Getting Started in Stained Glass Art

[@traceoeight7549]

My wife and i are self-taught and operate a small business with all sorts of glass and wood art. Some recommendations: 1) give jell flux a try. It works much better. 2) while you can do the work with the iron you have (i did at first) get a better one. Do some research on stained glass irons. It will make the work so much easier and look so much better. 3) you really should break the sharp edges with a diamond pad, stone or grinder. It's safer for you and less likely to cut the foil. Good luck and have fun. It is great to see people pick this up. It is nearly a lost art.

[@AnxiousCowboy]

what iron you got bro

[@traceoeight7549]

@@AnxiousCowboy I didn't want to push a brand as i have many that i use. Just about anything made for stained glass would work much better. I will mention my two goto irons just to highlight the difference. I like the big wellers (100wt or more) for longer sessions. Ther are relatively inexpensive and when used with external temp control, they are rugged hold temp perfectly and flat get the job done. Drawbacks are: Weight of those is an issue over for my wife. All the weight is to the tip and over time she starts getting sloppy as it gets harder to control the weight. Last they are slow on initial heat up. My wife's goto iron is the Hakko 601. It is lightweight, has internal temperature sensing\control, and super fast to heat up. Drawbacks are: they are not nearly as rugged and the cost to replace is much higher.

[@chloehater8463]

Just took it up again, my grandmother passed and I remember her teaching me basics when I was around 6 or 7 until I was like 12 and "too cool" to do it. I'm so, so glad I started again! I didnt realize how few people know about it honestly since I grew up with it. Definitely a fun, but lost art

[@NathanielLNewton]

Hey buddy. Wanted to give you some advice. I've done stained glass work since I was maybe 10. First off, grind your edges true. Super important. Especially with more textured glass, patterned glass, or layered glass, the cut edges have a tendency to bevel. Next, burnish the sides, not the tops and bottoms. You want good adhesion of the tape to the sides. And do this as you apply to stretch the foil a little bit. Something I do that's not as common, print out 3 templates. Cut one up and glue it to the glass instead of tracing, you'll get a better idea of the shape you need, and the template comes off in the grinder water. The second template is used as a reference. I write the different colors of glass on there so I dont get confused. The third one gets taped to a corkboard. Speaking of, instead of just sitting it down on a bench, pin it to a corkboard as you go. Thin push pins work well, they are roughly the same diameter as two pieces of foil tape and soldier. Use a boat ton of them. When it comes to soldiering, apply the flux with a q tip or a small brush. The flux brush is terrible and makes a mess. You want to get just a tiny amount. Dont bother tacking it down, just keep the pins in and po ull them as you go. Getting a good bead is an art more than a science. Try t ok maintain an even speed as you move your hands. And dont starve the joints of soldier. As you saw, you can always go back over it and remove the excess. Those are my tips.

[@MakeSomething]

Right on, thank you!!

[@mattdnewman]

What would you recommend for entry level grinding? Would sandpaper on a flat surface or something like a diamond stone work?

[@MakerInTraining]

Great advice!! I learned from this!

[@MSotherdenArtGlass]

@Matthew Stone - yeah a diamond stone will work but do be advised that free flying glass particles are silicate and not good for your lungs. Sandpaper... not so much. A piece of glass will work to dull edges that are simply sharp with no overhang. I cover it in one of my videos if curiosity strikes you.

[@ibrahimalnasser8866]

@@MSotherdenArtGlass U R great Thanks alot

[@phunkissartisticcreations2316]

Thank you for being real and showing us that the first few attempts don't always come out perfectly. Please keep on trying new things, we love being along for the journey! 👍

[@RobertJKeller]

The misplaced bleep made me actually laugh out loud 😂

[@DIYdiacsnFarmstead]

I made some Air come out of my Nose at a high Speed :D My recent Video also has some of those :)

[@kylekowalczyk3437]

I laughed wayyyy to hard at the bleep! Gotta love David's videos, there is always something that makes you laugh!

[@kypass]

Piece of shit... (wait for it) beep. Great project, I liked all three.

[@alexclark6777]

Same. Almost expected an "MMMHMMM!" after it.

[@pt3d315]

Me too

[@jennieanddavis]

😂😂 love the late censor beep. Great project! Had no idea stained glass was so approachable. Definitely on the list of hobbies to dive into one day.

