Tools Needed for Stained Glass

Working is glass arts requires quite a few tools. This list make the task of setting up your workshop less daunting.

An Old Window in it's original casing, unknown artist, Chicago

To make your pattern

• Ruler

• Pencils for drawing

• Pencil - for transferring the pattern, preferably red

• Card stock paper

• Graph paper

• Plain paper

• Graphite paper (carbon paper)

You can purchase these supplies at art supply or at office supply stores.

• Pattern Sheers

• Envelopes, paper clips, and/or binder clips

Creating a Pattern Blog Post

To cut out your pattern and cut glass

• Felt tipped pen, black

• Felt tipped pen, white

• Glass cutting tool

• Cutting oil

• Glass breaking pliers, grozing (having 2 makes breaking small pieces easier)

• Glass breaking pliers, running (optional but helpful)

• A soft bristled brush (the softer the bristles the better job it will do). Some people use a soft paintbrush, about 4-6" wide

• Safety glasses

• Glass cutting mat (optional)

Glass cutting waffle grid mats made for cutting glass are made of plastic. They have a small raised grid surface to catch the glass fragments in the recesses, while the glass stays elevated above the debris.

Another useful cutting mat for glass is a self-healing hobby mat, which is easier on the cutting tool than a hard table surface.

If you don't use a waffle grid cutting mat or a self-healing hobby mat use newspaper as a padding under the glass while cutting the glass.

To assemble your cut glass

For leaded pieces:

• Lead knife and/or nippers

• Fid

• Horseshoe nails

• A small hammer

• Lead came

• Border came, usually zinc

• Reinforcement material (for larger windows): Copper Re-Strip, Morton Strongline, Flex-Bar

For copper foiled pieces:

• Copper foil

• Burnishing tool

• Copper foil holder (optional)

• Copper foil application tool (optional)

To solder and finish your piece

• Soldering iron

• Soldering iron stand

• Flux Brush

• Solder

• Flux

• Rheostat (optional)

• Wire brush

• Products to keep the tip of the soldering iron clean

Finishing

• Patina

• Patina brush

• Window glazing putty for leaded windows (available at hardware stores. Stained glass suppliers sell black window glazing putty.)

• Sawdust or stained glass whiting powder

You also need these items:

• Glass for your project

• A surface to build the window on, such as a piece of plywood

• Apron (optional)

• Wire

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