instructables

Stained Glass Moravian Star Ornament

by zaphodd42

I taught myself stained glass a few years ago. After emotional presence.
becoming familiar with soldering techniques and
making a few two dimensional panels and windows, I This Instructable will show you how I made a 5-inch
sought to create an interesting three dimensional tall star ornament. You may want to learn basic
project. These twelve point stars not only include an stained glass skills before attempting this project.
element of geometry, but have a truly elegant and

Step 1: Let's Talk Safety.

Stained glass is the craft of controlling the shattering When soldering, use a fume extracting fan or dust
of glass. You will be handling very sharp objects in mask to protect your lungs from fumes.
this project. PLEASE take great care to protect your
hands and eyes. Clean your work station regularly to And lastly, always remember to have fun. The time
eliminate glass dust and tiny shards. spent in working with glass has been truly meditative
and stress relieving for me. I hope you find it does the
Gently wash your hands after working and refrain same for you.
from rubbing your eyes. Do not leave food or drink too
close to your work area as small chips of glass, flux
or lead solder may contaminate your food.

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Step 2: Gather Some Glass Tools.

Tools I used (in order of appearance): -100 Watt Soldering Iron (Weller W100P) and Low
Power Soldering Iron (Weller WES51).
-Thin Sharpie
-20 Gauge Bare Crafting Copper Wire
-Flux Brush
-7/32-inch Silver Backed Copper Foil Tape
-Running Piers
-Cork Backed Metal Ruler
-Glass Cutter
-Glass, (Use any color or colors you like. I used this
-Plastic Fid (Burnishing Tool) nice iridescent textured kind.)

-Carpenter's Square SIDE NOTE: With the low power soldering iron, I
used a Flat Soldering Tip. If you wish to use a
-Glass Cutting Oil soldering iron you may already own for electronics
work (as I do mine), you may want to purchase a
-Soldering Flux dedicated tip for lead solder only.

-60/40 Solder (60% Tin, 40% Lead)

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Step 3: Make Your First Cuts.

Chances are, the piece of glass you find will not be give you three points (needing only two).
perfectly square. Use the carpenter's square to find or
mark and cut a good right angle. If your glass has a Use the cork backed ruler for a nice straight cut.
textured slide, flip it over and do all the marking and Notice the edge of the ruler is off line slightly. This
cutting on the smooth side. compensates for the width of the glass cutter and
allows the cutting wheel to cut right on the line.
The star I made has two different size glass points.
The two top and bottom points are slightly longer than Dip the tip of the glass cutter in the cutting oil. You
the ten remaining side points. This gives it a nice can test your ruler placement by gliding your glass
elongated look. You dont have to do this, but if you cutter over your glass without pressure. See where
like it, you will need to cut two strips of glass. A 1 1/2- your oil lays on the glass? That is where it will cut.
inch wide and a 2-inch wide strip. Cut the glass by applying firm and even pressure
along the entire length of the glass, edge to edge.
SIDE NOTE: A 6-inch long strip of glass will give you
eleven triangles. If you want all points the same size, Use your running pliers to snap the glass on the
cut an 8-inch strip for fourteen triangles. You only score you just made. Line the mark on the top of the
need twelve, but it's nice to work in extras in case any pliers with the score and gently squeeze until the
break unexpectedly. If you are using two different size glass breaks along the cut.
points, the length of strip from which you cut your
bigger points will only have to be 2-inches long to

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Step 4: Cut the Points.

Using the ruler, mark points every 1-inch along the Just like before, use your cork backed ruler, glass
strip of the glass you just cut. Flip the ruler to the cutter and cutting oil to score each line, edge to edge.
other side and mark points at every 1/2 inch. The You may want to cut only one triangle at a time.
space between these points will be the bases of the Making more than one score on glass before breaking
triangles that make up the points of the star. If you it may weaken the glass and make it shatter in
choose to make two different size points, do this to undesirable ways.
the other glass strip as well. The bases to all triangles
should be the same size. Break each triangle out with your running pliers.
Notice my glass triangles are not perfectly broken on
Connect the dots in a zig-zag pattern across the the corners of their base. This is OK. You will be
strip(s) to make the outline of the triangle points. The hiding these small imperfections on the inside of the
diagram above should make this process clearer. star and under foil and solder.

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Step 5: Foil and Burnish.

