glass, and fits between the pieces as shown below.  The bottom is braided wire reinforcement.  It has similar strength but is more flexible.  I place lengths of each of these throughout the piece.  After each side has been soldered, I will be adding rebar for further reinforcement.  (More on that later).

Below, I placed a length of Re-Strip in between the foiled glass.  After its been soldered, the Re-Strip will not be visible.

 The next step in the stained glass process is called tack soldering.  To prepare for this step, I'm cleaning my soldering iron on a block of Sal Ammoniac a/k/a ammonium chloride.  I place a bead of solder on the block and wipe the tip of the heated iron until the debris from the prior use is cleaned and the tip is silver again.

 To protect myself from these fumes, and from the fumes of soldering, I always wear a 3M mask as shown below.  They are usually available in Home Depot or Loew's.  Be sure they say they are effective against lead fumes.

 To prepare the window for tack soldering, I'm applying Canfield Blu-Glass Flux to the copper foil, one section at a time, using a metal craft brush.  Notice that I take the flux from the cap, not from the bottle.  This prevents contamination from occurring.  I am not sensitive to flux, but the use of gloves is recommended for those who are.  The Blu-Glass product is less caustic than most other types of flux.

Tack soldering means to apply a dab of 60/40 solder to all of the intersections of the glass, as shown below.  I've done just the bottom center section at this point but I'll be tack soldering the entire window.  Once that's done, the fence will be temporarily removed and the pattern underneath will be slid off.  Then the window will be fully soldered, front and back, and rebar will be installed.
Stay tuned .. Its coming into the home stretch now.  I can't wait to see this one off the table and in the light!

Please visit my website to see my custom windows and repairs (click here).  And if you are on FaceBook, become a fan and I'll keep you up to date on all my stained glass projects.  Call me any time at 201-600-1616 or email with your questions. Thanks!