Tiffany Method Stained Glass
The Tiffany method of making stained glass was invented and popularized by Louis Comfort Tiffany in the 1800s. Previous to this method, stained glass was held together by lead came - this is still a used method today. The Tiffany method involves lining each piece of glass with copper foil tape. This allows the solder to adhere to each piece. Below you will find a more in-depth breakdown of each step to this method.
Step 1: Pattern to Glass
Whether you design your own pattern or purchase one from another artist, you have to get your pattern onto the glass to know where to cut. There are many methods of doing this, none objectively better than another. This comes down to personal preference and equipment availability. Some choose to print their pattern onto paper, cut it out and glue it to the glass. Others will trace their pattern directly onto the glass with permanent marker. Another popular method is using a vinyl cutting machine to cut their pattern into vinyl stickers, which are then adhered to the glass. Any of these methods will prepare you for the next step, which is cutting your glass!
Step 2: Cutting/Breaking Glass
Once your pattern is on your glass, you will need a few tools to proceed: A scoring tool, running pliers, and breaking pliers. You will take your scoring tool and run it across your glass while applying pressure. This will create a score in your glass that will help the glass to break the way you want it to. Glass can be very difficult to break in a particular way, which is why there are different tools used to break your score lines depending on what you want to accomplish. Running pliers are best for breaking long, straight lines. Breaking pliers are best for breaking curves and small pieces. While these are the most basic tools needed, there are other tools that are used for more advanced techniques, such as Silberschnitt Pliers.
For this step, you should be using PPE such as gloves and protective goggles to prevent damage to your hands and eyes by any glass shards.
Step 3: Grinding your Glass
Once your pieces have all been cut, you have to grind them down. Sometimes you won’t be able to cut your glass exactly into the shape you want, and you’ll want to smooth your edges down so that they can fit cleanly together. To do this, you will need a glass grinder. This machine uses a diamond bit to shave down the sides of each piece. To prevent heat cracking, water is also fed through the grinder tray up to the bit with a sponge or a brush.
For this step, you should be using a lot of PPE. I use a face shield to protect my face from any glass dust that may kick up from the grinder, and I also use cut-resistant gloves from Harbor Freight to protect my fingers while I grind my pieces.
Step 4: Applying Copper Foil
Once your glass is the size and shape that you want it to be, you’ll need to wash it thoroughly before applying copper foil. Glass needs to be clean and dry so that the adhesive backing to the foil will stick to the glass for a long period of time. Once the glass is clean and dry, you will take the roll of foil and peel off the paper backing. Then you will line the edges of your glass pieces with the foil, trying to keep the foil even on each side of the glass. Once the foil is applied, you will use a fid to burnish the foil to the glass. This will ensure that the adhesive backing is stuck to the glass and that any air bubbles are pushed out.
Step 6: Soldering
Next, it’s finally time to solder your piece together! First you will need to make sure that your pieces are laid out exactly how you want them to look at the end of the process. Then, you will secure your pieces into place with thumbtacks or by taping one side of the piece and flipping it over. This will prevent any pieces from shifting out of place during the soldering process. Then, you take a chemical called flux and brush it over your copper foil. Then, using a soldering iron and a roll of solder, you will melt the solder onto your copper foil lines, and the solder will cool and harden in seconds! Once you have your first side done, you can remove your tape or tacks and flip it over to do the other side. Once both sides are soldered, you’ll turn down the temperature of your iron and gently do the same thing to the outside edges of your piece. During this step you will also add hooks of your choosing, if they are necessary for the piece.
For this step, you should be using heat-resistant gloves to protect your hands from potential burns, as well as a smoke absorber/fume box/ample ventilation in your workspace so that you are not inhaling flux fumes! For this same reason, a respirator mask is also recommended.
Step 7: Cleaning/Patina
Once your solder is dry and has cooled down completely, you have a few options on how to proceed. The first step, however, should always be to clean your piece. Flux is an acidic chemical that will eat away at your glass and leave an unpleasant residue if left on the piece for too long. There are several products out there for removing flux, one of the most popular being CJ’s Flux Remover. Using this soap and a magic eraser or a sponge of any sort, you will clean your piece and remove any extra flux. During this step I also use Dawn dish soap for a little extra cleanse.
Once your piece is clean, you get to make a decision that will affect the entire appearance of your piece: Patina, or no patina? Patina is a chemical that will alter the color of your solder lines. You have three options for the final look of your solder: Silver, Black, or Copper. Solder on its own will be silver, so if you prefer that your lines stay that way, you can be finished at this point! However, if you’d prefer that the solder lines be black or copper, you will need to use patina. Patina is typically applied with a cotton swab or a toothbrush and is gently wiped over the solder lines until they reach the desired color. Copper patina can be difficult to get right, with most suggesting that you do not use water in your washing process if you plan to apply copper patina afterwards. For this step, you should be using gloves! Patina is a chemical that you should not be getting on your hands.
