Custom Tiffany Peacock Pattern

Work in progress is this peacock window designed from a Tiffany Studios original stained glass window. The challenge for me is to expand the design to fit the clients eyebrow shaped window opening. I added additional balusters and some more background detail including another boat. The overall size when finished is 57" wide by 50" tall.



I'll post more images during the work progress and when the finished panel is installed.

Here's the finished window precariously hanging onto my bench.
I should have better photo's once installed.

Tiffany Peacock Stained Glass Panel Progress

I have one side soldered and now am using the whole bench to flip over the panel. It's nearly impossible to do otherwise and without reinforcement bars. Bars will be installed later once the back side is finished and I flip it back over.
Turning a large window this way is very easy to do and is quite safe. There is a lip at the bottom of the window held securely to the bench with 2 1/2" deck screws preventing the panel from sliding off. I also attached 2 support braces on either side of the bench to keep the whole process at a good angle to easily lift the glass off and turn it around.

I'll post more photos as I go along :)

Old & New Stained Glass Comes Together

I restored the old medallions for the church and await the committee approval on my proposed drafts. Using windows from the soon to be demolished old church by inserting them in a newly constructed stained glass window is both challenging and rewarding.

Restorations included removing bulging, repairing a few pieces of glass, cleaning and re-weatherproofing or cementing the window. The original perimeter lead was also replaced with new 3/8" flat lead that matches the rest of the window. This new lead will accept the new surrounding pieces of glass and be easier to solder to. The small trick in replacing the old perimeter lead is to carefully cut it mid way on the outside glass segments and gently heat up the old solder joints to release the old lead.
Cutting the lead allows you to rock free the old lead without twisting the attaching lead you are keeping. Once the old lead is removed you now have a tinned area to attach the new lead. Without this tinned area soldering becomes nearly impossible due to the oxidation of the old window. In this case the windows are over 100 years old.
The original lead held up remarkably well for it's age and doesn't need replacing.

I am bidding on an eyebrow transom "Good Shepherd", two sidelites and matching half round panels. This will complete the entry way of the church.




Sidelite panel with top 1/2 round


Eyebrow Transom