[@HardcoreSlot]

11:40 missed. Anyone else wish there was an uncensored Picciuto channel? David, I think you and Dan are hilarious and a raw and real dive into you guys just doing stuff would be awesome.

[@HardcoreSlot]

And I get why this one isn't and why it would be difficult for you and how much work it would be but yeah, it would be awesome.

[@vikv1134]

Duuuuuude. I am so happy I kept watching the video. The way you over simplified (in my opinion) the process and whatnot in the beginning kinda got to me. But I'm glad you came to realize what exactly goes into making a real good piece! Keep it up man! And from what I've seen in the comments they've all given great advice! But I cannot stress enough the need for a grinder! You'll appreciate it... I say as I type with my thumb with the messed up nail from grinding a small piece for a necklace.

[@samtownley9019]

Great beep timing Dan 😄

[@paulklapatauskas6135]

Love to see the learning process. Most people don't appreciate what goes in to learning a new skill.

[@dssouthern]

Oooo...... that's a cool craft. My grandfather used to do stained glass work. He used to make lamps, window hangings, etc.

[@attheworktable]

Awesome... I've always wanted to make a Tiffany stylized lampshade, now you have given me some inspiration to do so!

[@jlarts]

I love that you kept the orientation of the pattern in the glass consistent. It makes for a much more harmonious piece overall 👍

[@patcj613]

I actually LOL'd when the **bleep** came after the curse word. Thanks for continuing to inspire, and show me that it's okay to try new things. It's great that you show your "failures." I actually like your first attempt. It has a cartoonish quality. Eye of the beholder, man. Cheers!

[@SeanLeach]

Love the fact that you highlighted the “failure” (the rubix was still cool David!), and how you got out of it. Subscribed because you are branching out of just woodworking. Keep up the good work!

[@GeekBuildersNet]

Love the honesty, self awareness and willingness to share mistakes. The final piece came out awesome

[@Riverside_Ranch]

😍😍 my grandma taught me how to make stained glass projects and when she past, she willed me all the supplies. I am so thankful for the memories of watching her work and learning.

[@c.a.g.1977]

You have the Pipi Longstocking attitude: “I have never tried that before, so I think I should definitely be able to do that.” Keep up your good work, man! 😂

[@jonbailey6048]

I like that you actually showed your first attempt, usually those kinds of things get edited out.

[@kellynagorka9596]

Love your hat! It made me smile. We moved to Kansas City over 9 years ago. I grew up in North Ridgeville, Ohio. Lived in good old Cleveland. Great job on the stained glass!

[@denoftools]

I have ALWAYS wanted to try this. Thanks for the inspiration.

[@fernandocabette6050]

I have had some misshappens while trying learn to tin and solder thin wires for electronics and i learnt to tin the iron's tip before hand and applying much more heat than i think it is necessary to the part then apply a bit of solder and wick the rest of the way, i guess it transfer to soldering foil since it is a bigger heatsink than wire. Nice project it perfectly fits with the channel's whole art aesthetics, keep it coming!

[@Froudd]

I love the vibe of this video. The small tape scene and the misplaced beep were hilarious. Continue beeing yourself and do everything with a high level of confidence. Thanks Dan for your work as well.

[@noahbatey3769]

Hiya! Couple of more friendly glass cutting tips from another maker and stained glass teacher: When I make a score (the scratch with the glass cutter) I like to pinch the tip of the cutter between my thumb and forefinger on my non-dominant hand. This allows you to have better control on the cutting head so that it doesn't turn left to right. It also gives you more control over how much pressure you put on the cutter with your dominant hand. When you lay down your template piece on the glass, look at the direction of the glass. Kind of like a steak, glass has a grain, and it can really help the visual look of your piece when the lines flow together. Usually you want this to run left to right, but when you have a Rubik's cube you might change the direction to run parallel to your design. Lastly when I start a project, I like to lay all my pieces on the big sheet of glass to plan where they are going to go. When you cut a piece like the curve you drew, you end up with a lot of wasted glass. If you lay out multiple pieces, you can plan for your other pieces to be cut out of the waste and change your cuts to give that extra room. Hopefully these help! Glass can be really fun, just takes a lot of patience and practice.

[@FigmentsMade]

I love that you keep expanding your skills and I can't wait to see what you do next. Yay Q*bert! Maybe you can make a speech bubble as an add-on to this stained glass project. 😉

[@WinstonMakes]

Awesome seeing the progression of your attempts, David. This was a great video to show how the process of learning happens, no one ever nails it on the first try!

