Tips Title with Cute Little Alien

Tips and Observations Index
There's More Than one Way To Tin A Cat

General Tips

Copper Foil
General tips about copper foil. Foiling different types of glass and general instructions using copper foil.

How to Clean Stained Glass Projects
A few quick tips for cleaning a finished stained glass project.

Marking on Glass
Markers that I've found work best on glass are listed here. Along with general marking tips, and how to sign your work. Included also a brief list of paints that stick to glass.

Mirrors
Information regarding mirror. How to work with it, and ways to help eliminate the creeping black edge.

Soldering Boxes
General information in the construction of stained glass boxes. Covered subjects include: working with box chain, and different hinging methods.

Random Stained Glass Tips
A collection of random tips, in no particular order, or topic. Included tips are stuff that can scratch glass, cutting oil, and safety information.

My Reader's Tips
This is a collection of my readers tips all sent in to me over the past. If you have any you want me to add, let me know and I'll post them, with your credit of course.

Instructional Guides

Help with Buying Stained Glass
A general guide in buying stained glass items, whether it's from E-Bay, a garage sale, or a professional stained glass artist. Covered: panels, boxes, suncatchers and kaleidoscopes. Neatness of solder, selection of color, and many other topics are listed.

How To Get Started In Stained Glass
How to find places that teach stained glass. Research in phone books, for example, is included. Along with a few links to online phone books and online map sites.

How to Repair Stained Glass
The name says it all - how to repair a copper foiled window or box. Some basic knowledge of stained glass making is needed.

How To Sign Your Work
How to put your signature on your stained glass masterpiece. A more in depth look in signing your work.

How To Identify Your Glass
Characteristics of glass from major glass companies. Descriptions of what the glass surface looks like, how it cuts, how it breaks, and the different patterns the glass comes in. Currently listed: Spectrum Art Glass, Wissmach, Armstrong, Kokomo, and Youghiogheny.

Mistakes Happen
Mistakes will happen to any stained glass artist (or anybody for that matter). Listed are various projects that I messed up in some way, but I also explain how it was fixed and may have actually enhanced the project in some way. Projects included are: The Heart of Atlantis, The Victorian Chest, and Aphrodite's Treasure (fish lamp).

My Adventures In Mold Making
I believe that a stained glass artist should make their own designs themselves. I go one step further and build my own lamp molds. This page describes how I've made my lamp molds in the past. It's still an on going cycle. My guess is that I'll keep making them differently until I find a winner. This page may help inspire you to make your own lamp molds.

The Creative Process
How I think up my ideas, with sketches of projects that are on my page. Basically it's the creative process done in pictures and writing. Projects covered: Aphrodite's treasure (fish lamp) and The heart of Atlantis.

How To Find Patterns For Suncatchers
There are many easy ways to design your own suncatchers without buying expensive books. I describe various ways to acquire the wanted pattern, using clipart. Over twenty examples of sun catchers are displayed.

Picking Glass at the Store
Some people may wonder what goes through my mind when I pick glass out in the store, here is a brief synopsis of what I do. Also some brief information on removing the price tags from the glass (when your home, of course).

Other sources for stained glass ideas A quick guide explaining different methods acquiring photo's of already made work. These photo's would later be used as source material in later projects (not to be used as a pattern for yourself). There's also a brief section on taking pictures of your own work.

How to Fix Scratched Glass
How to remove minor scratches in glass using Cerium Oxide.

How to Maintain Your Tools
Tool maintenance is the #1 overlooked thing to do in your shop. Every tool needs just as much love and care as your dog does. Feed it (oil), clean it, walk it if you want. Covered is: Soldering irons, how to clean them, care for them, and how to tin the tip. How to take care of your glass cutter, so it will last for a good long while. How to clean your glass grinder and keep it working.

Order of Construction
A brief guide describing different orders when building a stained glass panel.

Box Making Tips
An introduction to the world of stained glass box making. I describe when you should use mirror for a base. Different types of feet and filigree. A quick list of the different types of box lids that can be made, and another quick guide: How to clean a stained glass box.

Advanced Box Making Tips
A fairly large group of tips, all aimed at building more complex advanced boxes. One section describes the exact steps building a box with a 5 piece lid.

How to Set Up Your Shop
A guide describing different places to set up a work shop in, for your stained glass craft. Places to set up a shop, pro's and con's of each. Types of benches available, surface descriptions. Lighting, tool storage, entertainment, and where not to have a shop. If your going to set up a new workshop, look at this page, it should help give you ideas.

The Foil Faq
Foil not sticking right? Find answers to some of your foil sticking problems. Glass preparation, types of glass that work best. Too much heat? A guide listing possible scenario's of what could be happening to you.

Different Ways to cut out glass
Describes a few ways in cutting glass out. Cutting glass in a group, or separately, band saw and strip cutting. A quick guide a few pointers, bring the kids.

Making Glass Filigree
How to make your own filigree shaped gems from glass. If you have a small kiln, you can make your own gems. This will enhance your work by making it truly unique.

The Art of Soldering a Good Bead
Having trouble making a nice solder bead? This is the information you'll need. I cover buying a new soldering iron, solder types and what there for, and equipment needed.

Solder Reclamation 101
This is a brief guide how I reclaim my old Solder. It saves money and is considered recycling.

Personal Observations

Designing a Challenge Project
Ever wonder what steps you should build in, to start making more complex projects? This guide will list ways to increase your mental thinking and creative logic to make your own challenge project.

Glass Samples Critique
Comments and criticisms on stained glass sample sets. I've gotten a few sample set's a while back, and here's what I have to say about them.

The History of My Shop
My shop has gone through many, many changes over the years. For those of who that are interested I put together a scrap book of my past shops.

Taking Advantage of a Good Deal
Ways to find a bargain, in the field of stained glass.

Tiffany Vs. The Fruit Lamp
Why all lamps should not be called Tiffany. I personally hate it when someone calls any stained glass lamp or window a Tiffany. This page describes the differences between Tiffany, and not Tiffany.

General Information About Stained Glass
Don't do stained glass yourself? This is a Stained Glass FAQ, these are all questions that I've been asked from time to time. Basically it's stained glass for dummies. Subjects included are: starting stained glass, forms stained glass comes in, came and copper foil, and mirror luck.

Should I Buy a Band Saw
The pros and cons about buying a band saw.

Life span of a Tool
Based on my personal observations, this is how long the average tool will last under my amount of use.

Suncatchers
Description of the different types of suncatchers that are available.

Tips