Stained glass can be made with a surprisingly small set of tools. Most of the equipment does one of three jobs: cutting the glass, joining the pieces, or protecting the person doing it. This page lists what a beginner needs, and the guides below explain how each stage is done.
There are two main ways of joining the pieces. In the copper foil method each piece is wrapped in thin adhesive copper tape and the pieces are soldered together. This is the usual choice for small panels, lamps and anything three-dimensional. In the leaded method the pieces are held in grooved strips of lead called came, which is how most church, house and pub windows have been made for centuries. Many of the windows in the gallery are leaded lights. The two methods share the same cutting skills, and both finish with soldered joints.
How-to guides
- How to cut glass: scoring, breaking, curves and common faults.
- How to grind glass and apply copper foil: shaping edges and wrapping pieces.
- How to solder: iron, solder, flux and running a clean bead.
- How to make a leaded panel: stretching came, building, soldering and cementing.
- How to cut lead came: clean cuts without squashing the lead.
- Working safely with glass: lead, fumes, glass dust and sharp edges.
- Common beginner mistakes: what to practise before a first real panel.
- A short history of stained glass: how the craft and its tools developed.
Which method first?
Foil work is forgiving and quick to learn, needs no stretching or cementing, and produces a strong panel from small or awkward shapes. Leaded work needs a few more tools and a little more patience with the board and the came, but it suits windows, straight geometric panels and traditional designs. Whichever is chosen, practise cutting on cheap window glass before spending money on coloured sheet.
Safety deserves a read before the first cut. Lead solder and lead came are normal materials in this craft and are safe to work with when basic hygiene is followed, which is covered on the workshop safety page.
The list below covers what is needed to make a first panel by either method. Brand names are left out on purpose: any competent craft or glass supplier will stock the items, and the useful differences between products are described under each heading. Prices change too often to quote.
The minimum for a first foiled panel
- A glass cutter and a little cutting oil
- Running pliers or breaking pliers, and grozing pliers
- A marker pen, a straight edge and a pattern on paper
- A grinder, or at least a carborundum stone
- Copper foil and a burnishing tool
- A soldering iron of 80 to 100 watts with a stand
- Stained glass solder, flux and a flux brush
- Safety glasses, and somewhere well ventilated to work
- Sheet glass, with a few pieces of cheap window glass for practice
Leaded work needs the same cutting tools plus the items listed under Leaded work below.
Cutting and breaking
Glass cutter
The cutter scores a thin line in the surface of the glass, along which it then breaks. A small hardened wheel does the scoring. Pistol-grip and pencil-style cutters are both common, and the choice is mostly a matter of what feels comfortable in the hand. Some cutters hold a reservoir of oil that feeds the wheel, which saves dipping. Wheels wear out and can be replaced on many models. See how to cut glass for technique.
Cutting oil
A few drops of light oil on the wheel keep the score clean and extend the life of the cutter. Oil-filled cutters supply their own; otherwise a small pad or pot of oil beside the work does the job.
Running pliers and breaking pliers
Running pliers have a marked jaw that is lined up with the score. A gentle squeeze runs the break along the line, which is especially useful on thicker glass and long straight cuts. Breaking pliers have flat jaws and grip the glass on both sides of the score to snap it by hand pressure. Beginners often find one of the two is enough at first.
Grozing pliers
These have a flat, serrated jaw used to nibble away small waste pieces and to tidy chipped edges.
Straight edge, marker and pattern shears
A metal straight edge or square guides straight cuts and keeps corners true. A fine permanent marker draws the cut line on the glass. Pattern shears are scissors that remove a thin strip of paper at each cut so that the pieces leave room for foil or came. A light box or a sunny window helps in judging colour and lines through the glass.
Shaping
Glass grinder
A grinder is a small motor that turns a diamond-coated bit while a sponge keeps it wet. It smooths edges and corrects small errors so that pieces fit together neatly. Most machines come with a larger bit, about 3/4 inch (19 mm), for general work and a smaller one, about 1/4 inch (6 mm), for tight curves. Grits run from coarse to fine; medium suits most work. It is the most expensive item in a beginner kit and worth checking carefully.
Carborundum stone
A hand-held abrasive block, used wet, for taking the sharp edge off a piece. It is slow compared with a grinder, but costs very little and works for leaded panels where every piece does not need to be ground.
Foil work
- Copper foil tape in 7/32 inch (about 5.5 mm) or 1/4 inch (6 mm) width is the usual starting size. It comes with a copper, silver or black backing, chosen to suit the glass and the finish.
- Burnishing tool, often a plastic fid, which presses the foil flat against the glass.
- Craft knife for trimming the foil.
- Isopropyl alcohol and a cloth to clean the glass so the adhesive grips.
Soldering
- Soldering iron of around 80 to 100 watts, preferably with temperature control, and a stand so it is never laid on the bench.
- Solder made for stained glass, commonly 60 percent tin and 40 percent lead. Lead-free alternatives are available.
- Flux, usually a gel or paste, and a brush to apply it.
- Tip cleaner, either a brass pad or a damp sponge, to keep the iron tip bright and tinned.
- Fume extraction or a window and a fan.
More detail is on the soldering page.
Leaded work
- Lead came, the H-shaped strip with a groove on each side for the glass. It comes in different widths and hardnesses.
- Lead knife or lead nippers for cutting came cleanly without squashing it.
- Lead stretcher or vice, which straightens and hardens the came by pulling it.
- Lathekin or fid, a smooth hardwood or plastic wedge used to open the channels and to press the came down onto the glass.
- Horseshoe nails and a hammer, to hold the work in place on the board.
- Work board and wooden battens, set up square against the pattern.
- Set square, to keep the panel true.
- Glazing cement and a stiff brush, to seal the finished panel, with whiting to clean up (see how to make a leaded panel).
Glass
Cathedral glass is smooth and transparent and is the simplest to cut. Opalescent glass is milky and diffuses light, and can vary in thickness. Textured glass is cut on the smooth side. A thickness of around 3 mm is easiest to learn on. The differences between types are described under glass types.
Finishing
- Patina, a liquid that darkens the solder to black or copper.
- Polish or wax for a clean finish.
- Glass cleaner and soft cloths; damp wiping is better than dry brushing because it does not raise dust.
Protection
- Safety glasses, worn at all times when cutting, grozing and soldering. Over-glasses exist for people who wear spectacles.
- Gloves for handling lead came, and fingertip protectors for grinding.
- A mask if ventilation is poor or dust is likely.
- An apron that stays in the workshop.
See workshop safety for the reasons behind each of these.
Terms used here are explained in the Glass Glossary, and the Learn section covers the history and types of glass.