How to Make Stained Glass Night Lights

Member

By georgelarson
User-Submitted Article

Article Rating: (23 Ratings)

Custom Stained Glass

Stained glass night lights are a small, one afternoon project. This stained glass art can be intricate or the stained glass patterns used for the night lights can be as little as five pieces. Follow along as this free stained glass patterns star night light is built.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

Night light kit
15" rope wire
Liquid flux
40/60 solder
Stained glass
Foil
Hobby Lead
Soldering iron
Stained glass cutter

Step 1

Free stained glass patterns.

The stained glass supplies you will need for this project is a piece of glass approximately 6” x 6”, foil, solder, hobby lead and a night light kit. This is a great way to use your left over glass from previous stained glass windows. Click on the photo to get the free stained glass pattern.
Step 2

Cut stained glass project paper pieces.

To start this stained glass lighting project print the pattern and cut out each star piece.
Step 3

Choice of stained glass.

Select which piece of stained glass to make your star. With over 800+ choices from Spectrum glass to architectural glass you will be able to find the right color, opacity, and texture you are looking for.
Step 4

Trace pattern pieces.

Trace around the paper pieces onto the glass with either a grease pencil or marker. If there were more pieces there would be a number for each piece. For this project all the pieces are the same size so there is no need to number them.
Step 5

Cut stained glass pattern pieces.

Using your stained glass cutter carefully cut each piece, following the lines you traced. If necessary use your glass grinder to smooth out any rough edges of the glass pieces.
Step 6

Foiled applied to glass pieces.

Using your foil, foil the inside edges of each glass piece. This is where you will be soldering the pieces together to form the shape of a star.
Step 7

Solder all foiled joints.

Place two pieces together and cover the foil with liquid flux. With your heated soldering iron melt solder, very lightly, to cover the foil. Repeat until all five pieces form the star stained glass pattern. Carefully flip the star over and solder all the foil joints on the back side of the star.
Step 8

Begin outlining your star with hobby lead. Place the edge of the lead at the outside point of one of the soldered joints, ensuring that the glass fits into the channel of the lead. Flux and place a small solder to hold the lead in place. Manipulate the lead around each point of the star making sure the glass continues to fall into the channel and soldering the lead at each joint. Finish by cutting the lead so that the end fits snuggly with the beginning point. Flip the star to solder all joints on the back side.
Step 9

Finished art glass.

On the front of the star cut a piece of rope wire to fit from the center of the star to the point of each piece and solder into place.
Step 10

Stained glass light completed.

Turn the star to the back side and solder the night light holder into place. Make sure that when you put the lighting fixture into the holder you will be able to see and use the toggle switch. Place the lighting fixture into the holder and screw as tight a possible. Screw in the night light bulb and plug your custom stained glass night light into an electrical socket.