Description

Bevel Suncatcher
BY: Rita Schwab
SKILL LEVEL: 3 (1 being the easiest, 5 being most difficult)
TIME TO COMPLETE: 3 hours
MATERIALS CHECKLIST
1 pack 1 x 2 Studio Pro Bevels
• Jennifer’s Mosaics Small Glass Gems
• Small Jump Rings
• Studio Pro Soldering Iron
• Studio Pro Lead Free Solder
• Studio Pro 7/32” Black Backed Copper Foil
• Studio Pro Safety Flux
• Studio Pro Flux Brush (or a cotton swab)
• Studio Pro 2 Pack Fid (or craft stick or pencil)
• Long Tweezers
• Safety Goggles
• Scrap Ribbon
• Micro filament
• Heat Resistant Board
 
→PROJECT TIP
• Before you begin find a place to work that has great ventilation where you can open a window and use a fan.
• An area safe from children and pets is recommended.
• The less you move an unfinished project, the less likely you are to have damage. • Please read and follow all directions carefully. When working with glass, protect your feet and legs by wearing pants and closed toe shoes. Eye protection is essential. • Use a heat resistant work surface.
INSTRUCTIONS
1. Clean four bevels and four glass gems with glass cleaner or rubbing alcohol. Dry with a lint-free cloth.
2. Start with 7/32”, 1.5 ml thick copper foil. Peel back 2” - 3” of backing from the foil, hold glass with the edge toward you, and apply foil to the edge of the glass so that it extends evenly over both sides of the glass.
3. Fold or crimp foil over edges making sure to fold corners neat and flat. Burnish foil using fid or a wooden craft stick. Press foil flat against glass on the outside edge first, then both sides of the glass. Don’t scrub as you may rip the foil.
4. Solder is a mix of tin and lead in different proportions. Use solid core solder 60/40 best results with foil. Lead Free is used when projects are handled--kaleidoscopes, jewelry boxes or objects for young children.
5. Before soldering, tape the pieces together to form a square. Avoid placing tape in the corners.
6. Apply flux to copper foiled pieces at the corners. Tack solder the corners, and then remove the tape. Apply flux to and completely solder all seams. Hold the iron tip above the foil, perpendicular to the seam. Hold iron as you would a carving knife. Feed the solder into the tip as you move along the foil.
7. When the seams have all been soldered, use the long tweezers to flip the piece over. Apply flux and solder the seams.
8. Add a jump ring to a corner. Lay the suncatcher flat, align the jump ring next to the corner and tack solder. Flip over and secure the other side.
9. Wash thoroughly using warm water and soap and a soft brush. Clean both sides then rinse well and dry.
Optional:
• Add black or copper patina following manufacturer’s instructions.
• Tie ribbon scraps to the jump ring and add a loop of micro filament to hang the suncatcher with.
 
SOLDERING TIPS: (Here are some hints)
• If solder doesn’t flow smoothly—apply more flux.
• If seams bulge over the glass— there’s too much solder; you may need to melt and pull off the excess.
• If solder spits or bubbles there’s too much flux; wipe some off.
• Flat seams need more solder.
• Don’t stay in the same spot too long or the solder will bleed through or the glass will crack.
• Wipe your iron tip frequently on a wet sponge while you are soldering.
• Re-tin your tips as needed using a sal-ammoniac block.

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