Tips & Tricks on How to Solder Stained Glass

Learn how to solder stained glass and copper foil, get the best tips and tricks with professional glass artist Derek Hunt , in this easy tutorial for beginners.
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//TIMESTAMPS
0:00 Intro
0:34 About the channel
0:49 Easy Mistakes
1:22 What is FLUX?
2:42 Two types of FLUX
3:06 Solder
3:47 Air filtration system
4:37 How to solder
5:38 Tip cleaners
6:05 Fixing gaps
7:30 Conclusions
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//MORE TUTORIALS
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Stained Glass Design Secrets • Secrets you need to know!
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[@DerekHuntArtist]

Visit my Amazon shop for tools and materials www.amazon.co.uk/shop/derekhuntartist

[@josmith525]

Finally someone who doesnt say ' sodder' .love the good explanations answering all the whys

[@DerekHuntArtist]

Thanks Jo!🙏🙂

[@nirateller5603]

What a great tutorial. You make cutting glass so clear and doable. Thank you so much.

[@DerekHuntArtist]

You are so welcome! Thanks 🙏🙂

[@amandasymon4363]

Brilliant - learnt a lot

[@grampsinsl5232]

Bravo for pointing out that there are no lead fumes in soldering! I've heard a lot of people who were worried about that, and my high-school chemistry somehow didn't convince them that I knew what I was talking about. :-)

[@susanbernard8612]

Maybe you should listen to the video again. He addresses the fumes from soldering.....not to breath it and that he wears a mask . did you miss that part?

[@catherinem2692]

He’s also using a fume extractor as well as a respirator

[@tarana9329]

​@@catherinem2692that was for the flux fumes not lead ones.

[@johnmca5643]

​@@susanbernard8612You missed it. It's not the lead or solder, it's the Flux that creates a toxic fume.

[@hectorcaro4017]

Gracias !

[@julietevelyn6466]

Thank you so much for your content!

[@DerekHuntArtist]

My pleasure!

[@tarana9329]

So helpful! Thank you.

[@DerekHuntArtist]

Glad you found value in the video 🙏🙂

[@TheCatOfAges]

currently learning to solder together stained glass for my grandmothers christmas present, should have done this sooner...

[@DerekHuntArtist]

Good luck 👍🏼

[@denisesurratt5854]

Learned much with this information ! Thanks

[@DerekHuntArtist]

Glad you found the video helpful 🙏🙂

[@JM-jk4tk]

Brilliant!!! Thank you so much for sharing this thorough and detailed information. x

[@DerekHuntArtist]

Glad it was helpful!

[@JM-jk4tk]

@@DerekHuntArtist so helpful!!! thank you very much x

[@user-hm8gr8ou5e]

Really great.

[@DerekHuntArtist]

Thank you!

[@jorose6093]

Thanks derek x

[@DerekHuntArtist]

You are so welcome Jo

[@jorose6093]

@@DerekHuntArtist hope you are keeping well and continuing to enjoy life 😘

[@DerekHuntArtist]

@@jorose6093 yes keeping well thank you. Sending best wishes to you too!

[@jorose6093]

@@DerekHuntArtist I’m so glad for you, life deals hard cards sometimes and it takes real internal strength to overcome these. Keep doing what you do, you’re a wonderful inspiration 🙏

[@DerekHuntArtist]

@@jorose6093 😀

[@shirleyedwards1490]

Could you give some general information about what to look for in a soldering iron. I see lots of information about techniques and which brands are best, but not generic requirements for the soldering iron.

[@DerekHuntArtist]

Hello Shirley, I can only give you information on the particular soldering irons featured in the video as these have been tested by me. Can’t really add much to the generic requirements question about all soldering irons unfortunately.

[@shirleyedwards1490]

Immediately after posting this comment, I came across your soldering iron video. Thank you so much. It really helped.

[@jimwiskus8862]

Good video! I noticed you don’t use a wire brush to clean the lead. I was told there is tinning on the lead????

[@DerekHuntArtist]

Hi Jim, I do wire brush the lead if it needs cleaning before soldering. Older lead can oxidise so needs to be scrubbled clean to get a good joint with the flux. New lead doesn’t need to be cleaned.

[@felisarequena]

Hola!!! muy util , a mi se me derretía el perfil de plomo en mi primer vitral, gracias por los productos para limpiar la punta, :)

[@DerekHuntArtist]

You’re welcome!🙏🙂

[@donnabeal225]

Thank you Derek, Great video as always. Is that piece you are working on for the hospital? It is beautiful. It is wonderful to see you looking so well. Cheers from a foggy Mendocino Coast.

[@DerekHuntArtist]

Hi Donna, thanks for your kind words. The piece I was working on is for a school. More info on that project soon !

[@joan-lisa-smith]

Thanks, great videos. I was wondering what causes what I loosely call "pinning". When you lift the soldering iron tip off your work and the solder followers as you lift away causing this little "pin" sticking up that's messy and sharp. Every time you lay the tip back down to get rid of it it forms again as you try and pull away.

[@DerekHuntArtist]

HI Jo, it sounds like the soldering iron is not hot enough to melt the solder properly. There are a couple of solutions, either leave the iron a little longer to get hotter before using it or change the type of solder you are using to one with a lower melting point. For example, here in the UK we have 60/40 blowpipe solder with a lower melting point compared to 50/50 blowpipe solder. You might want to experiment with these two things to get the melting point right for the solder. Hope that helps, best wishes, Derek

[@joan-lisa-smith]

@@DerekHuntArtist Thank you :) Happy New Year

[@kylescott3508]

You mentioned the melting point of each but is that the actual temperature you use to solder with or do you go higher for any particular reason?

