lead framed window glass

[asalcedo]

The windows at home are made of small rectangles (15cmx10cm) of glas

framed into strips of lead. Fifteen of these rectangles are then frame into an iron frame.

I have to replace a couple of glass pieces that broke.

I can lift the thin lead strips around the broken rectangle, th problem is that the glass is very tightly framed against the lead an it is very difficult to lift enough so that the end of the glass i visible.

There is also a great risk of breaking the adjacent glass pieces.

Also, the corners are welded and the only way to lift them is to cu through the weldings.

Perhaps someone familiar with this type of window knows if there better way to do this.

Thanks,

Antoni

-- asalcedo

[Adrian Brentnall]

I know this is a diy newsgroup - but my first recommendation would be to take the whole lot, iron frame and all, round to your friendly local stained glass restoration place. It's one of those jobs where you can very quickly end up with more broken glass than unbroken glass

- been there, done that !

The other thing is that, assuming the thing is at all 'old', you'll probably want to do the job right and get the whole thing re-leaded... which involves disassembling it, cutting new lead 'came' (that's what the channel is called) to fit, soldering the joints and then brushing a weatherproofing compound into the gap between the glass and the lead.

If you really want to do it yourself, you can buy all the necessary from your friendly local stained glass supplier - you can use a Stanley knife to cut through the soldered joints at the corners (may be easier if you first use a glass cutter to score the broken panes and break them out in small pieces ) (mind eyes / fingers etc!) and then gently peel the lead back.

Once you've refitted the new glass you can then re-solder the corners (use stained-glass liquid flux or a tallow candle at the joints - and a big soldering iron) and then brush new weatherproofing compound into the gaps.

If you need more detailed info please ask

Adrian Suffolk UK ======return email munged================= take out the papers and the trash to reply

[Rob Morley]

If they're just cracked I'd leave them - otherwise the whole pane will probably need re-leading.

[asalcedo]

Hi Adrian,

Thank you for your informative reply.

I will find a local stained glass restoration shop and proceed fro there.

However, it is also a hassle to take down the whole window to a shop And, as Rob Morley says, the shop may want to relead the whole pane.

With your information I feel confident enough to give it a try, but will stop by the shop first.

Regards,

Antoni

-- asalcedo

[The Natural Philosopher]

What you do is put diagonals into the corners, and fold back the strips and lift the panes out.

A little mastic or putty, and fold the dedges back restores the new pane.

Its not necessary to re-solder, but a soldering gun will cope if needs be.

[The Natural Philosopher]

No. My chippies replaced half a dozen cracked panes easily.

[Andy Dingley]

This is hard to do, as few competent stained glass restorers have a visible shop. Ask around (architectural salvage places will usually know). The person equipped to do a good repair may be a lot less visible than the high street "glazier" who thinks stick-on lead is the same stuff.

And what's wrong with that ? Lead is quick to work with, old lead is a pain to repair. The point where complete re-leading is apropriate is fairly low. OTOH, copper foil work is usually worth changing the absolute minimum of pieces.

[Rob Morley]

I wuz wunderin - would it be practical to use the copper foil technique to replace in situ the odd piece in a pane that was made up with cames?

[Andy Dingley]

It certainly would - some people make up small foiled "roundels" with lots of fine detail, then set them into a large window done by leading.

As a repair tecthnique, then I'm not so sure. If you're really just replacing one broken pane, then the trick of snipping the corners with side cutters, bending the lead out and then bending it back is easier.

Copper foil is _not_ weatherproof long-term (although how long it lasts depends on technique). If you're doing this in an exterior panel, then put a flat glass panel outside it.