A couple of little pieces...

[Lynn]

I don't know if these qualify as "finally" finished, as they didn't take very long to make at all.

The tulip piece is from a single tulip pattern..I just reversed the pattern to add the second one facing it.


The other one is a piece I made out of the scrap pile with a few bits of textured glass, and a some blue stuff that was in the pile as well.  It came out pretty well for a quick piece.  The first photo shows the light blues pretty true to life, and the second one shows the darker blue of the big squares fairly correctly.

[Anne]

really pretty Lynn.  As I'm partial to blues I really like the second one but the tulips back to back really are nice too. Nice to see you glassing again.

[JoanFrances]

very nice Lynn

[Kev]

I like them both too, but partial to the blue one..love the colors.

Finally finished is just that..it has no criteria, other than you finished it, so what you posted is very appropriate.

[Graham]

Not wishing to be negative, but there's a problem with both panels. For all I know, you may have fixed them when assembling the panels. If not, perhaps you could keep this in mind for later projects.

Anyhow they serve a good examples to those who ask "What's a potential hinge?" and "How can they be fixed?"

Both panels have a seam which goes fully across, where one could fold the complete panel like closing a book. One vertical and one horizontal (Pink lines).
Each could be corrected with the application of a few inches of re-strip (Red lines) inside a seam.

[Kev]

Good examples Graham. Something we all need to watch for. Funny, for the most part we are aware of the potentials but they get by us and at time don't see them until it completed. Not the best time to catch it then.

[Audrey]

I love the feel of the tulips and I am always partial to yellow.

[Judy K]

I like them both, but if I had to pick it would be the tulips for the dance in their petals.

Graham, I love it when you teach those things. It has been drilled in so many times now I am beginning to find them in the design stage now. Thanks. It takes repetition for me to remember some things.

[ct4mom]

Love them both as well and blues are my favorite too. I'm always worried about hinges and if Graham keeps pointing it out it will sink in!!!

[Lynn]

Not wishing to be negative, but there's a problem with both panels. For all I know, you may have fixed them when assembling the panels. If not, perhaps you could keep this in mind for later projects.

Anyhow they serve a good examples to those who ask "What's a potential hinge?" and "How can they be fixed?"

Both panels have a seam which goes fully across, where one could fold the complete panel like closing a book. One vertical and one horizontal (Pink lines).
Each could be corrected with the application of a few inches of re-strip (Red lines) inside a seam.

Thanks!  I didn't even notice those....you can sure tell I am still a newbie.  They are small pieces, and they do have zinc borders...so I hope that there won't be any problems with them in the long term.  But it is helpful to have them pointed out-I can see exactly what you are talking about with the lines there.

[Audrey]

I do appreciate your input, Graham. It helps me to be more aware of these things. I have had some restrip for well over and year now and have never used any, but I don't think I needed to since I bought it. I surely did BEFORE I bought it. Now I pay more attention.

[Judy K]

I just played with Strong Line, or Restrip, can't remember, but I think they are basically the same thing. Anyway, I just played with adding some to the back of an already completed window. I used it on it's thin edge and curved it to the seams then soldered in place. Try it. It was easy and fun to learn a new trick. It really made the piece feel stronger.

[Evelyn]

Lynn,
Both pieces are lovely and I'm partial to the tulips.
Graham,
Great tip on the restrip

[Glassic]

Looks like I hit the preview button again, NB. Kev, make the post button bigger.
Now I must echo Evelyn. Did you draw the pattern? It makes a nice companion piece to one I have.

[Graham]

I just played with Strong Line, or Restrip, can't remember, but I think they are basically the same thing. Anyway, I just played with adding some to the back of an already completed window. I used it on it's thin edge and curved it to the seams then soldered in place. Try it. It was easy and fun to learn a new trick. It really made the piece feel stronger.

It's intended that Restrip or Strong-line be buried withing the seam of the structure, but it can be added to the outside of a seam. Used externally, it forms a "fin", which will add considerable rigidity to a panel.

[Kev]

Do you need to go buy yourself a "Staples" big red "Easy" button...lmao

[Lynn]

Looks like I hit the preview button again, NB. Kev, make the post button bigger.
Now I must echo Evelyn. Did you draw the pattern? It makes a nice companion piece to one I have.

I didn't draw either one.  The tulip pattern is from "15 Pieces or Less" by Carolyn Kyle and Laura Tayne.  I just reversed the pattern to double up on the tulips and make them face one another, which means the hinge was my fault.  The scrap/blue piece is from "Prairie Style Miniatures" by Scott Haebich.

Looking at the "Prairie Style Miniatures" book, it looks like almost all of them have some hinges-which would annoy me more if I had paid for the book at a store (I got it with a bunch of stuff I bought off of Craigslist).  It does make me really glad Graham pointed it out so that I looked at those patterns a little more closely and I will watch out when using these patterns in the future.

[Rebecca]

According to my catalog, Restrip is "pure copper."  Strongline is "steel over copper."  The strongline is quite a bit stiffer, but can cause problems if you don't bend it to fit your seam. 

Rebecca

[Judy K]

Great info. Thank you!

[Graham]

According to my catalog, Restrip is "pure copper."  Strongline is "steel over copper."  The strongline is quite a bit stiffer, but can cause problems if you don't bend it to fit your seam. 

Rebecca

Strongline is decidedly stronger (as it's name might imply) but being partly steel, it's springy.

When you bend lead, it stays there, When you bend copper, it springs back maybe 10%, so if you over-bend it a little, it will stay where you put it. and it can be bent very sharply with your fingers (even with little old lady hands)

Strongline is like a clock spring, Those of you who pre-date battery operated, digital clocks will remember clock springs. You have to almost bend it back on itself to make it stay in a 90 degree corner. and that's best done with pliers.

Strongline is also a tad narrower, so that it fits easier into the channel of lead came.