Project by Deby Cowdin from North Olmsted, Ohio.
Deby employs a stained-glass technique for the embellishment of a unique trinket box.
Materials:
12" x 12" sheet glass
mirror glass
4 flat-sided beads
tumbled glass
agate
copper foil
flux
flux cleaner
flux brush
hinge tubes
glass cutter
grinder
Edge shave gel
clear liquid nails
boxer
breaking pliers
needle-nose pliers
scissors
fid
electrical tape
sharpie pen
6" pre-tinned fine chain
Steps:
1. Cut two pieces of glass 2" x 4" and two pieces 2" x 6". These are the sides of the box.
2. Grind edges of the cut glass and copper foil edges with fid.
3. Put box together and secure with electrical tape in the middle of the edges only. Apply flux and tack solder top of the edges together; remove tape (gently) and finish soldering all the edges inside and out. Clean with flux cleaner.
4. Place box on top of mirror glass. Trace around the outside edges with a black marker and cut on the inside of that line with glass cutters.
5. Grind edges and apply copper foil. Use Edge shave gel as flux and put a thin coat of solder on the copper foil.
6. Place box back on top of the mirror and solder to the edges. Clean with flux cleaner.
7. Cut a piece of glass from the glass you used for the box into a 3" x 6" piece. Cut a curved line in glass from the top left corner to the bottom right corner; grind and foil. Now you have two pieces.
8. Lay out glass with a 1-inch gap between lines. Place tumbled glass and agates in the gap to fit. Don't worry if there are gaps. Once you see where they fit, foil edges, flux and solder in place.
9. Line up with the back edge of the box lid with hollow tube, flux and solder. Make sure the ends of the tubes are not covered; solder to 1/16 inch from ends.
10. Put solid rods in the holes of the tubes, about 1/4 inch inside the tube. Use pliers to gently bend tube to a 90-degree angle. Solder rod to the back sides of the box. This will complete the hinge.
11. Do a final bead solder on the entire outside solder seams of the box.
12. Tack solder chain to the top of the lid and the lower corner. This will keep the lid from falling back when opened.
13. Clean entire piece with flux cleaner; then wax entire piece with a Carnauba wax. This will make glass shine and solder stay silver.
14. Glue beads to the bottom corners of the box for legs.
Website: www.Vividartgallery.com
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