Stained and Fused Glass Panel

Steps:

1. Sketch a design for the stained glass window onto paper, leaving a space in the center for the handcrafted cabochon.

2. Number the pieces and assign pieces to pre-selected colors of glass.

3. Cut the paper pattern apart with scissors.

4. Affix the individual paper pattern pieces to colored glass with rubber cement.

5. Wear safety glasses. With a glass cutter, cut the glass pieces following the pattern piece outlines.

6. Grind the edges of the glass pieces on a glass grinder.

7. Remove the paper patterns. Clean each glass piece.

8. Apply copper foil to the edges of all glass pieces and burnish the foil with a fid burnisher.

9. Grind the edges of the cabochon to fit into the panel.

10. Apply copper foil to the fused glass cabochon.

11. Layout all the pieces on a ceiling tile using the Morton Layout Block system into the original stained glass window pattern. Double-check the fit of the individual pieces.

12. Heat the soldering iron. Apply flux to the copper foil on the front side of the piece. Solder the piece together.

13. Flip the project over. Apply flux to the copper foil on the back side. Solder the back together. Flip the piece over and insert the cabochon in the center and solder in place.

14. Connect copper U-channel to the edges to frame the piece. Cut two vertical U-channel pieces at each corner and bend down to miter the corners.

15. Pinch the U-channel together at each corner with needle nose pliers. Cut the U-channel off when the entire panel is enclosed.

16. Apply flux to the U-channel. Solder the U-channel to the glass panel for a uniform appearance.

17. Add jump rings to the top corners for hanging the stained glass piece. Hold the rings with needle nose pliers and solder the rings onto the top corners of the frame. Clean the completed glass panel with water and a dry cloth.

18. Wearing rubber gloves, apply the patina to the soldered areas. Rinse with water. Apply liquid polish and let dry.

19. Hand polish and buff to a finish with a cotton cloth.

20. Attach the chain to the stained and fused glass panel and hang.

Website: www.sunflowerglassworks.com