Beginner Stained Glass Part 5B - Soldering

Learn how to tack solder and bead solder. Linda solders the front side of the beginner stained glass project.

[@Artsrock36]

You are a great teacher! Thank you I just learned more watching you than the last 100 videos I’ve seen.

[@roselucht4583]

This is fantastic!! I’ve never really learned this until now!! It was always hit and miss for me, now I understand!! Thank you!

[@samharman198]

Some great tips. Thank you x

[@sylviaprudhomme5417]

Great job.

[@gailfrain2975]

Great instructions

[@mkilty6971]

Linda - If after taking off solder at a 90 degree angle the solder does not form a sphere away from the line of solder, does that mean the iron is not hot enough?? I'm a beginner and using a Weller iron.

[@greatglassgalore]

No it does not mean that. It just may be that there is not enough solder to be heavy enough to come off the tip. You can shake the tip over a news paper, to see if you can get more off the tip before going back into the solder joint to remove more.

[@19xoxo71]

Will the heat of the iron crack the glass if you go too slow?

[@greatglassgalore]

Not usually. You get cracks from thermal shock. This means if the glass heats or cools to quickly, it can break. So if your glass is cold (you've left it out in your garage or car on a cold day), and then solder, you are more likely to get cracks. You'll want to warm up your glass first with a blow dryer before you solder. In general, the foil heats first, then slowly warms the glass. However, if you play in one area too long, the glass can warm up quite a bit. Then when you leave that area, it can cool too quickly and crack. Also, thinner glasses can heat up more quickly and crack easier. So cracks happen, and sooner or later you'll need to learn how to fix them. If you are getting cracks frequently, it is usually because you are running your iron too hot.

[@donnamiller7194]

when my sodder sizzles like i hear yours doing, it appears to be burning leaving black in it that i cant get out. Iron on lowest heat.

[@greatglassgalore]

The solder boils and can leave black spots. These have always cleaned off for me with the Windex & 91% alcohol combination. You can also get the black backed adhesive from the black backed foil oozing out the sides of the foil and solder joint. This is harder to get off, but can come off with the end of the dowel you use to burnish the foil, or an X-Acto knife.

[@golfingal1212]

Hi I am new to stain glass and looking to purchase a soldering gun. Please help me choose a iron that would be best!!

[@greatglassgalore]

Hakko FX-601 is the best. It comes with a 3/16" tip, but I use the 1/4" tip most of the time.

[@sojojo2564]

If I have gap, can Sauder fill the gap?

[@greatglassgalore]

Yes. You can fill in with solder so that it looks flat first. Then go back over the joint a second time to bead. If it is a good size gap, say 1/4" or more, you can fill it with copper restrip (looks like foil, but is solid copper with no sticky backing) before you solder. Just bend the restrip over itself like you would fold a bow and place it in the hole.

[@srwbob]

Why is it you can never go to slow? Won't you be worried that the glass will crack from getting too hot? Thank you.

[@greatglassgalore]

Glass breaks from thermal shock when it is heated to quickly or cooled to quickly. When you solder, you heat the foil first, then the foil slowly heats the glass. As long as your glass is room temperature, and your iron isn't too hot, the glass should heat slow enough not to break. If you play in one area a long time, say 5 minutes, the glass may break cause you now heated the glass to a much higher temperature and can break from cooling too rapidly. But if you are soldering and pause for 5-10 seconds, it should not.

[@srwbob]

@@greatglassgalore thank you!

[@lorenacarcamo9938]

Hola por favor si puedes traducir al castellano gracias