[@DerekHuntArtist]

Not quite sure what you mean …

[@catheinejane6412]

Thanks for great video, I'm following this to the letter using the same materials but the lead came keeps melting almost instantly , i have the same soldering iron , is there any way it could be getting too hot, its about 5 years old ? Cheers for all the great content.

[@DerekHuntArtist]

Try adding a thermo voltage controller to help reduce the power to the iron, or try switching the iron off to make sure it doesn’t get too hot. 🙂

[@catheinejane6412]

@@DerekHuntArtist Thanks for your advice, I'll give it a go. :)

[@MamaShorty]

If you have two came lines meeting a main line on different sides, for best practice do you solder across the main line to join all 3 pieces? Or just solder the two side joints? Understanding that art is art and sometimes you just go with the flow and modify your approach, I really want to respect the art form and do best practices as often as possible. :D Also... for those of us with no access to classes, is there a book on traditional methods or a good modern method book/resource for beginners? I'm at least a 4 hour drive to the nearest hobby level class which only offers a "date night" class.

[@DerekHuntArtist]

As a general rule, solder each joint with a little flat button solder, all the interconnecting lines should be soldered together. Best bet for books is to have a look on Amazon 🙂

[@user-vn5ku2ky9c]

Hello Derek! Thank you for so sharply detailed video! My question is not directly about the soldering. I work with copper foil and the problem is that when I apply a patina for solder it damages hardly the glass paints where it touches it. But I still want to see the soldering lines black and not silver shiny. So I think the patina for lead must work well and without damaging the paints since I see that the lead on your panel is blackened and the paintings are safe. Since the solder contains 40% of lead it can work. So tell me please what patina do you use for your lead cames? Thank you very much!

[@DerekHuntArtist]

Hello, I use a special polish used with wood burning stoves to help keep them black. Its name in the UK is Grate Polish and can be found on Amazon here Hotspot HS201120 Black Stove and Grate Polish 75 ml amzn.eu/d/8FE5Bh7. There are different versions available and they work very well when you wish to blacken the lead cames. Hope that helps 🙏🙂

[@user-vn5ku2ky9c]

Thank you! Have you had such a problem with acids damaging the fired glass paints? How did you patinated the Tiffany styled stained glasses with glass paints? Are Reusch paints or paints you use in your projects acid resistable or not? Thank you one more time!

[@oliviermarmotte4351]

Thank 🙏 ( 🤔Is it possible to solder with tin 33% in your opinion )

[@DerekHuntArtist]

Not tried 33% tin solder, usually it’s 60/40 tin/lead 💕

[@FernandoFerreira-iv6ew]

I have used 50/50 and 60/40 but really have not noticed any real difference when working with them. I am planning to make my new workshop in a covered water tank or basin that I'll be restoring as my next restauration project and I'll install one of those commercial kitchen extraction hoods above my worktable.

[@DerekHuntArtist]

Fernando, I have found the 50/50 to be more sticky and difficult to work with because it needs more heat to melt. Prefer 60/40 as it flows better 🙂

[@GardeningonEmpty]

If the fumes from the Flux is the issue?. Do you think using the Tallow Stick is a healthier option? Thank you

[@DerekHuntArtist]

Good question. I would imagine its important to have good ventilation regardless of the type of flux you are using

[@GardeningonEmpty]

@@DerekHuntArtist Thank you. I live in California and would be working outside alot due to our weather being warmer most of the year. But yes good ventilation is a must.

[@WithMunchkins]

I took one workshop where i learned to make a 8"x8" foil project, made perfect solder joins then. but since then, ive tried it 50 times or so, and it looks very bad. watched many videos, still dont know know why i cant get it correct. first thing im doing this morning is retrying. i went to bed last night a little concerned for myself since i keep trying and not getting it, but hopefully i figure it out soon!!

[@DerekHuntArtist]

Good luck !

[@TheDomi44]

Where did you get your leather apron?

[@DerekHuntArtist]

I found a leather worker online who made it for me 🙏🙂

[@matildaandgabe]

I have a question about incorporating 3D printed objects with stained glass

[@DerekHuntArtist]

What’s your question?

[@matildaandgabe]

@@DerekHuntArtist hi my son who makes 3D printed objects wants me to build a stained glass piece with a 3D object. Is it even possible? I’ve never seen it done before. Have you? Any ideas? TIA

[@DerekHuntArtist]

I'm not really sure what you mean exactly. Which part will be 3D printed?@@matildaandgabe

[@jacobaskeroth7474]

This is somewhat unrelated to the topic of the video, but is there a general rule for when your should use foil versus lead came? I assume it varies based on artist preference and needed strength of the art piece, but I could definitely be wrong.

[@DerekHuntArtist]

Well, copper foil is used more for Tiffany Lamps and pieces not subject to the weather. If it’s made for outside then lead is better 👍🏼🙂

[@jacobaskeroth7474]

@@DerekHuntArtist thanks!

[@jacobaskeroth7474]

@@DerekHuntArtist is there one that you tend to prefer to use?

[@DerekHuntArtist]

@@jacobaskeroth7474 yes, I almost exclusively use lead rather than copper foil. 🙂