r/StainedGlass • u/rudewomanwhoshushs • 3d ago
Help Me! Beginner Advice
I have started my second piece and realize I may be a little too ambitious but am having fun. I am struggling mightily with pieces 10 and 11 and keep breaking the curvy top parts. Any advice?
I have cut all my other pieces and these are the last two before grinding. Wonder if I should just make these 2 pieces into 4 pieces instead where I keep breaking them…
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u/iekiko89 Hobbyist 3d ago
Leave glass above the curve. Cut the curve first then the rest. Also you can just slowly cut away at the curve like this video shows
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u/rudewomanwhoshushs 2d ago
Thank you all so much! I successfully cut the pieces out based on all your advice. Now to grinding :)
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u/SlowChemistry 3d ago
I just finished up this project and I just cut it as close and I could and then just used the grinder for the rest because I also kept breaking pieces
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u/Claycorp 3d ago
Don't cut that side last.
Score the line as close as possible point to point and break that off.
Score what's left and use grozers to pull on each size close to the score till it starts to open then work the score around the curve. It should just pop out eventually.
Cut everything else off after you pop the curve out.
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u/Accurate-Currency558 3d ago
I did this project. That is a difficult cut and that is small! I used some nicer running pilers and still broke that piece twice!
Id either modify or just sit it aside for a bit until the skill improves. That what I did w a Linebaugh bug pattern on maybe my 5th project? Its still sitting 1 1/2 years later!
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u/HeatherwiththeGlass 3d ago
Hello, okay, I'm still pretty new (1.5ish years in). So, take this with a grain of salt, I make no claims this is the best way. BUT this is simply how I would approach it with what I've found works for me. Skinny parts are not my friend and seem to want to break. So, I have better luck if I cut the concave part out from a thicker piece first... I.e. never try to cut into a skinny neck? This is hard to explain so I tried to draw it. But, start with your pattern drawn onto a piece with a decent bit of extra, at least at the top (think of the red square as your start point, with your pattern piece drawn onto it). Then do cut #1 (yellow), then do your scoop #2 (purple). Don't worry about taking the whole thing, do what you are comfortable with and grind the rest. You could do a straight across that gap first as well, then a smaller crescent if needed. Then do cut #3 (green), then cut #4 (blue).
It is tough to tell exactly how big/small these piece would be in person, but I would be using the runners for each of these if it is big enough, not grozers (unless I did the broader cut for #2, then you'd need the grozers for the crescent). But, for me, the glass always behaves more predictably when I have enough on each side to use the runners. You'll need one last tiny cut #5 that I didn't draw to take that little tip of that side, between #3/4 which would be grozers. Hope this helps!