How to Make a Stained Glass Window

~A Field Trip Report by Megan

Stained glass windows have been made for centuries. It is an interesting art, and beautiful too. On May 3rd, we visited Moondog Glass Company for a demonstration about stained glass. In this picture we are touching the surface of a textured piece of red glass.

This paper is called a "cartoon." It can be re-used. It helps you know where to place the glass for your window.

Here Mr. B is cutting a piece of glass. He is using a tool with an edged wheel on it which makes a little scratch on the surface. Next, he presses the glass on the edge of the table, pushes down on the scored part, and the glass breaks.

For the blue pieces, he traces the pattern over another cartoon, cuts the glass using a smaller cutter, and breaks it with some pliers.

We got to cut some of the scrap glass.

Here he is grinding the edges
of the glass to even them out.

He cuts strips of lead to hold the glass together. Then he starts to assemble the window. He is using the strips of lead and some horseshoe nails. The nails temporarily hold it all together.

The window is taking shape now. The pieces are fitted into place. To keep the pieces together when he takes the nails off, he rubs on acid and then melts some part tin/part lead on the joints using a soldering iron.











He washes off the window so it is nice and clean, and here is the finished project:

This is a replica of the star windows found on the Nauvoo Temple.