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 Occasionally a piece of glass will
break; it happens. Invariably the piece of glass will be part
of a beloved window, lampshade, or other object… and you’ll want
to fix it. You can, but it’s not easy. It takes time
and effort – but the effort is worth it. Here’s a step by
step guide to how you can repair a piece.
1. Clean off the piece using glass
cleaner or soap and water. If you like, you can also use
denatured alcohol as a cleaning agent.
2. Make a pattern of the piece you
need to fix. If it’s really small, like a jewelry box, you
may be able to lay it on a copier. If you can’t, you can
always make a rubbing. Place a piece of paper over the broken
section, and use a charcoal pencil or the flat edge of a sharp
pencil to rub an impression of the piece onto the paper.
3. Once you have a pattern, you’ll
need to find a piece of glass to use as a replacement.
It may not be easy – do your best to find a piece that matches,
and if you can’t find a match, select another piece of glass that
you feel is appropriate for the spot.
4. Once you have a replacement,
you’re ready to take out the old piece of glass. If the
glass is intact, score the surface of the broken piece about every
1/4" to 1/2". Crisscross your scores, make diagonal
scores, and create scores in different directions. Once the
glass is heavily scored, tape it with a glass cutter until it’s
cracked, and move the pieces using pliers. If you can’t get
a piece out, don’t worry – we’ll get it later. If the
glass is already cracked, remove the pieces you can with pliers.
5. Now apply a coat of flux to the
solder lines. Heat the joints so the solder melts.
Remove as much of the bead as you can, and then remove any remaining
glass with pliers.
6. Remove any leftover foil.
Add more flux and remove the leftover foil by heating the flux and
use pliers and heat to remove stray pieces of foil. It will
take some time, and it can be tricky, so be patient.
7. Once all the foil, glass, and
solder are removed, you’re ready to replace the glass. First
re-foil the area. Once that’s complete, cut your glass based
on the pattern you made, and check it for fit. You may have to
grind it and shape it so it fits correctly. (This is another
place to be patient and to take your time.)
8. Solder the piece in place using the same techniques as if it
was a new project you’re creating from scratch.
Repairing a piece can be frustrating and can take a significant
amount of time – in some cases as much time as it would take to
make a new piece. Before you take on a repair, make sure you
know what you’re getting into, and if you decide to proceed, be
prepared to take your time to do the job right. Repairing a
piece can be frustrating, but it can also be extremely rewarding when
a damaged piece looks new again.
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