100th Repair - Pool Table Lamp

This is cause for celebration .. My 100th stained glass repair posted to this blog. Most have been lamps but also many panels and windows.  All a pleasure for me to do .. I really enjoy the process of bringing them all back so they can be enjoyed again.  Here's the story of the pool table lamp repair.

This lamp had been damaged in a move about a year ago.  The owners finally got to unpacking the basement and decided it was time to repair their pool table lamp.

One end was badly damaged as seen here.  Several pieces of the dark glass (which is a green) and many more amber pieces.  Also, the frame was bent out of shape.

Another view.

I began the repair by making a template of the opposite side, so that I could re-create the proper curve on the damaged side.

Using gloved hands, I tugged and coaxed the shade back to the original shape.  Here's a photo taken in the process.

After the frame was in generally the correct position, I decided to repair the uppermost amber pieces first.  Here I'm using needle nosed pliers to tug out the old foil and solder after I'd removed the cracked glass.

As with many other older lamps, the glass on this one had not been ground prior to foiling.  Grinding the glass helps the foil to adhere.  Therefore I went in with a metal hand file and ground the borders for the new piece.

Here I've traced a pattern for the replacement glass.

Now I've lined the border with adhesive copper foil.

Tracing the pattern onto the glass.

With straight lines, I "score" the glass with this "oil-filled pistol grip glass cutter".  Then I use the metal end of the cutter to tap repeatedly along the score line, front and back.  Eventually the glass will crack along that score line.

Using the electric grinder to smooth the edges.

Now the amber pieces in the upper row have been replaced and soldered.  I'm moving onto the green row.  Again I'm using the metal hand file.

The border of the opening as well as the replacement piece have been copper foiled.  Then I applied liquid flux which is a catalyst that helps the solder to flow freely.  Here I'm soldering the piece in place.

Now all of the green pieces are replaced.  I'm spray-washing the whole area to remove all traces of flux.

Now I'm moving down to the border.  I used one of the loose pieces as a template to cut the ones that need to be replaced.

Another view of the cracked pieces at the bottom edge of the lamp.

More pieces cut which will replace cracked ones.

Now all but one of the amber pieces and one green piece have been replaced and soldered in place. After those remaining two pieces are in place, I fluxed and soldered the inside of the dome. Then I spray-cleaned it all another time.

Here I'm applying black patina to the solder.  After it sets, I wash it all off again.  Then I apply stained glass finishing compound to the work area and the rest of the lamp.  This is a light wax which protects the patina and gives the glass a nice shine.

And here is the repaired lamp.

A view of the end which was damaged.  Thanks for bringing this to me, Steven.  May you and your family enjoy it in your new home for many years to come!

For more information on my other projects, please click here to visit my website.

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Repair Billiards Pool Table Lamp

This beautiful billiards lamp came to me for repair after a fall when the ceiling fixture gave way.  Unfortunately the lamp is constructed using metal channel, which is a product generally used for framing smaller stained glass pieces.  The issue with metal channel is that once its cut, it compromises the strength of the lamp.  Also, the glass cannot be inserted directly back into the channel unless all the channel around the cracked piece is removed and replaced.  Its a Catch-22.

With instructions to "do the best I can", I set about replacing the most obvious cracks to three of the larger end pieces.  Here's how I went about the repair:

Here's the lamp.  Notice the beautiful design which employed tinned wire to accent the handles of the cue sticks and to indicate the "8" on the 8 ball.  It's approximately 30" long and 18" wide and very heavy, with two individual light fixtures inside, each holding two round bulbs.

The bottom left white panel on one side was badly cracked in the fall.  Here I'm starting to remove the broken glass.  I begin by scoring the cracked piece with a pistol grip glass cutter, then I pull out the glass with needle nose pliers.  I wear safety glasses throughout this process, as glass can fly in any direction.

Below, the glass is cleared out of the space.  Now I'm ready to apply copper foil to the inner border of the opening and prepare a pattern for the replacement glass.

Notice the detail in the "8" for the eight ball.  Very creative!

As with other manufactured lamps, the glass was not grinded before it was foiled.  This affects the adhesiveness of the foil and can affect the overall strength of the lamp, making it easier to break.  Here I'm hand-grinding a corner piece of green glass.  Notice that I've applied 7/32" copper foil to the perimeter of the opening.

I've made a pattern for the new glass by placing a piece of manila folder on the back of the opening, then tracing it onto the paper.  After cutting it out, I lay it on the glass and make a tracing with a black Sharpie pen.  Below, I'm using an oil-filled pistol grip cutter to cut the glass inside the curve.

