Monday, 13 October 2008

Consignment Agreements

Consignment (Sale or Return) agreements are to protect both Artist and Gallery, and ensure each understands the other’s expectations. The agreement should relate to each item and include at least the following information:
  • Artist’s name and address
  • Gallery’s name and address
  • Name and signature of the owner/manager of the gallery
  • Title, medium, dimensions of the work(s), edition number
  • Retail price
  • Artist’s price
  • The commission taken from the retail price

Additional information that is advisable to include:

  • Each work is to be offered at the stated retail price. Any discounts shall be from the retail price, not the artist price.
  • Each work sold should have a bill of sale copied to the Artist.
  • The Gallery shall send to the Artist the stated retail price of each work less the stated commission, within a reasonable time after sale, and not less than 1 month after the sale. In the case of exhibitions the payment should be made not less than 1 month after the close of the exhibition.
  • If a work is lost, damaged or destroyed during the period of the agreement, the Gallery must notify the Artist immediately and pay him/her the stated retail price, less the stated commission.
  • Insurance of the work –a statement of when the Gallery’s insurance takes effect. The Gallery normally provides insurance upon receipt of the work(s) and signs a document to indicate safe receipt of the item.
  • The Artist shall retain all rights in and title to the works until sale, at which point the title shall pass directly to the purchaser whose name and address the Gallery shall give to the Artist on written request.

Lamp Panel Lengths

If you have determined the length of the shade and the diameters of the top and bottom, you can determine the length of the panel by maths or by a scale drawing.

Calculation of length
The maths is about right angle triangles. The dimension of the vertical part of the right angle triangle is the height of the lampshade. The horizontal dimension is the radius of the bottom minus the radius of the top. The length of the angle is the square root of the sum of the square roots of the vertical and horizontal sides.

E.g., a lampshade 200mm high with a 50mm vase cap and 400mm bottom width:
The vertical of the triangle is 200mm.
The horizontal is 400/2 = 200mm – 25mm (half the diameter of the vase cap) = 175mm.
The length of the panel is equal to the square root of the sum of the squares of the sides.

In this example, 40000+30625=70625 of which the square root is 265. So the panel is 265mm long.

Measuring the length
If you don’t want to do the maths, do a scaled or full size drawing. It only needs to be one side of the shade, but it can be the full shade.
  • Draw a vertical the length of the shade.
  • At the top draw the radius of the vase cap on each side of the vertical.
  • At the bottom draw the radius of the shade on each side of the vertical.
  • Join the two end points of the horizontal lines on each side of the vertical.
  • Measure this line to determine the length of the panel.

This drawing method does have the advantage of allowing you to see the angle of the proposed shade and adjust it if necessary.

Lamp Panel Dimensions

Calculating the top and bottom widths
When doing custom lamp sizes is not too hard to calculate the panel sizes. You need to remember the value for pi (3.1417)

Start with the bottom diameter you want. Multiply it by pi. Divide this distance by the number of panels required for the lamp. This gives the size of the bottom of the panel.

Do the same for the top, but make one more calculation. As the top has to fit into the size of the vase cap, you need to take account of the thickness of the glass. So, subtract the thickness of the glass time 2 (the glass thickness is on both sides of the circle). Do the calculation as for the lower edge of the panel, and then subtract the thickness of the glass from that width. For most glass this will be 3mm.

Worked example
Bottom diameter: 200mm
Top diameter: 50mm
Panels: 8
Pi: 3.1417
Glass thickness: 3mm

Formula for bottom: dia. * pi = circumference / no. of panels = width of panel
Bottom diameter: 200*3.1417 = 628mm/8 = 79mm

Formula for top: dia. - glass thickness *2 * pi = circumference / no. of panels = uncorrected width – thickness of glass =width of panel
Top diameter: 50-6= 44 * 3.1417 = 138mm / 8 = 17mm

Determine the shape of the panel
When you have determined the widths of the top and bottom of the panel, you are ready to draw up the shape of the panel. Set up a horizontal line the calculated width of the bottom of the panel. Divide it and draw a vertical from the centre of the line. This line should be as long as the panel you are making. This is determined by the method outlined in the Panel Length tip. At the top of the vertical line draw another horizontal. Measure off one half the calculated top distance on each side of the vertical line. Join the points on the lower and upper horizontals to give the shape of the panel.

