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Soldering Glass
The Secrets to Perfect Lines

soldering soldering lines soldering stained glass
Soldering glass used to hold the pieces of stained glass together serves as a functional element for your stained glass project.

To achieve a professional quality in your art work, you need to go beyond functional by making the lines smooth and consistent.

Click here for Information on Soldering Safety



Step by Step Directions

  1. Heat your iron to 68 on the temperature controller.

  2. Use an abrasive pad to clean your iron tip before you begin and periodically as you work.
    3. clean solder iron
  3. Lightly apply flux to a section of the stained glass project you are working on.
    4. apply flux
  4. Using 60/40 solder, unroll it to a manageable length, then lightly touch the area to be worked on.

  5. When soldering glass, place the solder on the tip of your iron, move both at a slow rate following the fluxed copper foil.
    6. soldering lines
  6. When you need to end, do not just move the iron vertically off, but rather slide the iron toward the glass.

Check out How to Take Care of Your Iron

Common Problems and the Solutions

Pits or Bubbles in Lines
The amount of flux applied to your copper foil will have a huge impact on the quality of your lines. Too much flux will cause pits and bubbles to appear.

Portions of Copper Foil Visible
When the amount of flux is too little, portions of the copper foil will remain visible.

Lumpy Lines
If your lines are lumpy, you need to turn up the heat on your iron. Do this in small increments.

Glass Breaks
If your glass cracks, your iron was too hot or you held it too long in one spot.

Things to Remember When Soldering Glass

The quality of your lines represent the professionalism of your work. Do not rush it.

While a patina will mask some inconsistencies in your lines, others will still be notiiceable and take away dromm the professional look of your piece.

Don't work out to the perimeter of your stained glass piece, leave approximately 1/4 inch along the edge. This will allow the zinc came to fit over your glass.

solder edges edges of solder

When finished with one side of your stained glass piece, let it cool, then carefully turn it over and repeat the same process on the other side.

soldered project
Finished Soldered Project

You're Done!
Time to Do Your Zinc Came Frame

Click here for Instructions on Applying Your Zinc Came Frame

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