my flamingo lost its head

[Rebecca]

That's a good idea to try both and see which you like. 

I think Vic and Graham and I are okay.  There are others who can't be wrong, though! :P

Rebecca

[Lou Ann]

I finally got started on these repairs and I have one last question...

I'm working on the one that is completely apart and have put 2 pieces of restrip in the areas shown in pink (I'm worse than you are with paint, Rebecca)...

am I gaining anything from using so much restrip or should I just put it across the problematic joints and try to hid the edge in the solder

thanks
Lou Ann

[Rebecca]

Lou Ann, I wouldn't put it into the seams.  (I think that's what I see.)  The legs are actually another problem area.  The stake takes care of the standing leg, but the bent leg has just a small seam holding it on.  Instead of going into that seam, I would continue down the leg to the stake.  The absolute strongest would be to go all the way around the bird.  And sometimes that is easier than hiding the ends of your reinforcing material.  Going across the problem areas for a few inches is good.  Going all the way around is best.  It might be overkill, but for an outdoor stake overkill is good.  You don't know what (or who) will happen to it outside.  People or pets and weather and water hoses ...

Rebecca

[Lou Ann]

thanks Rebecca

I hope to get this soldered together later today; will depend on the weather and if we can be outside or not...

LA

[Wayne]

I am a firm believer that an unfinished edge (copper foil and solder) means the project is not done.  I think strongline would be the most difficult to use on things like this.  This maybe a case for the braided line and certainly a good application for 14 gauge wire all the way around.

Below is a picture of a 100 year old Tiffany pendant.  The pendant has the entire edge done in copper wire which is soldered in and is very strong.

[JoanFrances]

Wayne and or Rebecca, I have seen where people use the ball chain around the edge of sun catchers, does that application give any strength or is it just pretty?   

After working a lot of bad habits out of my glassing through what I have learned on the forums, I have started looking at my work with a different eye.  Except for panels that are hung in windows I had never considered applying any edging to my pieces.  Reading of the older books on stained glass construction and coming to the forums opened my eyes to many of the applications that seem to have fallen by the way side in the more currant publications, and the teachings from local studios.

Thanks to all who are willing to share with those of us who really want to learn how our pieces should be done and made to stand the test of time.   

[Wayne]

One could use ball chain to add support to outer edges but it does change the look somewhat and make sure you want the change.  If you do try chain, make sure it is unfinished brass.  It does come in various sizes and is available in many places.  http://www.warner-criv.com/search/search.aspx?type=search&strSearch=ball%20chain

BTW, when I use the 1/4" ball chain on a 28" shade, I first solder on 12 gauge wire and get the surface smooth then apply the chain.  The chain requires a lot of work.

[Anne]

looks really nice with the chain Wayne, but obviously a lot of work. Are you going to show us the rest of the lamp? The just finished board doesn't HAVE to be just finished!!

[Audrey]

Love the look of the chain on that piece. I had some in my hand at Lowes today and didn't get it. Good thing I guess as it probably wasn't unfinished.

[JoanFrances]

Wayne, that does make a very impressive edging indeed.  Question, do you tack solder each and every ball, or you do it every so many balls.  It does look like it increases the amount of work immensely. 

[Kev]

Good question Joan. By looking at the example, you can't see where it's soldered at all.

[Wayne]

Wayne, that does make a very impressive edging indeed.  Question, do you tack solder each and every ball, or you do it every so many balls.  It does look like it increases the amount of work immensely.  

I have seen the brass chain soldered on in sequences of every 5 or so.  Over the years since the 1900's most of them have sagged in the unsoldered areas so I always solder each ball on to the edge.  That creates a lot of work because the most efficient way to do it is to have the edge horizontal and heat each ball allowing the solder to flow down onto the edge.  The spaces between the balls fill in and are a pain to clean out but it can be done.  Note that once the ball receives the solder it freezes the ball from moving since the tube part of the chain is now locked in.

If the edge is supposed to be flat and there are irregularities, the ball chain will magnify the imperfections.  However, it does follow the curves well.  I usually allocate 4 hours for the use of the chain in addition to the 4 - 5 hours to attach and finish solder the ring the chain sits on.

(That shade was sent to Maryland in 2005)

[JoanFrances]

Wayne, that does make a very impressive edging indeed.  Question, do you tack solder each and every ball, or you do it every so many balls.  It does look like it increases the amount of work immensely.  

 
I have seen the brass chain soldered on in sequences of every 5 or so.  Over the years since the 1900's most of them have sagged in the unsoldered areas so I always solder each ball on to the edge.  That creates a lot of work because the most efficient way to do it is to have the edge horizontal and heat each ball allowing the solder to flow down onto the edge.  The spaces between the balls fill in and are a pain to clean out but it can be done.  Note that once the ball receives the solder it freezes the ball from moving since the tube part of the chain is now locked in.

If the edge is supposed to be flat and there are irregularities, the ball chain will magnify the imperfections.  However, it does follow the curves well.  I usually allocate 4 hours for the use of the chain in addition to the 4 - 5 hours to attach and finish solder the ring the chain sits on.

(That shade was sent to Maryland in 2005)

Thanks for the quick response.  It certainly makes one think about the benefit of adding it to a sun catcher LOL

[Wayne]

Well, I don't do sun catchers so I can not say how difficult it could be.  I would use the 1/8" unfinished ball chain to try.  Maybe the little holes would look good filled in too?  Recently, I did create some wings for a scultpure and attached 14 gauge wire on both.  Getting a nice finish was not bad and it took 10-15 minutes each and they were at least a foot around.

[JoanFrances]

Great input Wayne.  That is why I love this forum so much, it gives us prespectives we wouldn't otherwise be able to key into.  Thanks Friend.  Happy Glassing

[PiscesGlass]

I'll second Wayne's thoughts about running wire completely around the perimeter of a piece of stained glass that isn't capable of being framed in lead, zinc or wood, or some other stable outside perimeter.  I had been taught from my very first class in SG that reinforcement of edges was something I needed to do on items that were not frameable by any other method.
I will say that I haven't used 14 ga wire for perimeter reinforcement (but I'll try it one of these days).   Usually I've used 18 ga and found that it's worked just great on the smallish items I've reinforced this way, and was easily bent w/heat from the soldering iron to fit the piece exactly.  
Pardon the really bad pic on the Patriot Logo (and as an addendum, this was a one off that is intended for personal use only..so that that copyright police don't come to take my student away...lol)
Wire edge reinforcement is surprisingly strong and highly recommended.

De

[Wayne]

Exactly!  No  unprotected edge should ever be considered finished..............

Below is a section of the wing in which 14 gauge wire is being applied.  The other two pictures show 12 gauge wire being applied to the irregular edge of a wisteria.  In both cases the wires are bent either by the fingers or by needle nose pliers.  Once it is all tacked on, you can do a final solder to make it fill in and look nice.  It will be super strong.  It gets tacked ONLY at the solder joints an you work it around.  The same technique works of sun catchers, panels, and shades.

[PiscesGlass]

Wow Wayne, excellent pictures!  I can easily see where the heavier wire would be perfect reinforcement for lamp edges and other irregular items, like the wing.  I don't know why other people I've worked with have never suggested the heavier wire to me...probably they've never tried it themselves.  But it would give a much stronger support, particularly to larger projects.

Thanks for your posts on this subject, they make the process extremely clear! 

De 

[Audrey]

Wayne, thanks so much for that advice and the photos.Finishing irregular edges have been an issue for me.

[memaribeth]

I agree, the information and your great pictures help a lot! 

Thank you, Wayne, very much!