[@MakeSomething]

Thanks Winston!

[@danstark]

An edited video of a perfect build is boring. A realistic journey through a learning arc is much more fun. #143

[@paulurbaniak2242]

I love the energy in your videos, just making something (channel name, eh?) because you feel like it. And that is absolutely amazing! I get inspired by every video you post, and maybe spent way too much stupid money on this hobby ;-) Thank you!

[@MakeSomething]

Thank you Paul! Appreciate it!

[@sgsax]

Ashamed to say I'm only now getting around to watching this video. I've always loved stained glass and have been wanting to try it. Maybe I will finally do it. Always enjoy people showing that not everything comes easy and that it takes work and practice to learn a new skill. I really like your final product. Thanks for sharing!

[@YouCanMakeThisToo]

I love the story arch of this one. Glad you did more pieces and put them in the video and explained the journey 👍

[@Kkuts37]

Glad you stayed with it. Turned out awesome!!

[@genarogomez9535]

Loved it! I too have wanted to try stained glass for too many years. I guess the way you do it has change since the last time I looked into it. I remember they used soft lead "U" and "H" shaped channels, and a special scissors. When you cut your shapes with these scissors, they also remove material to allow the proper spacing for the lead channel so that your design isnt deformed or misaligned. Now you got me wanting to go for it!

[@tomsdreamshopworx]

There are are 2 types of stained glass. The lead came method you mentioned and the copper foil he shows. Different but both work. The foil method is newer, but still pretty old.

[@dniboc7227]

Great first attempt. Been doing stained glass for a long time. Couple of tips for the next time...1. you need to account for the thickness of the foil. They make pattern shears for foil and lead both. 2. Soldering does take practice. I was taught using a 200w American Beauty with a diamond paragon tip. I've done a lot of copper foil, but my training was with lead, and this iron is the best for that. I see a few people have recommended a grinder, and if you are doing a lot of small curved pieces it is well worth it. Fit is everything with stained glass and I'm sure you learned that here.

[@folby]

bruh a few minutes ago I was trying to tie and/or fold a bow in some sheet latex and it was just not happening the way I needed it to and I swear I felt like I was going insane. took a break and seeing somebody I respect miss the mark, reevaluate and go at it again was exactly what I needed. thank you!

[@kaitlynp9958]

I agree with a lot of the tips. You need to use a grinder to not only get the pieces to the perfect size and shape, but also so that the foil is better adhered to the glass. Definitely use a different soldering iron, one with a larger tip. Looks like the one you are using is more for soldering circuits. Gel flux is definitely nicer as well. Stained glass becomes a lot more difficult once you are doing pieces that aren't so square and straight edged. A fume trap is also a good idea since you don't want to be breathing in any fumes that are produced.

[@stormchaserkj]

Love this project... David it is my understanding that you can dismantle stained glass and salvage the glass... therefore I would love if you revisit this project and salvage/re-solder the rubic!!! You already cut all that glass, you clearly upped your game to the next level.... boss battle... you can do it!

[@natemorales5731]

Love the confidence.....was not your downfall......that's what a hobby is trying things out and see how it goes....that's what your channel is all about....😉.....great job on each piece

[@pileofstuff]

As Evan&Katelyn often say: Make, fail, make, fail, MAKE!

[@Doughfam]

I thought is was great showing the project that wasn’t working out for you and taking another approach! Loved the fact that you showed all three and talked about improving on each one! I can totally relate to things coming unravels like opening a cassette tape!😂

[@ПетрПетров-б7м6ы]

Hello! I`m from middle of Russia (ural mountains), and recently started to work with wood, so i really like your videos for 2 reasons: 1. You make really cool and informative videos 2. I learn and improove my inglish while watching it, for now it was " throwing myself in the fire'' - really cool! And i think my wife hates you, because it`s 2 o`clock and i can't tear myself away from monitor!

[@sebastiantreloar6045]

I love woodworking and like you have not been brought up around it but rather got into it in last couple years having no past experience. That said I've always always wanted to make a coloured glass lamp shade

[@MSotherdenArtGlass]

Professional stained glass artist here. I would recommend using your soldering iron with a rheostat - keeps the flow much more reliable, otherwise it gets too hot especially with 60/40. I would also recommend beefing up the solder on your horizontal edge that has the hanging hook. Too many people tend to view copper foil as a structural component- it’s not. Solder is. Nice video though about your beginning foray into the medium I love best.

