After I finished making 8 small orange stained glass boxes, I had a whole bunch of square orange scrap pieces left over. They were slightly smaller than 3x3 inches. I decided to built a standard stained glass panel, about 8 x 10 using the scraps.
I cut the scraps down to 2.5x2.5 inches.
I thought a 1 inch wide clear glass border would look good. The glass kind of has waves in it. I found a piece of almost clear glass to use for the center 2 pieces that hold the orange oval. I wrapped the oval in the same lead I used for the glass pieces.
At Hobby Lobby recently, I noticed a bag of neat looking orange and yellow oval pieces. I experimented and came up with a design using the actual pieces. I did not draw up the design in Sketchup, I decided to build it with no plan. This plan included gluing 4 of the orange ovals on top of the orange glass in the 4 corners. I had some E6000 glue that is designed for glass, but had never used it before. I decided this was the project to try it out on. Since I had been doing lead boxes, I decided to keep going with lead on this project. I used RH-3 lead, H shape, from AnythingFrom StainedGlass.com.
I used a zinc frame from Anything in stained glass, model number ZB-375, called 3/8" zinc.
-I put glue just on the center of the orange ovals, so hopefully it would not squeeze out and be visible on the sides.
-By eye, I manually placed the oval in the center of the 2.5x2.5 piece of orange glass.
-Used blue masking tape to hold the oval in position when I clamped it
-Clamped with big plastic clamps
-Put in oven to speed drying, a couple of 15 minute cycles at 120F to set the glue
-Remove clamps and blue masking tape
You can't really see any glue squeeze-out, and this method seemed to work ok.
Normally, you start building in the bottom LH corner and build outwards. In this case, I wanted to see how the design looked, so I intentionally left out the center clear glass piece with 1 orange oval. The design looked great!! I had a slight bulge on the LH side where the center clear glass panel will go...........although I used the Morton system to cut everything, maybe the clear 1 inch wide glass is not the same width. I will take the panel apart, fix the bulge, and do the center panel. I plan on wrapping the center orange oval with lead.
When I was looking through the Delphi catalog, I saw some "Handy Hangars" for hanging stained glass panels. I always struggle with making the copper rings from 12-3 electrical wire, tinning them........then get a nice looking solder joint to the frame................so I decided to try the on this project.
What is different, is that you make a 90 degree versus 45 degree joint at the top. Then you push the copper Handy Hangars down into the unused space in the vertical zinc pieces. You flux the hangars, then let solder run down from the top. They worked ok, and seem to be pretty strong...........I pulled as hard as I could after soldering......and they stayed put.
I usually apply black patina to the lead and solder joints..........after it is soldered. But, this panel looks pretty good with no patina.......so no patina on this project.
For a project to use up scrap, it really turned out very nice!! It really looks nice in the sunlight!!
The clear glass I used had wiggly waves in it, and did not want to easily slip into the lead. I had to widen the grooves in the lead using the black plastic Fid. On future lead projects, I should pick a clear glass that easily slips into the lead.
The E6000 glue seemed to work very well. We will see if it hardens in the tube, or can be reused again.
The Delphi Handy Hangars also worked pretty well, I like them.
This orange panel was so popular with family members, I decided to make a 2nd one.
They are relatively simple to make, It only took me about 3 hours to make this 2nd panel. You can cut all the pieces using the Morton System, which is fast. What takes the most time is grinding the 2 clear pieces in the center to accept the orange round glass piece. I cut all the lead using pliers versus an electric saw, so this is quick also. People prefer no patina on this design, so this sames time as well.
I made the 2 vertical frame sides long on purpose, so I could saw them off after soldering.........and use the Handy Hooks then.
Since these only take a few hours to make, I made a 3rd one..........to sell at a charity auction.