The Dale C. Maley Family Web Site

I noticed on the Facebook group that several people use flat versus round top lead came on their panels. The flat top came gives a different look than the rounded top lead came.

My stained glass class instructor made us do one panel with lead.  He chose a very wide and thick lead with a rounded top.  I am not sure why he chose such a big lead size..........maybe easier for beginning students to fit their glass into............or he knew he was retiring soon and wanted to exhaust his inventory of big lead?

For most all of my lead panel projects, I have been using the smallest lead size sold by Anything in Stained glass.com........which is RH-3. The top of this came is rounded versus flat, and is 1/8" wide.

Because this lead is relatively small, one must really shove the glass into the side grooves hard and well........for no gaps to appear.

My instructor did not explain the different types of lead available, like different sizes, and flat top versus rounded top came.

I went to anything in stained glass's web site, and the smallest flat top lead came was model FH-60........

Steps:

1. print full-scale paper pattern from sketchup

2. cut LH zinc frame piece with 45 deg on bottom and an inch longer than needed at top

3. Cut bottom zinc frame piece with 45 degr and 1 inch longer than needed at RH side

4. Place aluminum angle where LH zinc plus first bevel needs to be, thumb tack it in place

5. Place aluminum angle where bottom zinc plus first bevel needs to be, thumb tack

6. start building panel form LH corner

7. Build right to the end. Use scrap piece of zinc frame to mark where to cut RH 45 deg on bottom frame piece

8. cut 45 deg angle on bottom of RH zinc frame piece

9. build panel upwards

I was able to cut flat ends on the flat top zinc using my pliers, versus having to saw each piece.   

I never notice before, but when you cut with pliers, you get flat end on 1 piece..............but other piece gives pointed 45 deg end.......which is what you need when you intersect the lead at 45 degrees !!!!!!!!!!          pretty handy !!

My supplier forgot to send the big 4 inch center square for both kits I ordered.  To finish the panel, I put 2 of the triangles together from the other kit........which should simulate the size of the 4 inch square panel.  When I get the missing parts, I will remove the 2 triangles and substitute the 1 piece.

It took 3 rolls of the flat top lead came........6 ft to a roll.............so 18 feet total.

It is raining today, so no sunlight to show the panel in sun light.

Here is the panel in my LED light box...........

This will be a gift to my favorite local waitress, that is moving to Missouri.

This is my first project with flat top lead came.  I like the look of the flat top came, and you don't have to try so hard to make sure the glass is completely inserted into the small round top lead came I have been using.  I still need to keep getting better at my soldering, as usual.  I think I will use the flat top came on future projects as well.