[@GrayBard1]

If you are going to keep at it, invest in a purpose built soldering iron. One for stained glass. The ones for electronics can be too hot and cause your solder to run through the joint and out the other side. I struggled for years before I bought an adjustable temp soldering iron. It has a setting for copper foil and a different setting for lead came. Made a huge difference. Keep practicing and you'll get better and better! Love your work!

[@413DaveRN]

The most impressive thing about this video is that you found a cassette tape! But I also love that you keep trying new things!

[@ScottBarronFurniture]

Definitely didn't go wrong jumping in the deep end, the third try looks great! I've never done it, but I've been out at the Marc Adams school when John Hamm was teaching a stained glass class and it was mind blowing seeing his work. Definitely on my to try list, and I appreciate you publishing your first go at it, hope to see more.

[@maxhallowell]

Dude another great video, Very brave to just tackle the problem and talk about it on the internet. You are showing that learning and practice must happen. A lesson often forgotten on youtube. Keep on kicker ass

[@mandytrosky1888]

Wow-you know MUCH more than I ever did when I started stained glass!! A suggestion on the sodering-try a different tip. There’s a tip that looks like a flat head screwdriver and it makes a much smoother seam. This is proof that practice is extremely important!!

[@CoreyD76]

I’ve been making stained glass projects for 5 years and my soldering skills still suck. Keep at it.

[@russellwatkins7805]

I've always wanted to try stained glass! Awesome first go. Digging the newer videos. The feedback in the comments on this one is amazing.

[@ExNotesRec]

Haven't done it myself but as I was watching my dad do big pieces for churchs he always was using a sanding stone wheel to round and sand all the edges of every piece, then install the tape. It made the solder smoother and eveything straighter overall.

[@jdkerk]

I have always wanted to do stained glass! Thanks for showing how to start!

[@donaldpowell7762]

“I liked you better when you didn’t try new things...” Great job showing the evolution. After the podcast, I was afraid we wouldn’t see the original.

[@atlas227428]

I love how you experiment with new things......I want to do that as well but my circumstances make it difficult at this time.....so living vicariously is great.....thanks for sharing !!!

[@MANJITSINGH-ko2oi]

Hi there I have done stained glass and its so so rewarding. weldone.

[@andyiliff7793]

Very cool! Thanks for Sharing the process, David. My wife and I have been interested in this, but have never really looked into it too deep. You really brought down the walls. I like that you're incorporating more disciplines and art. I'm looking forward to more stained glass, from you, in the future.

[@billiondollardan]

I love the extreme confidence in the beginning. That was me last year when I tried to do some electrical work on my boat lol

[@jimspry9188]

I respect your honesty

[@JkCanvas]

Awesome video. Thank you for showing “your failure”. Just reenforces that there is a lot of practice to be proficient. Love this project and your encouragement to go out and make something new while having fun, staying safe and being passionate. Well done, David

[@gregherb4125]

Just a heads up, you need to get special scissors that cut a thin strip of paper out that accounts for the copper thickness. It will distort your shapes as you get into bigger stuff. I’ve made Tiffany lampshades, and these scissors are essential to you keeping the proportions your design dictates. Just a friendly heads up as you develop your skills.

[@BruceAUlrich]

Wow! I was thinking the first one was looking pretty good until you showed your third attempt. You learned pretty fast!

[@ChadsCustomCreations]

Hahaha the misplaced beep was perfect. I love that I know I'll get a good laugh out of each of your videos.

[@jcmakes5977]

You did really good with the 3rd piece!

[@roberttalluto237]

To secure the glass together instead of gluing the wood blocks, use nails that they use to secure horse shoes.

[@DavidPlass]

Dan was a bit late on the bleep, lol. I admire you for stopping and restarting the project. I hate Hate HATE starting over (or reworking something that I thought was done) but I think I learned something from your vid...

[@Devin292]

Cool. I just finished the podcast about 20 minutes before the notice came in. Trying ti come up work something clever to say. Guess not today. Keep it up.

[@lham24]

Great video thanks for all of the tips and honesty throughout the project

[@WayWoodworking]

Love the brutal honesty!

[@thanemakes5377]

I’m pretty such your first attempt is exactly my first rubic’s cube, it was always a mess.... so in my book... “spot on” 👍😀

[@asearle274]

one tip for soldering is to keep a damp (disposable) sponge handy. Periodically press the iron into the sponge to remove the solder that sticks to the iron. Hope this helps.