Friday, 10 October 2008

Commission Agreement

A commission agreement protects the interest of the artist and the commissioner. The agreement is between the artist (with name and all contact details) and the commissioning person or agent (with name and all contact details). It forms a contract and should contain all relevant details. Among these should be:
  • The name of the work.
  • The work’s description, and a sketch of the intended work.
  • A description of the materials, and an indication of the methods to be used.
  • The total price of the commissioned work, divided into portions for:
    - The design, not returnable under any circumstances. Additional changes after the first completed design will incur additional costs (at a stated rate per day).
    - n agreed sum before the artist starts to execute the work.
    - A further sum when the artist gives the commissioner written notice that the work is two-thirds complete.
    - The final sum when the artist gives the commissioner written notice that the work is completed.
  • Access to premises where work is to be carried out.
  • The artist shall retain the copyright in the design and the work.
  • Provision for the commissioner to terminate the agreement by giving written notice to the artist. The artist is then be entitled to retain and receive payment for work done up to the date of receipt of notice, and to retain all rights and title to the work.

Thursday, 9 October 2008

Booths at Fairs - Survival Kit

Think about what you want to have with you and plan ahead. Things you may need to bring with you include:

Materials
Display material/photographs for walls
  • Publicity material
  • Hand outs for the public - artist's statement, contact details
  • Press pack - press release, images of art work, artist's statement
  • Previous publicity and brag book, showing commissions - display it on a stand.
  • Postcards
  • Business cards
  • Price lists
  • Order book
  • Book for recording contacts

  • Tools

    Cleaning materials, i.e., for cabinets etc
  • Box with thumb tacks, pins, pegs, screws, for hanging material on the walls
  • Extension cords, power strips, light bulbs, fuses
  • Box with tools – screw drivers, pliers, knives, etc.
  • Masking tape, scotch tape
  • Pens, markers, product labels, price tags
  • Calculator, sales receipt book, copy of your sales tax license
  • Credit card equipment
  • A storage facility for all the money and cheques you will take in! Also to keep the change box in - stocked with plenty of change, of course.
  • Packaging material - Bubble wrap, boxes, bags, etc
    Seat with back rest
  • Small step stool
  • Wheeled trolley for moving stock and booth
  • Most important - your own lunch and cold drinks and water bottle

  • Additional things for outdoor booths

    Canvas repair tape/ Gaffer tape
  • Weights for holding the booth down
  • Buckets and mops for bailing out
  • A pair of rubber boots
  • Guy ropes and pegs for windy conditions
  • Wednesday, 8 October 2008

    Booths at Fairs

    Think of your booth at a show as a mini art gallery. It should show off your artwork in the best possible light. The "job" of a booth at any type of show is to set up an environment to do the following:
    • Attract a stroller's attention so that they stop in front of your booth and look.
    • Provide an appropriate environment which best shows off your artwork.
    • Entices the potential buyer inside to get a better look.
    • Subconsciously directs the viewer to see all of the artwork (i.e. the booth has a footpath flow)


    Booths do this in a variety of ways.


    The booth provides a physical barrier so that your booth is separated from your neighbour's booth. You don't want your potential client to see your neighbour's craft/artwork while they are in your booth. Make sure your booth has full-sized screens on all 3 sides to block the view to your neighbour s booth.


    It provides a consistent "art gallery" environment when your potential client steps inside.
    Neutral walls, which do not distract from your artwork are best. In fact, the walls should help display the artwork. The booth should make the environment friendly to the viewer.


    Have a floor covering. This is particularly important on an inside show on concrete floors
    The covering should be neutral in colour so as to not compete with the stained glass.