The correct way to cut a curve is in slender pieces as shown below.  Cutting a long deep curve such as this usually results in the glass cutting straight across.  Not what you want.  By cutting in smaller segments as shown, the glass has a much higher success rate with cuts.  I use the grozier pliers shown to snap off the slivers as I go.  After each piece of glass is cut, I bring it to my electric grinder.  This smoothes out the edges of the glass, making it safe for handling, and ready to accept the adhesive copper foil.

Here I've cut a new piece of matching glass for one of the cracked corners.  Its held in place by the use of wide blue painter's tape on the inside of the lamp.  This will stay in place until after the seam is fully soldered.

 I've applied liquid flux to the copper foil which is a soldering agent.  Then I soldered the copper foil, inside and out, and cleaned it carefully with a spray cleaner called Kwik-Clean.  While I'm soldering, I wear a protective breathing mask.  I also run a carbon filter fan to clean the air.
After the solder has been cleaned, I wipe the area down with a clean towel.  This process removes any caustic chemicals and beads of solder which inevitably form.

Next, I apply Novacan black patina to the solder with a metal acid brush as shown.  The patina reacts instantly with the solder.  I then follow up by spray cleaning the area again with Kwik-Clean.  These chemicals are caustic and potentially dangerous.  Safety first.

I repeated this process three times, once on one end, twice on the other.  The lamp is not "perfect".  There are some cracked pieces which are "trapped" inside the aforementioned metal channel.  But it has come a long way from when I received it.  It will soon be ready for the family to enjoy again.

Here's a view of the end which I repaired.

 And here's a view of the other end which I repaired.

The lamp, ready to go home with its owner.  Thank you Frank, for bringing your lamp in to me.  It was a pleasure working such a unique piece!

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!

Pool Table Stained Glass Lamp Repair

I actually completed the repair of this lamp a couple of weeks ago. But Hurricane Sandy and Nor'easter Athena hit us hard here in Northern New Jersey.  Both storms resulted in extended power outages.  Tonight is my first opportunity to update the blog.

This lamp was made by my customer's family member several years ago and had been in storage, awaiting repair.  It is a large, heavy piece, made to hang over a pool table or bar. The construction is mostly copper foil, but has been reinforced with lead came around the upper and lower perimeters. The lamp had a few breaks at the crucial corners which weakened it.  Here's how I repaired the cracked pieces: (Click on any photo to enlarge).

Here is one of the corner pieces which had been cracked .. the piece on the adjoining corner was also cracked.  I repaired four broken pieces on this lamp.  Here are two of the repairs.

 Here's another broken corner piece on the opposite side.

The first step is to carefully assess all the damage and to determine which piece to repair first.  After choosing the starting piece, carefully remove it.  I opened up the lead came which reinforces the entire perimeter by wedging a flat screwdriver into the space and carefully bending it back.

Here I'm using needle nose pliers to extract the broken piece and to peel off the old copper foil and solder which lines the space.  

Now the space is clean and the lead came is open.

The choice of glass is important with any repairs, but particularly with lamps.  What looks like a good match in natural light may not be when the light is turned on.  Here I'm holding the old piece of glass up to a replacement piece to assess its luminosity in front of another lamp.  Note that the replacement glass is actually antique glass which was recently gifted to me by a retired stained glass artisan.  (Thank you again, Bob!).  Because this is an older lamp, it is optimal to use older glass for a perfect match.  

I then made a pattern of the open space using the old piece glass as a guide.  Then I inserted the pattern into the space to ensure that it would be a good fit.

 After tracing the pattern onto the antique glass, I scored it using a pistol grip cutter.  I tapped on the score line repeatedly until the glass cracked along its entire length as shown.  Then I used stained glass running pliers to cut it to shape.

 Below, I've replaced the new piece into the space, added copper foil around the edge, soldered it, and folded back the lead came. The next step (not shown) was the brushing on of the black patina.

 Here is another corner piece which I replaced and copper foiled.  I used 7/32" foil, the same width as was used in the original construction.  Here it is awaiting soldering and the application of black patina.

A lamp of this weight requires that cleaning be done carefully with lots of clean water and a large, soft sponge.  Its too large to rinse in a sink. I cleaned up the entire lamp, and then waxed it to add shine and life to the solder and to the glass.  Here are a couple of views of the finished, repaired lamp.  Its now strengthened and ready for many more years of enjoyment by the family.

If you have a broken, Tiffany style lamp that needs repair, give me a call.  I can usually assess the damage and arrange to give you an estimate if you send me detailed cellphone photos.  Click here to see more lamp (and other) copper foil stained glass repairs.   Call me: 201-600-1616.   Click here to visit my website.  Thanks!

My next project is to build a custom stained glass window which will hang inside a wall opening which separates a living room from an enclosed porch.  It'll be another beauty.  Stay tuned.  I expect to begin working on it next week.