Am I Understanding This Right???

[Audrey]

I am working on a piece that has a small waterfall. The pattern directions suggest "Plating the waterfall adds depth and interest to the finished panel. The waterfall is added to the finished panel by tack soldering transparent preferably irridized textured glass segments to the waterfall lip and base. Be sure to use silver backed foil" (which I don't have). The color photo in the book shows the waterfall as blue & brown. Then there are dotted lines suggesting small areas to overlay the transparent glass. It does not seem to cover the whole fall, just starts and stops in various shapes.  I am understanding this to mean do it the regular way using colored glass in the fall, then after soldering the  whole piece lay the small sections of transparent textured glass on top of the colored piece where the dotted lines show and use drops of solder to fasten it to the under piece along the top and bottom of the waterfall. Is this right? Are there any tricks  or tips to this and any problems I should be aware of? Thanks.

[Wayne]

I am not sure I totally understand those directions.  All of the plating that I have done over the years has been in such a way that the plates are added to the window after it has been completed.  I clean and patinate if foiled before soldering on the plate(s).  It is necessary to remove the patina in the areas where the plates will be soldered on.  I always try to use black foil and never silver for anything.  Also, I would never do a plate that I could not seal (solder) all the way around.  If there are any openings something will get in there and raise a family.  Remember also once the plates have been added, the window will not lie flat when flipped over so additional consideration must be taken to make supports to hold the window.  I try to have everything done so that I don't have to do that.  If I do, though, I use foam pieces to suport the window.

[Audrey]

I believe it means to put the plating pieces on last. That way it would not have to worry about turning it over. I guess I won't patina the waterfall so I won't have to remove any. Since the under piece of the fall is all one piece of glass the only place I can solder is the top and bottom lip, so there is no way to solder all around the little plating pieces so nothing gets in. I may just plate the whole fall with one piece of glass so I can seal all sides with solder. The pieces would be so small to work with anyway, so it would be a lot easier to use one larger piece.

[Wayne]

Here is picture of two mounted plates, if you were wondering.

[Roy-g-Biv]

I seal my plates all around too-before you do though, make sure everything is cleaned thoroughly- nothing like having a piece of lint/dirt preserved in a sarcophogus forever more, and you can't always pawn it off as "added texture"

[Vic Rothman]

1-Build the "base" window first.
2-Solder bead the whole panel except where the plate gets solder. Here just flat solder'
3-Patina panel except where the plate goes
4-Foil the plate with a matching color to the patina. IE copper back foil with copper patina.
5-Lightly tin the foil on the plate with solder.
6-Clean  the plate and the base glass where the plate is to cover VERY well.
7-Solder the plate to every seam with NO flux and a small amount of solder.
8-With a toothpick put a small amount of clear silicone between the edge of the plate and the base glass where you were not able to solder. Just lightly fill the gaps.
9- VERY carefully patina the plate

[Kev]

All this good advice! Awesome!

Hey Roy...Love the comment "Added Texture"..funny!

[PiscesGlass]

Wow, excellent, excellent advice on this subject, this is great information for those of us that haven't plated in the past.  Thanks everyone!

I also would really like to see a picture of the project Audrey, particularly when you get to this portion of building it.  It sounds pretty cool already!

De

[Kev]

Yes...we've never seen a start to finish plated project posted...hint hint...lol

[Audrey]

Thanks guys for the help. I will take the advice.
The plated piece is just a small section of a project that only measures about 10" X 12" to begin with, and I am about 2/3 done with the cutting. I wanted to make it larger, but I knew what glass I needed to use for a couple sections and didn't have enough to feel safe. I usually break some wrong and needed enough extra, so I had to keep it small, which has been a pain with some tiny pieces of glass. (I had promised myself not to do this small piece stuff to myself any more, but here I went  and did it again).
I will post photos either tonight or tomorrow.

[PiscesGlass]

Audrey, I feel your pain...and I only have myself to blame for it...I should be doing some of these panels in a MUCh larger size.  There's always next time right?

De

[Audrey]

I hope so, De. I did better on my last couple, then "forgot" as I wanted to make sure I didn't run out of the glass I needed.

[Audrey]

Here is the colored pattern and what I have done so far. I had to foil the lily just to see if the pieces were big enough to work.

[PiscesGlass]

Very nice Audrey, I love the colors in it..this should be really nice when you have it finished.  And the plating makes more sense to me now.  This will be beautiful!

De

[Kev]

This is going to be nice!!!!!!!!!!!!! so bright and colorful...I love it!

[meaco]

Wow, Audrey!! It's already looking great...love the colors! :)

[Anne]

Wow, this looks great Audrey!!

[memaribeth]

Oh, I like it so much!   So pretty!

[Barbara]

Audrey  This is looking real good and I am looking forward to seeing it when you are done

[ct4mom]

Oh Audrey, I know everyone said it already but I have to agree it it so pretty and will be a great looking panel. Cant wait to see it finished

[Rebecca]

Looks beautiful so far!

Rebecca

[JoanFrances]

that is coming along very nicely Audrey