Dichroic Sun Catcher

Materials:

sheet glass
clear glass bevels
breaking pliers
handheld oil-fed glasscutter
glass cutting square
ruler
copper foil tape
burnisher
vinyl resist
newspaper
masking tape
tracing paper
pencil
craft knife
brayer
air-compressor and sandblasting unit
soap and water
solder
flux
needle nose pliers
zinc u-channel
tinned copper wire
permanent black marker
hanging chain
safety glasses

1. Cut sheet glass with a glasscutter into predetermined sizes.

2. Clean the glass centerpiece and apply vinyl resist. Burnish the resist with a brayer. Cut newspaper to fit the back of the piece and tape in place. Tape all edges of the glass.

3. Sketch a design with pencil onto tracing paper.

4. Transfer the design to the resist using tracing paper and a pencil (figure A).

5. Cut the design with a craft knife and lift off areas to be sandblasted (figure B). Reburnish with a brayer (figure C).

6. Turn on the compressor and sandblasting unit and sandblast off the dichroic coating (figure D).

7. Remove the resist (figure E) and wash piece with water.

8. Wrap the edges of all glass pieces and bevels with copper foil tape (figure F). Burnish all edges.

9. Place all wrapped pieces on the table and make sure pieces are squared-up (figure G).

10. Flux and solder both sides of the piece (figure H).

11. Cut zinc u-channel border and make hanging loops. Flux and solder all (figure I).

12. Clean with hot soap and water.

13. Add a hanging chain and voila! You have your own dichroic glass sun catcher!

Website: www.midnightstarglass.com