Lead Class

[Lynn]

I just finished my class on Friday, and wrapped up my first lead came pieces.   The class was 3 long Friday sessions, which was both good and bad.  I liked the long classes because I got a lot done in any one day, but it meant that I didn't get to go home and practice things in the middle.  I think it worked well for me.  For the complete newbies, the sessions may have been a bit too long.

The sunset was my very first piece.  I am pretty happy with it, overall.  It certainly has some rough spots, but overall I am pleased with the way it looks.  It is much more orange/yellow/green in real life than it shows in the photo.  I started it during the first session, and finished everything but the patina during the second class.



Then, because I was done earlier than other folks (I was the only one who wasn't brand new to cutting glass, so I was ahead of the group) and didn't have a new pattern to work on (or time to really get started) after my second class, I put this together.  It uses u-came.  The solder is a bit rough, and it isn't nearly as black in real life as the photo shows, but I do like it.  And I have a pile of u-came (it came with one of my Craigslist bundle purchases) that I could use to make similar items.  :>


I cut this one out at home and brought the glass to my last class for assembly.  I finished up the patina on the sunset piece, finished soldering and adding patina on the curly-q piece, and ground, assembled, soldered and added patina to this piece during the last class.  Other than one line that I managed to solder just wrong (and a tad bit crooked), I am really pleased with this piece.  The colors have much more contrast in real life, and the blue border doesn't look black as long as it is back-lit.


Anyway, it was a lot of fun.  Now I need to get myself some lead came and start playing again!

[meaco]

These all look great!!     I fell in love with lead came panels a couple of years ago when I took my class...look out!! :)

I also really like the bevels and lead, too.  I've always wanted to try that.

[Anne]

They're really nice Lynn.  You did a good job bending the lead. While they might have been long days you got a lot done!

[Kev]

These look awesome Lynn! I do have a question though. If your using lead came, why are you also using patina?

[Malinda]

very nice Lynn....I need to do this next....

[Audrey]

I love the sunset. You have really seemed to take to the lead very quickly. Good job.

[ct4mom]

Great job Lynn the sunset piece is awesome and the bevel piece is very clever. I too was wondering why the patina?

[Barbara]

Lynn, You did  a nice job on these. I also love the sunset

[PiscesGlass]

I don't know what Lynn's teacher said with regard to the patina..but the person I took lead classes with eon's ago told me that the project could be patinaed at the end of it all..which I did.  I know that other people have suggested that you can achieve a nice black patina on the lead by brushing/burnishing it with a brush, but no matter how long I brushed mine never turned color...except with time I guess. 
Lynn might have had a tough time brushing the curly Q project, which is very cute by the way!
I like everything you did Lynn.  I'm sure you had fun in your class and way cool, learned something new! 

De

[Lynn]

As De suggested, the patina was added because my instructor said that it could/should be added to even out the color of the solder joints vs the lead, and becaue the lead never really darkened up with brushing.  I am guessing that was not required-but it did make (IMO) the pieces look better.  The lead lines are more uniform and are, overall, better looking than before I added the patina.  And brushing the curly-q piece to attempt to darken the lead would have been downright impossible.

I am guessing (based on the responses) that this is not a necessary or standard step.  Something new every day, I suppose!

I sure did learn a lot from this class, I had a good time and I made some pieces that I am happy with...so it was definitely worth the time and $$ (admittedly, not a huge amount of $$ as it was a class from the local parks & rec department).

Thanks for all the encouragement here!  You guys really are kind about my newbie pieces!

[Kev]

Lynn, I think your so called "newbie" pieces are fantastic. I only questioned about the patina because I think for the most part, those using lead came for panels do not traditionally patina the lead. The cement used in conjunction with the brushing of it, turns it to a pewter color which darkens over time. I was just wondering if you had been instructed that this was always performed with lead came work. I can see why brushing was not an option with the filigree piece.

[PiscesGlass]

I think it greatly depends on who is teaching the lead class.  The people I took my classes from patinaed or not, I'm not sure which projects they patinaed and which ones they didn't.  But they did teach that you could use it..black at least, other colors do not take very well on lead.

And it does darken up over time..but if you don't prefer to wait then patina can come in handy.

De

[Lynn]

I plan to keep claiming to be a newbie until I have been at this for at least a year.  I suppose after that I will just have to find another excuse for questionable soldering and kind of dumb questions.   

As far as the patina, I am not quite sure if the instructor said I could or I should patina.  It may well be that he explained in more detail, but there were a herd of complete beginners in the class.  As a result, I did quite a bit of work on my own, with him checking things over and coming in mostly when I was working on the stuff I hadn't done before.

So-learning that patina is not as commonly done on leaded pieces really is a new bit of knowledge to me...I appreciate everyone bringing it up.  If I keep learning something new each day, maybe I will be doing well enough to give up the 'newbie' title soone!   

[JoanFrances]

Lynn, that sunrise panel is the same one I did for my first ever lead panel.  I did not add the outer edge to make mine square.   