[@ExplorerOffgrid]

Soldering tips, c l e a n your iron tip, this alone will make it flow better.. also maybe raise the temp of the iron a bit, I can't see what tip your using but a wide(er) chisel style will work better. Cheers!!

[@AnalogCinema]

Loved this, very informative for someone thinking about trying a one-off stained glass project. Appreciate it.

[@MakeSomething]

Thank you! Glad you found it useful!

[@t.j.postal8309]

Dan does a great job with the camera and editing. I'm glad that you show your mistakes. I can ride my motorcycle to Toledo tomorrow and take that Rubix cube off of your hands.

[@johnharries1733]

Maybe it's just me, but as a piece of art, I liked the rubics cube best! I think it's great the way you always show the mistakes, it helps us to avoid them, brilliant vids.

[@dboysix26]

Please don’t take this the wrong way, but I like watching you screw up. It helps me learn and not get frustrated when e screw up. I think a lot of other people feel the same. Plus you make it funny.

[@Anthony-H]

A Greene & Greene style door or lamp would make a great project that mixes woodworking and stained glass. Check them out!

[@ChippedBuilds]

Even though it didnt go as planned at first its still super awesome!

[@MrNinja50001]

That's super cool man I like the breaking away from the original form of the channel a bit but still in there any still making something really cool

[@Gantorin]

That is awesome man. I had watched TONS of stain glass making videos and shows. Those glass nippers... I need those. I got the plyers. But so far for now I am etching art onto glass, nd sometimes cut up a bottle for cool colored deigns. TRIAL BY FIRE! The only way to live.

[@BestUnderPressure]

You said "Throw yourself in the fire" and my head was instantly filled with the Dokken song. I wasn't planning on rock'n with Dokken today.

[@MakeSomething]

I've not heard "rock'n with Dodden" since high school! Thanks!

[@FredMcIntyre]

Awesome work David! 😃👍🏻👊🏻

[@antonw8134]

An homage to qbert, I like it! I think people use a homasote board to solder on, and keep the glass in place with horseshoe nails while soldering. Those accessories might make the whole process easier to put together.

[@JonathanRansom]

I'm impressed! I've got ideas in my head now...

[@martinbeumer4602]

So i have never done this but I have done a lot of electronics soldering. We would heat the copper pads with the soldering iron before applying the solder. Then the solder would flow into the joint.

[@riotkayaking15]

When you started talking about your expensive hobbies, my wife heard from the other room and yelled "Thats you! David is your doppelganger with glasses!" I do photography, wood, leather, glass, metal, and a few other expensive things.

[@MakeSomething]

Hahaha!

[@torinhalsey6313]

Cool new project with big improvement quickly. Winning. Also, I laughed at the bleep that came after "shit".

[@coburninator]

great video - love seeing the progress you made

[@danielscott6669]

David, you are awesome.

[@StainedGlassDIY]

Hey nice work! First try is always gonna be tough but glad to see the final results especially with the third piece. Next one's gonna be a masterpiece!

[@christopherdubour6662]

I just have to say, I appreciate that you put the *bleep* after the word “shit”.

[@BigFarles]

Loved the video keep it up. You live the fact you tried something new. I will watch try new things anytime.

[@flix4u]

Nice stained glass. Did u do more? I’ve been wanting to do that my whole life and now I think I’ll give it a try. Thanks for the kick-in-the-ass motivation.

[@wahiwoodworks3324]

Great job. Is there any of your music available online? I’d like to hear it.

[@shopcatt643]

Ended up turning out great!

[@willemkossen]

This is great. My father used to do this a lot.

[@orange-micro-fiber9740]

5:17 The video effects are perfect. Nice editing :D

[@matchstickdesignco]

You should definitely re-visit the Rubik's Cube idea once you've perfected your technique. It would make a great art piece to hang on a wall, with a nice frame and maybe some back lighting.

[@FB_Woodshop]

Great project David. Really fantastic

[@MatthewPowell9]

Oh man, the cassette tape unraveling. Absolutely don't miss that shit.

[@MakeSomething]

For real!

[@jeffreybruning7836]

Went from a Rubix cube to a qubert game. Still the same era lol

[@MakeForOthers]

Awesome! Would much rather watch a project with learnings along the way. Everything is a process and there are going to be bumps we can grow from. Thanks!

[@saosbytheos]

I freaking love you keep grinding.