Water Lily glass cutting has begun

Progress .. I finished cutting the blue glass for the water lily window.  The shades of blue in the photo below will all look noticeably lighter when its off the work surface and hanging in the window.  

(Click on any image to enlarge, use back arrow to return).  

The pale blue is Spectrum waterglass, which is a cathedral (clear) glass with ripples.  And the medium blue is a mix of Spectrum waterglass and Spectrum rough rolled, which is similar to waterglass, but with smaller ripples.  A nice mix!  Below you can see some of the texture, as well as the metal jig which was mentioned in the prior post.  The jig will stay in place as the window is being built.

The thick black lines are the pattern showing through.  The lead lines in the finished window will be thinner, and they will be silver, which will complement the water.

I cut most of these pieces by hand, as I always prefer to do.  I get much more accurate cuts, and the snapping sound of the glass is SO satisfying.  But for a few of the larger, more complicated pieces on this project, I fired up my Gryphon Wire Saw.  Its an essential tool, but its also very loud and requires nerves of steel to operate.  Thanks to the somewhat unpredictable nature of glass, there's probably about an equal chance of breakage whether its done by hand or by machine.

 Here's a tip for using the Gryphon Wire Saw .. Stop sawing about 3/4" of an inch from the edge of the glass.  Shut the machine off and then slowly back the blade out.  Then, using running pliers held perpendicular to the cut, break apart the pieces. Its far safer doing that last cut manually.  The glass can unexpectedly buck when the pressure on the blade suddenly decreases as it reaches the edge.

Next up .. Cutting the greens!

Click here to see more stained glass at Boehm Stained Glass Studio website.

Water Lily window pattern cut

A new project .. Yesterday, I started on a 28-3/4" x 16" water lily window to be hung in an upstairs bedroom window.  My customer wanted more water in the design, so I customized it from the original.  See the "before" and "after" designs below.  I removed the lines from the lower portion and added more water. 

Here is a color rendition of how finished window will look, using the glass that my customer and I chose.  It will be a nice mix of realistic blue waterglass and green wispy glass, for a brushstroke effect on the leaves.  We added whites, soft grays and pinks, and a dash of yellow glass as well.

I ran the design through re-sizing software and created a "life size" pattern which is the exact dimensions needed for the window.  Below is part of the full-size design which shows each piece numbered with colors assigned to each piece. For glass with texture, I also added hatch marks as a guide for placing the glass on the pattern, to achieve a more realistic effect.

Next, I prepared the pattern for the glass by tracing the full-size design onto manila folders.  Then I cut out the pieces with special double-bladed pattern scissors.  The scissors allow for "breathing room" between each piece which is needed for the copper foil which will be added later. Then I sorted the pattern pieces into envelopes, by glass color.

After the manila pattern was cut into pieces, I added a metal jig, or fence, around the perimeter of the full-size pattern. The jig will serve to contain the glass and keep all four borders straight and true, which will make for easier framing with metal channel when the window is complete.

Today, I started cutting the glass.  Eight pieces are cut as of now, with forty-five more to go.  Stay tuned as this window takes shape.  Its going to be a beauty!

Click here to see more stained glass at Boehm Stained Glass Studio website.

Beautiful window repaired as new

My next project will be a 28-3/4" x 16" water lily themed window.  While I'm waiting for the glass to be delivered, I completed a complex repair.

This lovely, small window hanging, 11" x 13", was created by my customer's out-of-town family member as a special gift.  Evidently, workers in her home dropped it without her knowledge and caused extensive damage to 6 pieces as shown.  (Click to enlarge, use back arrow to return).

This project required some research in order to match the glass exactly.  The existing blue glass resembled Spectrum Artique, but had small air bubbles throughout.  After checking my sources, I discovered that this was not Spectrum glass, but hand blown glass from Germany.  By a great stroke of luck, I was able to locate a good match for the blue, and purchased enough to complete the repair.  And with even more luck, they had the perfect green in stock, as well.

When I do a repair, I'm always careful to remove pieces in a way which will maintain the stability of the piece.  Looking at the 3 cracked pieces in the center of the window, I removed the top and bottom piece first, and left the green cracked piece in place, to maintain that stability.  After the top and bottom pieces were replaced, I removed and replaced the cracked green piece.

How are cracked pieces of glass removed?  Very carefully. Wearing safety glasses, score the cracked piece and tap on it repeatedly until it crumbles. Using needle nose pliers, pull out all the bits of glass.

Then, using the soldering iron, melt the solder along the borders of the cracked piece.  As the solder melts, wedge the tip of the iron between the copper foil of the broken piece and the adjacent piece and carefully pull it away.  (Be careful to tilt the window in such a way that the dripping solder lands on the homasote work surface, not on you.)

Trace the inside edge of the opening onto a manila folder, then cut the replacement glass accordingly. Below is the manila pattern and the glass, ready to be cut.  When using dark glass, outline the pattern with a silver Sharpie pen. 

Be aware of the plane of the replacement glass.  If the glass does not sit flat on your work surface, you may need to make a template out of corrugated cardboard to place beneath the replacement piece to raise it to the level of the rest of the window.  This is what I did with this project.

Here's the replacement glass, foiled and ready for soldering.  After all 6 replacement pieces were soldered in place, the window was cleaned, dried, and waxed.

And here is the repaired window .. Just like new again!

Do you have a cracked, copper foiled window in need of repairs?  Do you have an idea for a custom stained glass window for your home?  Call me at 201-600-1616 and we'll get started.