Nothing wrong with saying you are a newbie longer than a year.  Heck, every day brings room to learn more about this art.  Or you could use "Fledgling" or how about "Apprentice", if you want to change you're description LOL.

[Stephen Richard]

"I don't know what Lynn's teacher said with regard to the patina..but the person I took lead classes with eon's ago told me that the project could be patinaed at the end of it all..which I did.  I know that other people have suggested that you can achieve a nice black patina on the lead by brushing/burnishing it with a brush, but no matter how long I brushed mine never turned color...except with time I guess.  "

I assume you use lead light cemtent to finish your lead panels.  If not the glass will rattle and the light will show round the edges of the glass often. 

Putty/cement your panel by brushing in the cement with a stiff bristle brush.  Do this on both sides until the lead is turning dark.  When the cement is thoroughly under the leaves of the lead came all over, use a bit of whiting or sawdust to help stiffen the surface of the cement (the interior will remain flexible for a long time).  As the panel becomes cleaner, switch to a soft bristle brush (shoe brush will work).  Polish all over lightly and quickly to get an even dark gray to black surface.  The linseed oil in the cement sticks the colour to the surface.

So, if you don't polish the cames and solder along with the cementing you don't get the even colouring of the whole panel.

STeve

[Lynn]

I assume you use lead light cemtent to finish your lead panels.  If not the glass will rattle and the light will show round the edges of the glass often. 

Putty/cement your panel by brushing in the cement with a stiff bristle brush.  Do this on both sides until the lead is turning dark.  When the cement is thoroughly under the leaves of the lead came all over, use a bit of whiting or sawdust to help stiffen the surface of the cement (the interior will remain flexible for a long time).  As the panel becomes cleaner, switch to a soft bristle brush (shoe brush will work).  Polish all over lightly and quickly to get an even dark gray to black surface.  The linseed oil in the cement sticks the colour to the surface.

So, if you don't polish the cames and solder along with the cementing you don't get the even colouring of the whole panel.

STeve

I did all of that (cementing, brushing, brushing some more, whiting, brushing some more, brushing some more, brushing even more), and the came darkened some.  It was not as dark as patina, but it was a nice dull pewter color.  But the solder was very bright silver.   Hmmmm-I wonder what I didn't do enough of.....

I guess that just means I will be forced to try again.     What a terrible fate......

[Kev]

The solder will be a bit brighter than the came, but it no time it oxidizes and will dull to pretty much the same color as the lead came.

[Bleedy Pokes]

Wow, what great pieces!
I love the color palette on all of them! Great job!

(PS, I love the curlique piece. Please send it my way when you are done with it!  )

[Stephen Richard]

Switch from the cementing brush to a softer brush when polishing.
steve

[Kev]

Thanks for the tip Stephen!

[PiscesGlass]

Yes, I must admit I rubbed the heck out of mine too, maybe I just didn't wait long enough for the oxidation to happen.  Although it's plenty oxidized now.
But I will try the softer brush approach.  Thanks,

De

[Lynn]

Yes, I must admit I rubbed the heck out of mine too, maybe I just didn't wait long enough for the oxidation to happen.  Although it's plenty oxidized now.
But I will try the softer brush approach.  Thanks,

De

As will I!

[Stephen Richard]

unforthuantely, it has to be done while the lead light cement is still "wet"

Steve

[PiscesGlass]

Yep, that's when I did it.

De

[ct4mom]

I purchased a cheap shoe shine brush at Walmart and worked great. The lead became dark and even the solder darkened but not as dark as the lead but after time it looks great.

[Graham]

The solder will be a bit brighter than the came, but it no time it oxidizes and will dull to pretty much the same color as the lead came.

Lead work, cemented and polished as Stephen says will "darken" both the came and the solder. They didn't start out the same colour, because they are different metals, and whether you patina them both or just cement and polish them both, they still won't end up perfectly matched.

The only way to get it all black and matching is to paint it, and that's just plain dumb.

Given time, the solder will naturally develop it's own "patina" and if subjected to cement and elbow grease it will develop a pretty close match, as indicated by Kev.

Some say it's "wrong" to patina leaded work. It's not wrong, it's just unnecessary. It's wrong not to cement, and once you've cemented it's just so much easier to clean it up, brush it (which it needs anyway), and hang it up. No wax-polish required!

No it won't be "black". It'll just look like lead. Well I'll be damned!! We made it from lead and it looks like lead. That can't be all bad, can it??

`

[Vic Rothman]

The pieces "look" good, BUT. The one with the curly-cues will probably start to bend out of shape under its own weight in time. Unless it's reinforced with wire or something. The diamond panel has the rings soldered to straight piece of lead, that will probably pull the lead off in time.

Patina is an acid that will corrode the lead if not totally neutralized. Which is hard to do as it seeps under the lead flanges. Also consider that most glass is meant to be viewed with back lighting. When the sun shines through the glass ALL the solder seams/lead came turn black regardless of the surface color.

[Rebecca]

What type of putty did you use?  That might affect the darkness of the lead and solder after brushing.  And patina will also attack the putty if it stays in contact with it.

And, yeah, move the hanging rings to the corners.  But they look good.

Rebecca