Once all the glass pieces are cut, take the opportunity makes a strong bond between the foil tape and the
to clean off excess cutting oil, dirt and Sharpee lines. glass. It also provides a smooth surface for the solder
Soak the glass pieces in warm water and dish soap to stick to.
and carefully wipe them dry. This will help with our
next step. SIDE NOTE: We are using silver backed foil tape
because the glass is transparent. The back of the
Wrap the entire edge of each piece of glass in the tape will be visible through the glass. The silver will
7/32" copper foil tape. Take great care to make sure match the solder that will be applied later. If you
to place the glass edge in the middle of the tape. choose to use opaque glass, you can use standard
Overlap a small amount of tape at the end. copper backed foil tape. If you really wanted to go
crazy, you could use black backed foil tape with
Pinch the corners of the foil together and fold them transparent glass and then apply a black patina to the
back so they lay flat, like wrapping a gift. Use the fid solder afterward.
to smooth out, or "burnish" the foil on all sides. This

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Step 6: Tin the Copper Foil.

Apply a generous amount of flux to the foil around Soak and scrub each point in water and soap to
each point and tin it with solder. remove residual flux, oil, finger prints or dirt.

Allow your soldering iron to heat for 5 to 10 minutes. SIDE NOTE: A confession here... you can see in the
Apply a small amount of solder to the iron. Glide it second photo in this step what my work station
gently over the fluxed foil on the glass. Do this to all ACTUALLY looks like. The white background in all
sides so that the foil is completely ensconced in other steps is purely to make the photos look better.
solder.

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Step 7: Make the Hanger.

Cut a 4-inch piece of copper wire and wrap it twice hammer, anvil or hard metal surface on which to
around a thin round object. I used a 1/4-inch metal pin flatten the copper for better control. Copper is very
punch. malleable however, hammering it too thin will weaken
the wire.
Use needle nose pliers to help shape the arms of the
hanger so that they fit the tip of the top glass point. Flux the copper hanger generously and tin the entire
thing with solder.
Use a hammer to flatten the arms so each sits flat
against the sides of the triangle. Try using another

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Step 8: Build the Frame.

The frame is the base onto which all the remaining together. Do the same for the bottom and a side
points will be soldered. It consists of four glass piece. Now solder both halves of the frame together.
pieces: top, bottom, left and right.
Use the carpenters square to make two side "half
If you are using textured glass, you may want to turn frames" made of two side triangles. At this point you
like surfaces to the same side however, mixing which should have a full frame, two half frames and four
side a textured face is situated my have a very nice remaining triangles. (Along with any extra you may
effect. have cut for emergencies).

From this point on, we will use the low power SIDE NOTE: Tac soldering, like tac welding, is
soldering iron to assemble the rest of the star. You applying a small amount of solder just strong enough
can also put away the flux and cutting oil. Use the to hold two pieces of glass together. Once all pieces
carpenter's square to align the corners of the bases of are assembled, we will go back and apply more
the top piece with one of the smaller side pieces. solder to each joint to strengthen the entire structure.
Apply a small piece of solder to tac the two corners

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Step 9: Build the Sides.

Tac solder one of the half frames to the big frame so position without damaging any previous work. If you
it crosses diagonally across the big frame. Make sure need to do this, proceed slowly and make sure you
the half frame stands perpendicularly to the big frame. are not pulling foil away from the glass points. You
can always provide a small amount of heat from your
SIDE NOTE: One of the reasons we tac solder at this iron to get your solder to move just a tiny bit more.
stage is so that if the half frame and big frame are not
perfectly perpendicular, they can be gently bent into

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Step 10: The Last Points.

Finish the star by soldering on the remaining side pieces. I find it helps to put a small amount of tac solder directly
onto the base corners of the triangle points. Attach one base corner to a joint on the big frame and the other base
corner to middle of the perpendicular half base over the center of the big base. Do this for the other side as well.

Flip the whole star over like a table and repeat the last two steps.

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Step 11: Finishing Touches.

You now have all the points assembled on your star. easier to get into the small spaces inside your star.
Go back and apply more solder to each joint to
strengthen the structure. Smooth out any burrs or Apply the hanger. Since it and the edge of glass are
other imperfections of solder that may have occurred pre-tinned, all you need to do is place the hanger's
while building. arms around the point of the top triangle and apply a
small amount of heat from the soldering iron. No flux
SIDE NOTE: Having a low power soldering iron helps is required.
with the clean up step so you dont "over cook" your
soldering job. The smaller, thinner iron will also be

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Step 12: Admire Your Work.