    Feature the artwork in the front. Make it easy for the client to walk up to your artwork. Nothing on the floor should impede this. Keep all non-art stuff like sales & packing stuff in the back of the booth.


    Have as much lighting in your booth as possible. Glass is all about light. The more the better. Bring plenty of power strips, extension cords and extra light bulbs of the appropriate wattage.


    Plan out the flow of the viewer. Think like a potential buyer and place your artwork appropriately. Have your big eye-catching show pieces where they are plainly visible from someone walking down the hall. Then put the smaller, less-expensive stuff in the back. People will be drawn into the booth by the big, expensive show pieces. Then, once they are inside, the artwork should go from most outrageous to more affordable, forming a path around the booth.

    Tuesday, 7 October 2008

    The Bill or Contract of Sale

    Although it is usually a good idea, the bill or contract of sale is under-used in transactions between artists and purchasers. It indicates the terms of the sale, whether conditional or unconditional, and protects the artist’s interests, especially where artists’ resale rights are in force.

    The bill of sale must include:
    • The date of sale
    • The place of sale
    • The title of the work
    • The description of the work: medium, dimensions, size of edition, and other relevant information
    • The name and address of the purchaser
    • The artist’s name and address
    • The purchase price
    • The term of payment


    The above sets out the date, the place, the purchase price and the terms of payment of this contract of sale of the mentioned art works. However, in order to protect the future existence and use of the work, the parties may further mutually agree:

    • Originality: The artist vows that the work is his/her original and that s/he shall not produce a replica of it.
    • Edition: If the work is one of an edition, the artist vouches that the size of edition shall not be increased after the date of the contract.
    • Reproduction: The copyright in the work is retained by the artist, but the buyer may be entitled to permit the reproduction of the work in books, art magazines and exhibition catalogues.
    • Care of the work: The buyer vows not intentionally to alter, damage or destroy the work during the time of ownership.
    • Restoration: If the work is damaged, the buyer shall notify the artist and give the artist a reasonable opportunity to conduct, or supervise, the restoration of the work.
    • Artist's exhibition: The buyer and artist may agree to the owner lending the work (e.g., once in every twelve months for a maximum period of six weeks) for the purpose of inclusion in a public exhibition of the artist's works. The artist must give the owner reasonable written notice of his intention. The artist must provide documentary evidence of insurance coverage and prepaid carriage to and from the exhibition. The artist must ensure that the exhibiting institution identifies the work as belonging to the buyer.
    • Placement of work: If the buyer places the work with any person or institution for exhibition, re-sale, or any other purpose, the buyer shall immediately write to the artist stating where the work is placed. This is especially important in jurisdictions where artists’ resale rights exist.
    • Addresses: Artist and buyer shall notify each other in writing immediately of any change of address.

    Thursday, 2 October 2008

    Soldering Fluxes

    Fluxes fall into 2 categories: rosin based, and so called water-soluble

    1. Rosin Fluxes
    Rosin based fluxes are made from rosin which is extracted from pine sap. The purified product is known as "Water White Rosin". The active ingredient is an organic acid, abietic acid, and may contain homologs such as dehydro abietic acid and leviopmaric acid.

    In addition to rosin other activators may be present at different levels to increase the ability to clean and deoxidise. Activators are compounds that decompose at soldering temperatures yielding ammonia or hydrochloric acid in the process. Flux activity is categorised as R (rosin only), RMA (rosin mildly activated) and RA (rosin activated). A low boiling solvent such as isopropanol is used as the vehicle so they are flammable.

    Type R containing only rosin is the least active and is recommended for surfaces very clean to start with. It leaves virtually no residue behind. Thus this is the best rosin based flux for copper foil and lead cames.

    Type RMA contains a small amount of additional activator to enhance cleaning and deoxidisation leaving only a minimum amount of inert residue behind. A characteristic of RMA fluxes is that the remaining residue is non-corrosive, tack free, and exhibits a high degree of freedom from ionic contamination after cleaning. These fluxes are acceptable, but more difficult to clean. They are not acceptable for conservation work.

