stained glass

[Cindy Rhoades]

Has anyone engraved on stained glass? Is there anything I need to do differently than regular glass or crystal. I have never worked with stained glass so I don't want to mess it up because my customer is supplying the glass. I am going to ask for a couple of scrap pieces to make sure settings are good but thought I would check here before diving in.

[Michael Hunter]

There are two sorts of stained glass - solid colour and "flashed".

Treat the solid colour just like any other glass.

"Flashed" stained glass has a very thin layer of coloured glass over a thick glass which is normally clear.
With this, you can engrave the coloured layer off to leave the clear showing (just like Romark!).
Works very well with Victorian or Edwardian patterns.

Dichroic glass can also be engraved with good results.
The little boat picture is a cufflink - the dichroic glass was engraved and then sandwhiched between dark and clear glasses before slumping.
Sorry about the quality of the pics - they were not brilliant to start with and smallifying them for uploading has made them even more fuzzy.

[Joe Pelonio]

I have used the laser as well as chemical etch on stained glass. Laser works fine on smooth, flat stock but some of the more textured varieties do better with the chemical method. I tired vector etching to score for breaking and it doesn't work, still have to use the old fashioned glass cutter.

[Cindy Rhoades]

Thanks for the helpful tips. I will find out more what I have later this week when the glass is brought to me. I am assuming it is smooth but not sure how it is colored so I will have to ask when it gets here. Thanks again for the help.

[Cindy Rhoades]

I have the glass now and it is colored all the way through the colors I am working with are red and blue both fairly dark. I am needing to put photgraphs on these any suggestions. I have a little bit of scrap and don't want to screw this up.

[Michael Hunter]

You can practice on ordinary window glass - there won't be a big difference.

Just do a quick test on a scrap of the real stuff before starting the proper job.

I found that I used the same settings on window and "bulls eye" brand stained glass - and the stained glass came out nicer.

[Cindy Rhoades]

did you have to do any kind of colorfill? He wants soldiers photos on them

[Cindy Rhoades]

I did a test piece with the red glass and it looks like it burned, it turned almost an orange. Do I possibly have the power to high for the stained glass versus the normal glass? I have never worked with stained glass before and I hink I will stay away from it if the type of people wanting these types of things are the same as my customer. I asked for some scrap pieces to test on and I got three very small pieces. I have to try to perfect the settings before using the stained scrap or I will run out.

[Michael Hunter]

I have mainly worked with blues and greens - only once with red. I have never seen a colour change, whatever the power.

Try a lower power and see if it helps.

Reds and yellows are the most expensive glasses (I was told that it is compounds of gold that produce the colour), but even so, if he can't give a decent sized sample it is a bit silly.
How much is this costing you in time and messing about?


Paint, wax (rub-n-buff etc.) and even felt-tip pens can be used to colour the engraving. Unless its going to end up in a dishwasher, it doesn't matter too much what you use so long as the effect is right.

[Cindy Rhoades]

This costing me a lot in time and frustration but the worst part of it is he needs it today. I was under the imprression he was going to get me the stuff over a week ago and that did not happen so he brought it over on Monday and said he needs it on Thursday. The pics he gave me are terrible I finally got 4 out of 5 to engrave and look decent the other one I am still fighting with and of course that is the one he really wants finished today. If I can get it done I will but I can't put off other obligations to try to finish this to fit his schedule. Ii will work on it a couple of more hours and then I am done. I will try lower power setting and see what that does if it still discolors then I will not do it because I won't put my name on items I feel are not good.

[Cindy Rhoades]

I tried lower power settings I messed with the settings until I got no mark and it still turned orange so I am going to buy a couple pieces of red stained glass and try to perfect my ability on the sandblaster because that should not discolor it in any way except leace a nice white or pink etch. I do think it is from the gold used to color the glass because when I looked at it closely it was sparkly or shiny which ever you prefer. I will get this project figured out it will just take a bit longer than I had anticipated. When I am faced with a challenge I eventually figure it out.

[Joe De Medeiros]

I tried lower power settings I messed with the settings until I got no mark and it still turned orange so I am going to buy a couple pieces of red stained glass and try to perfect my ability on the sandblaster because that should not discolor it in any way except leace a nice white or pink etch. I do think it is from the gold used to color the glass because when I looked at it closely it was sparkly or shiny which ever you prefer. I will get this project figured out it will just take a bit longer than I had anticipated. When I am faced with a challenge I eventually figure it out.

This is a common problem with regular red art glass, it turns into a muddy orange brown color, The other way around this is to use Red Fusing glass 96 Spectrum or 90 Bullseye they are guaranteed to stay red. Some of the fusing glass is not red, but turns red when fused, this type is glass is referred to as striking, it's designed to achieve the desired colour when heated.