Finish off your star with ribbon or wire from which to catchers or wedding decorations. Make some for fund
hang. The more stars you make, the better you will raising or in memory of someone special.
get at it. Experiment with different colors of glass and
sizes of triangles. Just remember that the bases of Please leave comments if you have questions or
the triangles need to be the same size, but the need help with technique. Please post a photo if you
heights can be all different sizes if you wish. make one! And PLEASE.... Have Fun and Enjoy!!

These stars make great gifts, tree ornaments, sun

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Step 13: Going Further...

I taught myself stained glass through many fantastic But nothing beats just sitting down and cutting away.
video tutorials on sites like YouTube (demonstrating Making a stained glass ... anything, out of... what ever
all the techniques described here and so much more), you have laying around is immensely valuable! Do
emailing glass artists (on sites like Etsy) with not fear mistakes. As a maker, I wear cuts and burns
questions and admiring as many works as I could get on my hands with pride. The time spent learning this
close to. There are even several great projects right art is completely worth how rewarding it can be.
here at Instructables to get you started! (Just search
"stained glass" to find them.) My father provided me Go. Make!
with my first stained glass tools and words of wisdom
from his years practicing the craft.
Wow! Awesome!!

Thank You.

How important is it to use solder with lead? Is the type without lead okay? And how dangerous is
working with lead and copper solder?
Great Question!! There is a lead free solder, which is used primarily for soldering items that are to
be worn as in jewelry, pins, skin contact etc. Lead solder is safe as long as you practice safety
when using it:
Use a fume fan when soldering, wash your hands after soldering and don't eat, drink or smoke
while soldering. Don't rub your eyes and touch your face or mouth before washing your hands.
Honestly, I work with people who have been doing leaded stained glass for decades. They do have
their blood tested once every few years for heavy metals and have never had a problem. If you
have any reservations about having that small amount of lead in a decoration, go ahead and use
lead free solder.
Keep in mind lead free solder is a bit more expensive and is a bit more challenging to use. Higher
heat is needed to control it.
I hope this doesn't sway you against picking this up as a hobby, (if you don't already solder for fun
or work).
Here is a link to a publication from Berkeley National
Laboratory on soldering safety.
http://www2.lbl.gov/ehs/ih/pdf/safeSolderingFinal....
Enjoy! I'd be happy to help with any other questions you may have if you give stained glass a try!!
I've dabbled in stained glass on and off for 20 + years, but my soldering skills have always sucked.
I LOVE WHAT YOU'VE DONE!
I'm going to brave it out and go for it!
GREAT! I realize I didn't write much about the soldering process here. As you see, you only really
need to tin the pieces. And then attach them through the "tack" method. (As a stained glass artist,
you know what that is, just dabs to keep it together.) If you need any other advise, I'd love to help. I
still do quite a bit of glass work. Good luck!! Share your work when you're done!!!
How wonderful!

Thank you! Your Reindeer Instructable is VERY well done! You should do more!

Thank you! I recently bought some copper tape for electronics, now I have another interesting use
for it!

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Cool. Just curious... what do you use the copper tape for in electronics? I do circuit design as well
and would love to find a use for it. One idea I did have was to make circuits on paper to show my
niece when she's older. Tape some LEDs down and make a simple light switch. But I'm glad you
like the glass thing too!
Making crude printed circuits on plastic, glass, or other non conductive substrates, also can be
used to make a small Faraday cage around something. Funny thing is, I bought it on spec, and
haven't used any yet, That happens a lot with me.
True Story! I did electronics as a hobby for 10 years until I picked up stained glass, mostly to get
myself trough winter. I compiled TONS of componants, materials and printouts for projects that are
just sitting there waiting for me to shift gears again. I will soon enough. I cant wait to etch my next
PCB and trace out my next circuit. But for now, I find solice in this art form; less headaches,
quicker results. I find it funny I actually use some of my elec tools for glass... my panavise holds
glass panels VERY well for soldering, and my "helping hands" help me tin copper wire (like the
copper hanger wire I used here). I would love to find a way to merge these two hobbys... like... add
LEDs to a glass window, use solder as circuit traces etc.
I've always wanted to get into stained glass. Your instructable is just awesome!

Thank you for the kind words. I certainly hope this helps you on your way!

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