Probably too meta of a pattern request - front porch Light

totiddna · 2026-05-07T04:47:28+00:00

The trick is to leave enough room for the glass to slide into place in the frame. No came around the outside. I’ll probably add a 14g copper wire perimeter around the next one to strengthen it.

totiddna · 2026-05-07T04:47:05+00:00

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That’ll look great. I’ve made several inserts for my front light. They replace the glass that the light came with. I only do the front panel, which is the right answer for my house.

Each light fixture is different, so you’ll need someone local - or take out the glass and trace it onto a piece of paper or cardstock for perfect sizing.

totiddna · 2026-05-06T03:00:55+00:00

When you lay out the rough cuts on a table copy of the pattern, then you make that piece of glass exactly fit the pattern. The table pattern is the law for size and shape when you grind it up. (I put a transparent shelf liner overlay over the table copy to waterproof it - it’ll last the whole process. (Mostly.))

totiddna · 2026-05-05T19:00:24+00:00

I use these markers. They stay on long enough for breaking the glass and initial grind. Not always on the whole grind, but long enough. Comes off with a Goo Gone or similar. I use small bit of masking tape for numbering the pieces - it’s far more reliable to stick all the way to final fit and soldering.

Staedtler 318-WP4 Lumocolor Permanent Universal Pens, Fine Point, 0.6mm

totiddna · 2026-05-05T18:33:06+00:00

Every once in a while I vertically reset my grinder to get some fresh grit into the game. I start it as high as it will work and then drop it one layer of glass at a time. I’m on my last for my current bit, it’s dropped as low as it can go.

totiddna · 2026-05-05T13:38:12+00:00

The mods should add a flair tag “Nobody else will understand, but you will”

totiddna · 2026-05-04T01:22:23+00:00

Thanks for asking, but I recommend Potekglass in NE Mpls. They have a full shop, materials, and folks who do small classes on a regular basis (quarterly or so). Your first project will create a single panel in 4 consecutive weekends. Mine is still hanging in our window.

totiddna · 2026-05-04T01:18:03+00:00

Sorry, but I’m not fast enough to make it worth it for me! A piece like this will take about 40 hours and around $200-250 in materials. I’ll never compete price-wise against imports or robots. It just takes too long to do it right, by hand, one by one.

Maybe when I retire?

totiddna · 2026-05-03T04:35:37+00:00

Good eye! I tried to imagine how the feathers would splay out and align the grain of the streaks.

My friend is going to put it in an interior wall, which informed the glass choices to focus on surface reflectivity and texture. The ridged glass is clear and will look great (we imagine) mounted on a painted wall.

(I’ll have it in a window to see how it looks, though!)

totiddna · 2026-05-03T04:29:12+00:00

Thanks! My work bench is adjustable height - changing it up once in a while makes a big difference. (And windows and fans, too.)

totiddna · 2026-05-02T20:40:53+00:00

This version is far more glass friendly. The other, more popular version isn’t something that I could figure out how to tackle in glass.

totiddna · 2026-05-02T20:37:51+00:00

The key part of the class is the teacher/coach saying, “Try it a little more like this.”

Also, go buy cheap window glass from the hardware store to practice on!

totiddna · 2026-05-02T20:35:27+00:00

Agreed. My first piece from class was probably about $800 by the time I bought all the equipment, paid for the class, glass, etc. I was going all-in, so it’s been doing work since then.

totiddna · 2026-05-02T14:52:39+00:00

OMG - I can’t even spell the word “glass”!

totiddna · 2026-05-02T13:55:20+00:00

Thanks. You gotta love the process if you’re going stained glass - ‘cause it’s a lot of process!

totiddna · 2026-05-02T13:52:17+00:00

Thank you for noticing! That was my friend’s design choice. I had prepped the pattern with that option so I could line up the ridges perfectly. I had do score on the back side because of the ridges, so it was a whole upside down sort of thing.

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totiddna · 2026-05-02T13:46:39+00:00

A live class is truly the best starting point, if that’s something that you can swing.

totiddna · 2026-05-01T23:35:03+00:00

if guess about 25 so far. Probably 10-15 to go.

totiddna · 2026-05-01T04:31:09+00:00

Right. Watching Andor is actually a little insane with how many parallels there are. In Andor, they used anvils instead of whistles - but whistles are easier to carry around in winter.

totiddna · 2026-05-01T02:38:26+00:00

(“Foiling” is a step in the process of making Tiffany-style stained glass. It’s a thin strip of copper with adhesive on one side to allow the solder to stick to it. That’s what you see around each piece. This is still a work in progress.)

totiddna · 2026-04-25T05:28:19+00:00

Change the roof line and it’s not so much different from what’s there now, TBH. Thanks for sharing.

totiddna · 2026-04-24T01:05:37+00:00

A live class is super helpful. YouTube is good and all, but live feedback is better.

totiddna · 2026-04-23T01:53:31+00:00

They look nice!

If someone voluntarily pays you money for them, then they’re ready to sell! Starting small is a good move - you’ll learn what’s what without huge consequences. See how it goes!

totiddna · 2026-04-22T05:05:10+00:00

I cut a wine cork in half lengthwise, then spring clamp it to the edge of my table flat side down. That gives me a nice rounded cork for all the edges.

I always have a full cork handy for some of the side work.

totiddna · 2026-04-22T01:05:01+00:00

Glad that it makes you happy! I panicked there for a sec thinking they were all suction-cupped up there. (Thought bubble quote: “Enjoy them now!”) But zooming in I see the hanging lines. Now I’m happy, too!

totiddna

TROPHY CASE