How small is too small - copper foil

[Oofda]

Good morning!

I am working on a project that has some very small pieces.  Almost smaller than a pencil eraser.  At what point is too small to copper foil?  How do you properly foil something that small?

Thanks!
Sarah

[Rebecca]

I have heard of people doing rice grain-sized pieces, but I personally think that pieces that small should be eliminated.  For small pieces, you can use narrow foil (3/16 or trim you own,) but at a point the solder line gets so small that it looks out of place with the other lines.  You will learn with experience what you think works and what you think looks ridiculous.  Change the pattern to eliminate pieces that are ridiculously small, or enlarge the pattern until the pieces are larger.

Rebecca

[TracyCT]

I agree with Rebecca.  About the smallest that I go is the size of a pencil eraser although I have done smaller and it's really not worth it.

[Graham]

Very small pieces don't have to be foiled. the solder surrounding those pieces will hold them in place. Although I would often agree with those who say it's not worth it, there are also occasions where a very small is an important element in a panel - actually raising it above the ordinary.

One year I made a number of Loons for a show in Toronto. The transparent ruby red eye, about the circumference of an eraser, within the opaque black background, was very striking, and sold the damned things faster than I could make them. Every night for 10 days - I was up making a few Loons for my wife to sell the next day.

We kept raising the price daily (supply and demand) and people kept buying them. I'm convinced that without that bright ruby colored eye, they'd have been considered ordinary and not sold nearly as well.

[Kev]

If it's not an important piece to the overall design or look of the piece, I'll leave it out and make it a part of a piece next to it.

[JudyK]

It was my desire to make windows that were practically mosaics, that pushed me to pursue painting on glass.

[Oofda]

Thanks everyone!  I will look at the design again and see if it's something I can make part of the piece next to it or not.  Being a beginner I am nervous to foil something that small and mess it up.  :)

[Rebecca]

The only way you will know for yourself what is too small is to try it and see.

Rebecca

[JudyK]

You won't mess it up anything you can't fix and learn from. Tiny is just time consuming.

[glassman52]

Trial and error will do it.

[ct4mom]

Sometimes tiny is necessary but for me those small pieces are hard to cut, hard to grind and hard to foil for these old fingers so if can be changed I will.

[glasisfun]

I side with the group that if it is really going to make the piece a stand out, then take the time and effort to foil those little guys, but if it is not integral to the design, work around it!

[PiscesGlass]

It sounds like you've already begun this project. But for the next, if it contains pieces that you might consider too small to foil..I'd enlarge it to a size that would make the smallest pieces a little easier to work with.

LOL..I design waaay too many small pieces in my panels..but I consider that some of the small details are important to the design.  Occasionally I will "solder fill" areas if they are intended to be dark..or silver colored. 
Rebecca's suggestion of trimming down the foil around the perimeter of a piece that would otherwise be quite covered over with foil is something I do fairly regularly..after the piece has been foiled and burnished.  I love my exacto knife needless to say.

De