    Type RA are most active of the rosin fluxes, and leave the most residue, however the residues can be removed with appropriate flux cleaners. The residues are really difficult to remove in decorative glass work circumstances and should not be used.

    2. Water Soluble Fluxes
    These are called water-soluble, as the residue left after soldering is water soluble, although the flux is not. The so-called water-soluble fluxes are divided into two categories, organic and inorganic, based on composition. 

    Organic fluxes are more active than RA rosin, and the inorganic fluxes are the most active of all. Both of these are the best of all fluxes to use in decorative glass work, as the residues are water soluble making clean-up easier, and they are more effective in wetting and keeping the copper and lead free from oxidisation at soldering temperatures.


    See Also:
    Flux, an introduction
    Fluxes, a description
    The Purpose of flux
    The action of fluxes
    Soldering fluxes

    Wednesday, 1 October 2008

    Applying to Juried shows

    Juries are looking for a unique, well crafted, and impressive body of work in the category to which you are applying.Therefore, show them a coherent body of work - that is, the illustrations should all reflect a consistent style and aesthetic. Cohesive groups of work communicate to the jurors the strength of the artist's craftsmanship, design, self-direction and intent.

    The juries also want to see representative work. Go for your strongest work and present the strongest visual presentation you can. Again, it should be a cohesive body of work photographed in roughly the same manner. Strong work and cohesive body of work are equally important.

    The artist can have as much impact on the jury by editing certain pieces out of a group of works as s/he can by choosing what to include. So, avoid submitting a number of pieces that are in diverse styles. And make sure you have excellent photography.

    Paints and Stains

    Vitreous paint - glass paint which contains finely ground lead or copper filings, ground glass, gum arabic and a medium such as water, oil, wine, vinegar or urine. These are either high-fire blacks and browns or low-fire transparent colours.

    Silver stains - silver nitrate and gamboge gum that chemically stain the glass to varying intensities from pale yellow to orange.

    Gamboge is a rather transparent dark mustard yellow pigment. Gamboge is most often extracted by tapping from the Garcinia hanburyi tree. The resin is extracted by making spiral incisions in the bark, and by breaking off leaves and shoots and letting the milky yellow resinous gum drip out. The resulting latex is collected in hollow bamboo. After the latex is congealed, the bamboo is broken away and large rods of raw gamboge remain.

    Choosing a Soldering Iron

    The iron used to solder must be of a high enough wattage to readily melt the solder and be able to reheat fast enough to maintain the necessary melting temperature. The tip can't be so small it can't maintain the heat nor so big it covers more area than wanted.

    For example a 75 or 80 watt iron is sufficient to begin soldering with, but it will continue to get hotter, as it has no temperature control. An iron of this type should be used with a rheostat in order to prevent overheating while it is idling. You should be aware that it will eventually reach its maximum temperature, so cannot be left for long.

    Most temperature controlled irons seem to be produced in 100 watts or more. These internally temperature controlled irons maintain a constant temperature. These are normally supplied with a 700F° bit (number 7) and are sufficient to melt the solder without long recovery times. You can obtain bits of different temperature ratings, commonly 800F° and 600F°. You can also use several sizes of tips for different detail of work.

    Monday, 29 September 2008

    Advice for Surviving a Selling Event, 3

    Publicity and literature
    • Research press contacts for magazines, papers etc. Target smaller newspapers as they like writing about local people.
    • Make sure you have sufficient supplies of publicity handouts, trade information, press pack and artist's statement. Make handouts easy to understand, easy to carry and easy to store. Magazine editors cruise around so have a press pack available. Find a good photographer to work with for good publicity shots.
    • Make sure your website is up-to-date, as people who go away with information will then look at the site.
    • Don't have any financial barrier between you and the public - have a range of prices. Your price lists should include information about postage and packing. Give the landed price - the price a piece costs, then add postage and packaging. Find out about and include notes on the costs for national and international delivery.

