Best tools for copper foiling?

[Nancy C.]

Does anyone have any silver bullets that will result in perfectly centered and smooth application of the copper foil?  I enjoyed the discussion of the electric foiler--most interesting. Those photos are fun.  From that discussion, it appears that most of you pros prefer to do it by hand. 

My challenge is the CENTERING of the foil by hand, especially the long, straight pieces.  Smaller pieces are easier.   So questions are:

1.Tools:  Are there any you would recommend?  I'm considering the table foiler by KWC.  Does anyone have experience with this one?   
2. Patching:  What do you think about patching?  For example, if I ALMOST get a long piece foiled well, then make it off center near the end, does it hurt anything to put a patch on that covers the scimpy side?

I'm so looking forward to getting to solder this piece...if I ever get it foiled! Patience, patience, patience.....

[JudyK]

I hold the glass toward me so that I am looking at the back sticky side of the foil as it goes on the far side of the glass. That way I am seeing both sides of the tape to see if I am staying even. Does that make sense? It kind of makes you go cross eyed at first but you get used to it. I patch corners now and then if I have had to slice them to go around it.

[Rosemary]

I have the Table Foiler and I love it.  My husband prefers to foil by hand though.

[glassman52]

I use both depending on the width of the foil. Wider tapes are on my table foiler and 1/4" I do by hand.

[Kev]

I foil initially centering the tape at the beginning and then gauge how much overhang there is on each side, then continue watching one side trying to maintain that initial width...this will ensure the other side is the same.

[mona]

I do like Judy does.  Long straight sides are easy if you have the first initial point centered, keep foil taught and place end of straight side centered on foil the rest of the edge should be centered.  Make sure you have good lighting to foil.  As with most things... practice, practice, practice, patience, patience, patience. :-)

[TodB]

Mona is right about the light, light, light! My old eyes benefit from really good light while foiling.
I use Judy's system, too, of looking at the sticky part with extra contortions for tricky pieces.
Since not all glass is perfectly flat and of an even thickness, one must keep checking for centeredness. - Tod

[Nancy C.]

Thank you for the great tips.  I am trying all the suggestions and will continue to practice until I find my way and finish this piece.  Funny, it appears that light was a problem for me, but I was completely unaware of it.    I am working in a sun room this morning, and it is going much better with all this lovely sunlight.  Life is good.  Thank you again.

[Tre V]

Over the counter readers and good light!

[JudyK]

Sunlight makes everything better and easier!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Scope Builder]

I operate much like Kev.   I hold my glass so I am looking at the adhesive side and can tilt it back and forth to watch the overhang.  If I get a place that is uneven I burnish the foil and then with an e-xacto knife cut out the bad section and re-foil over lapping the burnished foil about 1/4" on each end.  I agree plenty of light helps a bunch.

[Lynn]

I use the KWC table foiler for a lot of my glass.  It isn't perfect.  It can be a bit cranky about tight inside curves, it doesn't like glass with a lot of texture, and I don't have good luck with it on small pieces.  But-it is a LOT better at foiling most pieces evenly than I am when foiling by hand, generally speaking.  And it goes a lot faster for me.

When I do foil by hand (small pieces, rough glass, just don't feel like digging out the table foiler), I do the same as some others have mentioned.  I hold the glass so that the adhesive side is facing me and I can watch the overhangs.  I then have to go back and fix the places where I misjudged, but it isn't usually too bad if I am careful and go slowly.  I do patch where needed and have not had a problem with it.

My first instructor didn't like the table foiler when he tried it.  He has been doing this for umpteen billion years and is quite good at foiling quickly and at centering the foil by hand-and he just couldn't get used to it.

[Sue in NC]

So most people roll the glass away from them onto the foil, which is placed on the table sticky side up?  Or do most people roll towards themselves?  I have mostly been trying to roll towards myself, but I do not always get great results on centering. 

Maybe my eyes are off, because sometimes I don't notice the foil on the two sides of the piece do not match until I have gone ahead and soldered!  That made me try silver-backed and black-backed foil, but those often did not stick well.

Sue

[Kev]

Holding the glass in a vertical position,  I start the foil on the far edge with the end of the foil pointing up on the far side of the piece,  and the roll of foil leading out from underneath the glass. Bringing the foil down under the piece toward me, allows me to peel off the backing as I roll the glass away from me in a clockwise fashion while applying the foil to the bottom edge. This allows me to see the edge of the glass in relation to where it sits on the foil.

[Tre V]

I operate much like Kev.   I hold my glass so I am looking at the adhesive side and can tilt it back and forth to watch the overhang.  If I get a place that is uneven I burnish the foil and then with an e-xacto knife cut out the bad section and re-foil over lapping the burnished foil about 1/4" on each end.  I agree plenty of light helps a bunch.

Yup, me too

[gws732]

I do like Lynn for my foiling. Smaller or heavier textured glass gets done by hand but the rest of the time I use the table foiler and love it. Much faster to me than doing it by hand. Did take a little pratice to get it right.

[TracyCT]

I swear by the table foiler!  For me, it is the fastest way to foil and THE most accurate.  I have 2.  One for my 3/16" foil and one for my 7/32" foil.  I'm so lazy that I even use it for small pieces and inside curves.  Been using it since it was first introduced. It does take a little practice to get used to but once you do, it will cut your foiling time in half.  The table foiler and my Nick's grinder mate are my 2 best investments.

[Nancy C.]

Great, I just ordered the table foiler.  So many of you use both, it appears to be a good investment.

  I must say my hand foiling improved significantly yesterday after the advice.  I never thought of cutting the foil when I make mistakes, and just patching the part off center looks better than covering the bad with more foil, which is what I had been doing.  We were told by our first instructor, when you mess it up, take it all off and start over--never patch.  That was tough (and frustrating) on those long pieces!

[Kev]

I patch if need to right over the original foil and just trim it to the same width.

[mona]

hm... I hold the glass vertical, center on the farthest, bottom edge from me and roll my glass counter clock wise.

[glasisfun]

I use a table foiler as mentioned above, except for all those textured glass, tight or little pieces, then I find there is nothing better than good on "hands on" to get a good fit.  It takes light and practice.... lots and lots of practice, but then it just kind of falls in place.  Like riding a bike, once you get it.. you got it!

[jackie]

me I got the table foiler but it just isnt working for me....... i try it and some times it works and sometimes it dosnt soooooo the best thing for me is hand foiling, I can get that right most of the time. Maybe if u get a foiler in the begining it is easier to learn than if you try later on in your craft.

[Kev]

I had the same experience Jackie. I bought one, tried it out, hated it and returned it. It was faster for me to do it my hand.

[gws732]

I found that after a little while using the table foiler the disc was trying to seperate and it just wasn't foiling right. Thanks to some advice I got on here I pulled the disc apart and put a drop of super glue in the hole and put it back together. Does not seperate now and works great. I think it  just takes a little time to get the hang of it but well worth it.