Click here to see more stained glass at Boehm Stained Glass Studio website.

Boehm Stained Glass Studio ad

Welcome!  Here is our ad which appears in local papers in Midland Park, Wyckoff, Franklin Lakes, Oakland, Ridgewood and Glen Rock.  Do you have a cracked, copper-foiled stained glass piece that needs repairing?  Or an idea for a custom residential window?  They make unique, heirloom gifts.  Give me a call or send an email .. I'm always happy to answer questions or "talk glass".

Please scroll down to the next post to see a window being repaired .. and read further for the story of the design, creation, and installation of a pair of my stained glass windows for a local historic home.

 

Click here for Boehm Stained Glass Studio website.

Restoring Peace .. A repair job

The other day, a neighbor asked me to add hanging hooks to the back of one of my windows, a 12” x 12” peace sign which he commissioned as a gift for his pre-teen daughter last Winter.  When he handed it to me, I noticed that one of the pieces of glass had sustained two cracks. If a window is going to crack, its usually during, or soon after soldering, not after any length of time.  I was puzzled.

Later, I asked his daughter how it happened. Her reply was “It’s a long story”.  She may have dropped it, or something heavy fell on it, I’ll never know. But that’s OK, my task was then not only to affix the hooks, but to repair the glass as well ... I couldn’t bear to return it to them in that condition.

First step:  Carefully score by cross-hatching the entire cracked piece, as shown.

Next, carefully tap on the glass to break it into smaller pieces.  Be sure to wear safety glasses ... bits fly everywhere. Then gently remove each piece using needle-nose pliers.

Once the broken glass is removed, make a template of the opening and cut a new piece of identical glass, in this case, clear rough rolled. Then, using a soldering iron, loosen the copper foil that was around the broken piece.  Using the pliers, remove the old foil from it, as well as from the adjacent pieces. Then use “GooGone” to remove all the old adhesive from the foil.  Clean thoroughly. Re-foil the adjacent pieces as well as the new piece.

This repair was tricky because it was in the corner. I had to cut the glass slightly smaller to fit the space, then push it away from the adjacent glass and toward the corner, so it would catch inside the channel (metal frame).  This resulted in a slightly wider lead line than I prefer to have, but it was the only option.  After soldering and patina-ing the repaired piece, I affixed two hooks to the back by lightly sanding the upper back corners and soldering them on. 

It took just over two hours.  My neighbor was pleasantly surprised. I turned down his offer to pay for the repair (which I did as a favor) ... but when I looked outside later, he had cleared the snow from our driveway and porch … Cool!

Have a broken stained glass window piece that needs repairing?  Have an idea for a custom window?  Please call or email me ... Click here for Boehm Stained Glass Studio website.

Dolphin & Manatee installation

Here are a series of photos of Eric in the process of preparing, and installing the Dolphin and Manatee stained glass windows above our clients’ Jacuzzi tub.  Here they are with the custom wood frames as constructed and painted by Eric.

On site, Eric adds the insulating tubing around the perimeter of the frame.  There is also insulating tape around the glass itself, as well as square wooden spacers between the glass and the window.

After carefully re-measuring the windows, Eric drills pilot holes for the screws.

And here he is, tightening the final screw.  Each screw was covered with a white cap, as shown, so that they blend into the frame.

Here I am with the windows.  Its SO satisfying to see the windows "living" in such a beautiful home with owners who truly enjoy them!  Thanks Ed and Julie, it was a pleasure!

  

(Click on images to enlarge, use back arrow to return).

And here's a "thank you" note from my client!
"Just a little note to tell you how much we love these works of art.  I had some time today, during a call, to really look through these in detail, as the sunlight came through.  The textures and angles of the light flowing through the glass is just magnificent!  Even the touch of making their eyes translucent blue just “pops” when the sun hits them just right!   Thanks again!"

Please call or email to have me build one for you ... Click here for Boehm Stained Glass Studio website.

Dolphin & Manatee are done!

The windows are done!  My husband, Eric, will now build custom wood frames for each of them.  Then they will be installed in my clients' beautifully renovated 18th Century, eco-friendly, Victorian mansion.  Here they are, side by side, as they will be installed in their new home.

  

And here are the two original renditions as created in my stained glass software. It's a very useful tool which enables my clients to see a "real life" version of their windows before a single piece of glass is cut.

These windows were a joy to create ... I already miss working on them! Lighting permitting, I may post a photo of the windows "in place" following installation.  (Click on images to enlarge, use back arrow to return).

If you'd like to have a custom stained glass window for your home, give me a call or send an email, and we'll get started!  Comments and inquiries always welcome.

Click here for Boehm Stained Glass Studio website.

Dolphin & Manatee windows are soldered

As of this afternoon, both windows have been framed with a stabilizing zinc channel.  The fronts and backs have been soldered.  Following the soldering, the flux and bits of excess solder were carefully washed off with warm water, a brush, Comet, and rubber gloves.

The sky area, as mentioned before, is non-transparent, clear glue chip glass.  The tan color seen here is the homasote board showing through.

It is my goal to work toward completing my clients' windows quickly and well.  But it is bittersweet when they get to this stage.  All that needs to be done now is the patina-ing, the rinsing, the waxing, and the wood framing.  My husband will then install them in my clients' home.

Tomorrow, I will post the first photos of the finished windows in the sunlight, along with their original computer-generated renditions.

(Click on images to enlarge, use back arrow to return).

Click here for Boehm Stained Glass Studio website.