    Objectives for the event



    Aim high, they have a lot more money than we have.
  • Takings should be 10 times the cost of your stand. Almost half the takings may be commissions.




  • Exhibition offers


    Never commit to exhibitions with galleries until you can check them and find out as much as you can about the gallery. Never be intimidated into feeling inferior by a gallery. Is exhibiting with that show worthwhile? Sometimes it is very good for the career.



    Expect the best and be prepared for the worst.

    More information is available from the Business Fact Sheet for Scottish Crafts at craftscotland

    Friday, 26 September 2008

    Advice for Surviving a Selling Event,.2

    Customers

    Don't judge people by their appearances.

  • Keep smiling and never lose your cool even with difficult customers. Listen to them. They may actually have a point. They know what they like and don't like and they're not afraid to tell you.
  • Never undertake something that you don't really, really want to do. Steer them round to what you make. Be firm if a customer is making unreasonable demands. Is the job actually worthwhile?


  • Commissions



    Once they decide they want something give the customer your time. Find out what they like about it, what they don't like, what space it's going in, is it on the wall? The time spent will pay dividends as the most important thing is your time and they'll remember it afterwards.
  • Write everything down in one place - name, address and add something which you can easily remember them by. Agree a price and usually include delivery and insurance as extras.
  • Never give discounts.
  • Timescale - you'll have lots of work after the event - so start commissions several weeks or months afterwards. Be good and let them know if there's a delay or a problem.
  • For a commission people do expect to pay a deposit. Ask for a round figure. Give them a receipt.


  • More information is available from the Business Fact Sheet for Scottish Crafts at craftscotland

    revised 28.12.24

    Thursday, 25 September 2008

    Advice for Surviving a Selling Event, 1


    You have to be really comfortable.

    • Bring a high level stool so you can perch and still have eye contact with the customer
    • Wear comfortable clothes and shoes.
    • Wear something bright to help them remember you. It helps if they can point you out in a crowd.

    Food, drink and consequences


    Eat well, have a good breakfast and have loads of water to stop dehydrating
  • Bring your lunch
  • Make friends with the people beside you. This is very important, especially when you've drunk a lot of water!



  • Plan ahead


    Plan the stand display in advance, where everything is going, display cases and what is going in them. Make a plan of the space. Then try it out to make sure it works.
  • Consider who is beside and opposite you - you need to be aware of what is around you to plan your space best, so it might be worth getting in touch with them before you arrive.
  • The stand should be clean and tidy. Having no clutter means the customer can see what they are looking at. Have a storage unit for paperwork, pens, water, packaging etc. Have a space where you can write orders and pack purchases.


  • More information is available from the Business Fact Sheet for Scottish Crafts at craftscotland

    Wednesday, 24 September 2008

    Use of the Glass Cutter

    When cutting glass your are first scoring the surface to weaken the glass and then breaking along the score line. The glass will always follow the path of least resistance. It is important to keep this in mind when “cutting” glass as it has significant implications for scoring and breaking.

    Use the cutter by moving it away from you, so you can see the cartoon lines as you score. When using a straight edge, you can pull the cutter toward yourself or push it away, whichever suits you.

    Grasp of the cutter
    The classic or traditional grasp is for use with a pencil cutter. The cutter is placed between the first/index and second /ring fingers with the thumb at the back of the cutter. This initially is awkward. Its advantages are that it transfers most of the work to your arm rather than fingers and wrist, and it restricts the movement of your wrist, leading to smoother curves.



    The modified grasp is also for use with pencil cutter. The cutter is placed between the thumb and first/index finger. The second /ring finger is also most often used beside the first/index finger. The fingers should be straight to avoid excessive strain on the fingers and possible carpal tunnel problems later.

    In this image the cutter is at an angle to vertical.

    The fist grip for use with pistol grip cutters. The cutter is held similar to a gun, with the first/index finger pointing down the shaft holding the cutter head. This pointing action seems to aid the accuracy of cutting. This applies to cutters with right angle handle attachments also.

