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leading for "stained glass?"


LeeB

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I want to make a "stained glass" border of colored squares around a window using the transparent paints that are used for making suncatchers. But I can't figure out what to use for the leading. I have tried permanent marker on the clear acrylic but it rubs off. My hand is not steady enough to paint it with a brush. Surely someone has done this before. Any ideas for something to outline the squares that would stick to the surface and be uniform in width and easy to control?

 

Edited by LeeB
clarity
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Some members cut down self-adhesive lead golf tape, which you can do with a sharp utility knife and a cork-backed steel ruler, but if you go that route DO wear rubber gloves to prevent absorbing any lead through the skin of your hand & fingers.  I do use black acrylic paint from the tube which I streak with minute bits of white and use a liner brush and short, small strokes.  If you are doing straight lines, try a  Sharpie pen with the steel straight edge and a sheet of scrap paper under your hand to keep from smearing the Sharpie ink.

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I took a class from Barbara Sabia last year.https://www.etsy.com/shop/BarbaraSabiaMinis?ref=pr2018_faveshops

The hardest part for me was cutting the lead tape to 1/32 of an inch. Tape the acetate window over the pattern you want use. After cutting several lead stripes, stick the lead to the window following the pattern. Apply leading to both sides. Then use the paints to fill in the squares,  on both sides.

http://www.greenleafdollhouses.com/forum/?app=gallery&module=gallery&controller=view&id=137728

 

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I’ve used puff paint to create raised “leading” for one inch scale houses. It does require a steady hand. There is also this product which will give you the dimensional effect. https://smile.amazon.com/Gallery-Glass-Instant-Lines-16690/dp/B0018N3SZ2/ref=sr_1_1?crid=1BV0EN1D88TKM&keywords=gallery+glass+instant+lead+lines&qid=1582480696&sprefix=%2Caps%2C298&sr=8-1

It comes in precut shapes and different thicknesses too.

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15 hours ago, havanaholly said:

DO wear rubber gloves to prevent absorbing any lead through the skin of your hand & fingers.

Glad you shared that advice. I ordered rolls of leading from a UK supplier to do a lead roof on a slanted roof addition (similar to Greenleaf's Baslow Ranch kit) for a farmhouse. The instructions that came with it had at the top in big bold capital letters a warning to wear gloves so you didn't get lead poisoning.

Okay, good enough for installation, but then what? Do you have to never touch it again, or make sure no one else ever does?? No thank you. I just put on some stripwood for the battens and age-painted the whole thing in slightly varying shades of gray. Looked fine and I don't have to worry about lead poisoning, TYVM.

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And with my little lead rant over, haha, I use simulated liquid leading. I get mine from Michael's but a quick search shows it's available in lots of places. Only snip off the tiniest portion of the top so the opening is not too large. I cut mine too small then just widened it by working the tip of a metal kitchen skewer into it. It worked well to make nice Tudor style diamond-paned leaded windows, but it does take a steady hand.

EDIT: Always a P.S. afterthought with me! I remembered that I didn't care for the perfect black look as the leading. I used silver leaf Rub 'n Buff and just swiped it onto the leading with the tip of my pinky finger. I was concerned that it would look too shiny, like actual silver. Thankfully it did not, and I found it to create the perfect finish.

Edited by Kells
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 Not that I don't appreciate all the great ideas that so many offered. I will definitely keep them in mind for another project. But I guess I am more of a wood guy. After doing some online searching, I discovered that more often than not, when the glass is in a door, the design I had in mind was more likely to use little wooden mullions instead of lead. I already had some and would not have to go shopping or order online, but go right ahead. Here are the results (The maroon and teal is the exterior. The stained  and varnished side is the interior.) :

 

 

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Thank you all for the positive words.

Holly - the transom is part of a transparency that was on a card I got at Notre Dame Cathedral - a photo of one of the windows there. Tragic to think that the original may not even exist anymore. But fun to be able to use it.

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