OT Question... Anyone here do stained glass?

With Zuzu's suggestion, I posted this over on the Mosaic and Glass forum, but no one has answered even one thread there since I posted. I'm excited to get started on this (pronounced im-pey-shuhnt), so I'll post it here too.

I've got a "dumpster dive" find from earlier that I cracked apart yesterday. The result is several pieces in stained glass that were extricated from a larger highly damaged piece that had been thrown away. I would like to make these smaller pieces stable so that I can hang them outdoors on the covered porch. Can I just use a regular soldering gun on the lead to secure the corners? Here's one of the pieces (gotta love a freebie!):


This message was edited Aug 6, 2009 4:40 PM

Okay... well... found an answer, so I'll post it here in case anyone else is curious about how to repair lead joints in stained glass.

This was posted by Sue Spire on AllExperts.com on 1/22/2009 to answer a question very much like mine:

Answer
Here's what to do, if you're really wanting to do this yourself.

I would try to clean those joints, very well, with a brass bristled brush and then apply a paste flux like "Nokorode" and resolder. If the lumps are too large, you can file them down before you resolder.

Make sure you use a 50 or 60 watt soldering iron. Anything smaller will not melt the solder well enough to allow it to flow. Anything larger will melt the lead as well as the solder. Soldering lead is not something you can do well without a lot of practice.

Hold the iron on the lead for the count of 3. Then lift it straight up and off. If you see a sharp point on the solder, touch down again just until you see the solder form a puddle. If you see the lead start to melt, get the iron off there immediately.

To darken the solder joints, buy a natural bristle brush (tampico bristles) and brush over the solder joints after you have cleaned off the flux.

I have a tutorial for soldering lead on my web site. You can find it here: http://www.freepatternsforstainedglass.com/soldering-a-leaded-window.html

Again, be very careful so you don't melt the lead. The difference between melting temperatures of lead and solder is very small.

Sounds daunting, but most things sound daunting to me.

I'm going to give it a try! I kept a few parts of the glass panel that I don't intend to use in the garden, so I can practice on them and see if it works out okay. I am never afraid to try something new... though sometimes my family is afraid for me to try! The first time I welded pipe, I nearly caught the house on fire. Getting the correct distance set on the blowtorch is more difficult than it looks!

Ah, sing it with me... "To dream the impossible dream..."

Me want:
http://www.art-and-home.net/servlet/the-7088/Bed-Of-Roses-Stained/Detail

Gorgeous! I want it too.