Radiating Lines

In designs for leaded and copper foiled glass it is important to avoid lines radiating from a single point. Some of these reasons are:

It is important to reduce the number of lines that meet in any design to avoid a big bright solder place in a panel.

Example of pattern with radiating lines

It makes for large solder blobs, especially on leaded glass panels, and therefore provides a focus where one may not be wanted or required.

The difference between the harder solder and softer lead came leads - over time - to cracks in the lead at the edge of the thick solder blob.

In leaded and copper foiled glass it is a point of weakness, as there are likely to be multiple thin or tapering pieces of glass that are liable to fracture early in the life of the panel.

Methods of Avoiding

This umbrella image avoids long narrow pieces by having the ribs and supports crossing to make short narrow pieces

Narrow tapering pieces can be compensated for by making the narrow parts shorter than the wider parts of the taper – although this does add to the density of lead and solder around the termination point. There is a difficulty in adapting single radiating points in a drawing to the practicalities of the medium of glass. Examination of older panels (in either technique) will show some of the problems of thin tapering pieces. It is obvious in older windows, especially in the Victorian Era, when tapered pieces where in their glory. Almost always, the tips are broken. It is the nature of glass, and goes back to knowing how the medium will react to the conditions you create.

The central circle avoids joining all the radiating lines at one point

Good design will avoid multiple radiating pieces from a single point of origin.

It is not possible to make a neat termination by joining half a dozen tapers at one point. The finished piece will not look like it did when it was drawn out with a pencil. You can pencil in a termination with six points, ending at one point and it may look good, but when you draw the design with the width of the led or foil will show the clumsy nature of the design with a large termination point.

As you can see, the answer starts with the design, before you cut and foil, or fit the came to the glass. Art is not about the physical placement of what you see in your mind, as much as it is about the "illusion" you are creating that you want others to see. That starts with the design, and avoiding something that you know is going to give you a problem.

It is not possible to make a neat termination by joining half a dozen tapers at one point. The finished piece will not look like it did when it was drawn out with a pencil. 

Example of a design that will present difficulties at the centre

You can pencil in a termination with six points, ending at one point and it may look good, but when you draw the design with the width of the led or foil will show the clumsy nature of the design with a large termination point. As you can see, the answer starts with the design, before you cut and foil, or fit the came to the glass. Art is not about the physical placement of what you see in your mind, as much as it is about the "illusion" you are creating that you want others to see. That starts with the design, and avoiding something that you know is going to give you a problem.