    The palm grasp is for the small Toyo and other palm cutters. The cutter is placed on the pad beneath the thumb and held with the first/index finger and thumb.

    In all cases it is important that the work is done from the forearm rather than the fingers or wrist. The forearm should be held closely to the body. This reduces the freedom of movement, giving clean flowing score lines. It also reduces the actions that can lead toward repetitive strain injuries. Any turns required by tight curves can be done by turning the body from the hips or shuffling around the bench.

    Thursday, 18 September 2008

    Avoid Finger Cuts at the Grinder

    Before serious grinding, first run the whole perimeter of the piece very lightly against the grinding bit. This removes the worst of the 'scalpel' edges and avoids the micro cuts on your fingers.

    And,

    Let the grinder do the work. Many people seem to put huge pressure on the piece to grind away the waste more quickly, but this is actually counter-productive. Less pressure means less fatigue, less chipping at the edges, fewer broken pieces, and most importantly, fewer cuts to the finger tips.

    Wednesday, 17 September 2008

    Glue chipping, 9

    Glue Ratings

    The glue used for chipping glass is generally called animal hide glue. Many companies sell animal hide glue, but to get the best results, you must use glue that has been formulated and tested for strength.

    There are many grades available, such as:

    80, 110, 135, 164, 192, 222, 251, 280, 315, 347, 379, 411, 444, 478, 512 jelly gram strengths

    The three grades suitable for glue-chipping are:
    5x (weakest) = 135 gram strength
    4x (suggested) = 164 gram strength
    3x (stronger) = 192 gram strength

    Tuesday, 16 September 2008

    Glue chipping, 8

    Different Glue Weights

    The main control over the chip design relates to the ratio of glue to water per area of glass.

    140gms glue to 850 centilitres water per square metre is the minimum. The chip will be spotty or absent entirely.

    425gms glue to 850 centilitres water per square metre gives the best results – a uniform chipping usually in a fern pattern.

    570gms glue to 850 centilitres water per square metre gives a larger more iceberg-looking chip.

    850gms glue to 850 centilitres water per square metre is wasteful and usually the glue is so thick the glass won't chip at all.

    Experiment with the intermediate amounts to see what you get. Keep good notes of all the variables involved, so you will be able to repeat a pattern if you need to.

    Monday, 15 September 2008

    Glue chipping, 7

    Variables Affecting Chipped Patterns

    The glass chipping pattern is subject to many variables. The duplication and uniformity of each pattern is dependent on control of these variables.

    There are many variables to be considered, The major ones are:

    1. Glass - type and surface preparation
    2. Room temperature during preliminary drying stage
    3. Glue - type, concentration, and temperature at time of application
    4. Weight of dry glue applied per area of glass
    5. Dryness of glue film at end of preliminary drying stage
    6. Temperature of drying room during chipping process

    Sunday, 14 September 2008

    Glue chipping, 6

    Secondary Drying and Chipping Stage


    The secondary drying and chipping stage is when a small space heater can be used to warm the glass up to around 52C (125 F). Do not point the heater directly at the glass. Keep it at least one metre away from the glass. You don't want to cause the glass to get too hot and crack.

    This indirect heat will cause a rapid evaporation leading to curling of the glue and the chipping of the glass surface. The glass is under extreme stress at this point and should not be handled unless absolutely necessary. On sunny days the glass can be set in direct sunlight. This is the easiest way to get the glue to chip the glass.
    The chips of glue can pop off and travel some distance, so take appropriate precautions, i.e. safety glasses, gloves, aprons. You might want to place a cloth over the surface.

    After all the glass is chipped, some glue may still be left on the glass. The glue is water soluble, so you can soak the glass with warm water and scrape off the softened glue. Be careful of the extremely sharp shards that are now concealed in the water.

    The glue and glass shards left from the chipping process can create a big problem if not cleaned up. Because the glue is an animal by-product, cats and dogs love to eat this stuff. This can cause your pet extreme harm and even death! Dispose of the waste carefully.

