My First Lead Project

[Judy K]

Oh Alan, I remember the facing fishies too.

Very nice panel and wonderful learning discusions, Malinda.

Now I have a question for both you and Alan. In both windows I see hinges, straight lines were the window could fold on itself in time. If these were foiled windows you could add a bit of restrip in between the glass and solder it in. But with these lead windows how do you reinforce those area's? Little pieces of metal soldered to the back?

Malinda did you put your window in a zinc frame? or is that lead too?

[Alan]

Yes there are hinges- I used 3/8 zinc came for the frame and mounted the whole thing in aluminum channel - then caulked into opening - I ain't taking it out and the house ain't movin' - don't think it's a problem in this instance.

[nansea121]

In both windows I see hinges, straight lines were the window could fold on itself in time. If these were foiled windows you could add a bit of restrip in between the glass and solder it in. But with these lead windows how do you reinforce those area's? Little pieces of metal soldered to the back?

For smaller panels, you can use copper restrip or strongline to help out a hinged area, but in Malinda's panel, the addition of zinc came along the sides of her panel should help to take care of that.

Another way is to use some of that strong line inside the lead came along one of the diagonal strips, then bend the copper strip at an angle to match the upper straight edge and continue along the the beveled lead line, still having the strip inside the lead came, and out to the border's edge.

The pic on the left side of the pkg shows how it works with lead.

[Malinda]

I didn't put anything in my panel for reinforcement against bowing....now that it's mentioned I can't even say why I didn't but I would have thought maybe that won't be an issue because my panel is only 13"x16"

Who here sees an issue for me down the road? Lets take a vote from the knowledge here because I just don't know :)

[nansea121]

It's a small panel with a sturdy zinc border so it'll be fine. It's a good practice to put your hanging hook onto the side zinc rather than the top one.
I like to miter the corners when using zinc. It gives nice, neat closed ends plus helps to eliminate a hinge.

[Malinda]

Nancy I didn't much care what the zinc looked like (mitered or not) since it will have a wood from in the end. Good idea about the hangers though if I left it zinc only...

[nansea121]

Nancy I didn't much care what the zinc looked like (mitered or not) since it will have a wood from in the end. Good idea about the hangers though if I left it zinc only...

If I were to use wood as a frame, I use 1/8" zinc. It's less bulky that way.

[nansea121]

Putting the hangers at the sides supports the weight of the panel more evenly. If you put the hangers at the top, especially on larger panels, the weight of the panel could pull the came away from the upper soldered seams.

[Judy K]

Thanks Nancy, I use strong line with foil but I did not know there was enough room for it in lead came

[nansea121]

Thanks Nancy, I use strong line with foil but I did not know there was enough room for it in lead came

There's another one called Re-strip which is a wee bit wider.  Both copper strip systems are really good to help out the hinged areas, but Malinda's piece (13"x16") will be okey because of the size of the panel and zinc came. 

To prevent bowing, you add the stiffener approx. every 18" as you go up in height ...some like to add it closer than that while others add a bit further apart, but not more than 24" is recommended.

[Glassic]

That turned out really well. Did you make a note of that red/green glass? I would like to know what it is if you did.