Thanks Kev, Anne, Denise, gws732, Joanie & Audrey:)
This form is really easy to use! The first time I used it, I worked from the top down. But now, I find it alot easier to work from the bottom up because I don't need to use any tacky wax. I do one row, tack it into place and begin the next row.
If some of the pieces need to be held into place while fitting in some neighbouring glass pieces, I'll use a bit of tape. Since the pattern is covered with plastic, the tape wont rip or scar the pattern when I remove it. Another thing about making this type of shade is I only use a few paper pattern pieces instead of 800 of them! Glass Eye helped me to make the grid very exact so I only needed to make a hard copy pattern from only one of the repeats. By using the same pattern pieces, the repeats all work out perfectly. Having a strip cutter helps to when making the plain grid sections.
Each row has a slight curve at the top and bottom of each glass piece. I find it easy to set the piece of glass on top of the row I'm working on by marking with a waterproof pen, grind and voila, it sits in place while I fit the next piece. Usually, I fit those by eye. If the design has a bit more detail to it, I leave some sections untacked so I can slip the new piece of glass in behind the previous row so I can trace out the new shape when fitting. Hope that makes sense. I fit all my glass by tracing. It makes for a perfect fit with enough space allowed for the foil.
After that row is all cut and ground down to fit, I foil that entire row and tack into place. If I have to work with special areas of a glass, I'll work off the light table and trace out the repeats - making sure I get the look I want before cutting them out.
I find this method and style of shade very easy to do when working on the curve.
I use all sorts of molds when I make shades. Some are bought, but my favourite shapes for beachglass lamps have been whatever I have laying around the house or consigment shops:) Nice big bowls work well, or a series of bowls taped together makes for some interesting shapes.
Now if I can stay away from the kiln, lol.
Thankfully, Dan helps me out with some of the foiling.