    Saturday, 13 September 2008

    Glue Chipping, 5

    Drying time

    The glue will go through an initial drying stage. This is in the first hour or two, depending on the humidity and temperature of the room. Make sure to keep the glass level during this period.


    The next drying stage takes between 12 to 24 hours. This is where the glue will cure and loose almost all of the liquid. A fan to circulate the air will speed up this process. The glue should be left to dry at its own rate, do not hurry it by heating. Uneven curing may result in a poor chip pattern.

    The secondary drying and chipping stage is when the glue actually starts to peel or chip. The glue shrinks considerably during the total drying process. As it shrinks, it grips into the pores caused by the sandblasting and literally rips the top of the glass off.

    Use precautions when handling glass that has a dried layer of glue. Goggles, gloves, aprons are the minimum precautions against the slivers of glass.

    Friday, 12 September 2008

    Glue Chipping, 4

    Applying the glue

    The glass should be clean and have a dam around it.

    Cleaning the glass is important. If there is dust left from the sandblasting/grinding stage, the glue will not stick to the glass.

    Place the glass on a level surface. The glass should be room temperature.

    Pour the glue onto the glass in an even layer between 1mm to 3mm thick. If the glass is level the glue will flow to a uniform thickness on its own. You can tilt the glass from side to side to help the glue flow.




    CAUTION: If your glue is too hot, it may shock the glass causing it to break, allowing the glue to run all over the place. Another reason to avoid heating the glue to a high temperature.

    Thursday, 11 September 2008

    Glue Chipping, 3

    Mixing the Glue

    The 'type' or 'pattern' of desired chip design is dependent upon the glue to water ratio.


    Generally the dry glue is combined with COLD water in a ratio of 3 parts water, 1 part glue. This is measured by WEIGHT - 1 oz. of glue to 3 oz. of COLD water per sq. ft. of glass. If your glass is 24"x24", this is 4 sq. ft. so you will need 4 oz. of DRY glue and 12 oz. of cold water.

    Using metric measurements is easier when combining wet and dry materials by weight. 1 litre of water is 1 kg. So for 0.1 sq. metre (approximately 1 sq. foot) of glass you need 25 grams of glue to 75 cl of water.

    After mixing let this mixture stand for about 1 hour to absorb all the liquid. It also helps to cover this container to reduce evaporation. This mixture will form a gelatinous mass.

    Average Recipe:1 to 2 ounces of Dry Glue per sq. ft.
    3 ounces of COLD water per sq. ft.

    OR

    285 to 570 grams of dry glue per square metre
    850 centilitres of Cold water per square metre

    Heat this mixture in the double boiler. Do not try to heat the glue container directly on a burner. This will stink tremendously. Slowly heat this mixture to 60 – 65C (140 - 150 F). It is important that you do not boil this mixture and that is stays between these temperatures. Use a sugar/candy thermometer to measure the temperature of glue. Stir occasionally. Heat slowly.

    Wednesday, 10 September 2008

    Glue Chipping, 2

    Preparing the glass

    The surface of the glass must be roughened up to allow the glue to adhere to the glass. This roughening is most often done by sandblasting the area of glass to be chipped. It can also be done by grinding the glass with grit between the glass to be chipped and another hand-held piece of glass. The grit should be at least 100 grit, and coarser is better.

    After this roughening is done clean the glass thoroughly. Use raised masking tape to create a dam around the edge of your glass. This will keep the glue from flowing over the sides of the glass.


    Tuesday, 9 September 2008

    Glue Chipping, 1

    Glue Chipping Glass is easier than you might think. All that's needed are a few materials and a little experimenting. You can chip on a variety of glasses such as clear, coloured cathedral or flashed glass. You can also chip bottles, jars and even mirrors.

    The glue used for chipping glass is animal hide glue or "glass chipping glue" and can be purchased through most stained glass retailers and art shops. It should be granular and is usually sold by the pound. One kilogram will generally chip up to 2 square metres.
    The basic steps are:

    • Prepare Glass
    • Mix glue
    • Apply glue
    • Let dry
    • Clean with warm water