How to Make a Durable Stained Glass Project

Stained glass design should be both beautiful and durable. The placement of joints is the most important factor in the strength of the finished project. If you plan to alter a purchased pattern or design your own, there are some key points about joint placement you should consider.

Difficulty: Moderately Challenging

Instructions

1. Choose a pattern that reflects your level of expertise. The number of pieces, the complexity of the design and the way you solder it together determines the strength of the finished project. Choose a simple border design with straight lines, if you're working on your first project.

2. Plan carefully, considering how the pieces will fit together. Avoid designs with very small pieces that are difficult to cut, have too many intersecting lead lines or lines that meet at awkward angles. These are the heavy dark lines on the pattern indicating where to cut out the piece.

3. Incorporate a design into a frame or extend the design outside of the frame if there are too many lead lines. Study your pattern before you cut it out to determine whether the lines intersect at the right place, whether they're too long and whether there are enough to support the size of the finished piece.

4. Solder all foiled joints completely to create the web of metal that holds the whole piece together. One weak joint will weaken the whole thing. Coat all exposed foil with solder, taking care to include all of the outer edge.

Tips & Warnings

• Avoid patterns joined with a series of parallel joints or designs that have pieces that converge in the center. These defective designs tend to bulge or cave in under a small amount of pressure.