Equipment/Stained Glass
There are 2 types of stained glass. Lead work uses lead came to hold the pieces of glass in place It is the traditional method used for church windows, etc. Copper foil work creates finer pieces of glass and allows the creation of 3D shapes. This produces things like Tiffany lamp shades.
Tools
Tools for Glass Cutting/shaping
- Glass cutters (ideally at least one of each)
- Pencil cutters - £15 each
- Pistol cutter - £20 each
- Lubricant oil - about £1 per bottle
- Glass cutting square - £7
- Cut running pliers (straight) - about £5
- Cut running pliers (curve) - about £20
- Grozers (normal) - £6
- Grozers (Narrow) - £8
Tools for soldering/assembly
- 100w temp controlled soldering iron + stand - £90
- lead cutter - £8
- Lead vice - £8
- Lead pulling pliers - £8
- horseshoe nails - ~£2 for 20
- Layout boards - can make our own (piece of chipboard a bit bigger than design with 2 wood battens at 90degrees)
- pattern shears for lead work - £8
- pattern shears for foil work - £8
- Fid - £2
- Hand crimper - £6
TOTAL for 1 complete set of tools tools ~£220 + VAT 'PLUS we'd want to buy a glass grinder (essential for adjusting pieces of glass that aren't quite perfect) - £120 + VAT
As an alternative, there are "starter" kits available that come with most of the tools (though not quite all). E.g.
Creative glass Tempsford glass
Supplies
General supplies
- Tallow flux (for lead work) - £2 per candle
- flux (for copper foil work) - £7
- flux remover - £7
- Solder 50/50 - £13 per 500g
- Solder 60/40 - £15 per 500g
- Lead came - £3-6 per 2m (varies depending on size)
- copper foil - ~£5 per 35m
- cement - £6 per kg
- whiting £1 per kg
Glass supplies
- A 10 sheet mixed pack (10"x6") costs about £25
- single sheets (12" x 12") - £4-6 depending on design
- horticultural glass for practise - ~£2 per 2' sq sheet
Charging for supplies
The easiest approach would be to charge by area of glass used, length of lead came used + per piece of solder. The cost of other supplies would be incorporated in the price. Glass cost needs to cover "wastage". There is also an ongoing maintenance cost for the grinder and the glass cutters.
