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[T748]The Stained Glass Garden

by David Roth, Dav

Running a stained glass supplies studio, I get a lot of questions about
which grinder is right for my customer. I know its a larger purchase
for most of the people I work with, I always grill them with questions so
I can help guide them to the best possible grinder for their needs.
There are plenty of models to choose from so it could be a hard decision.

A grinder is used by an artist to shape glass after its been cut to its
rough size with the help of a glass cutter. Since your finished glass
piece depends on all the pieces fitting exactly together, you will not
wonder why its handy to have a tool that will make that job a lot
easier. Grinders use a diamond coated bit to grind away extra glass and prep
the edge for the copper foil. The grinder ensures smooth edges leading
to a better overall finished product. Typically, you will get 2
grinding heads with your purchase of a stained glass grinder. One is always
used for the bigger jobs and the other is used for the really fine
detailed work.

While its easier to just put off buying a stained glass grinder,I would
imagine you will see the value after a few uses. At some point every
glass artist will want to invest in a grinder. Its money well spent with
the time that they can save from doing it by hand. Choosing a grinder
has a lot to do with the budget and how you plan on using it. Its always
a good move to purchase a grinder that will last you awhile. Its a
costly initial investment, but you want to buy a grinder that will last
you. You want to make sure that the grinder can withstand the amount of
work you will be doing over the years.

There are some important things you want to consider when you buy a
grinder. Price is dependent on your budget and your expected annual use of
the grinder. RPM's measure how fast the bit turns and torque measures
how strong the resistance to stained glass. A lot of choosing the right
tools has depends on how much your plan on using it. If you are
planning on only using it a few times a year then a great option is the Wiz CG
by Inland. for someone taking their hobby a little more serious then I
would recommend The Wizard IV. And for theserious stained glass
artists, the G8 All Star by Glastar is a fantastic choice. That is what's
used by people that do stained glass full time

Hopefully a few of these pointers will help you buy the best grinder
for your needs.

The easiest and least risky way to buy glass is in a kit. You can purchase kits online: simply search for ?stained glass kits? and you'll see dozens of online suppliers. Or you can buy kits at Michael's Arts and Crafts, Ben Franklin, or your local craft store. Many smaller craft stores may not stock kits, but they will be glad to order what you want.

The kit will only include glass you need for the project; you don't have to worry about leftovers. If you're new to the hobby, start with a kit or two ? that way you won't invest in glass inventory you may find you don't need.

If you decide to buy glass in bulk, the first place to look is your local glass shop or craft shop. There are advantages and disadvantages to dealing with your local store. The advantages are clear: you can build up a business relationship with the store, you can inspect the glass before you purchase it, and you can ask questions and get advice from a knowledgeable source. The disadvantage is their selection may be limited and their prices may be higher than you can get from wholesale or discount glass companies. Of course, your local shop can order glass, but you lose the advantage of pre-inspecting the glass, and the price will probably be a little higher since the store will need to mark the glass up in order to make a profit.

If your store orders glass for you, ask if you can inspect it before you actually make the purchase. The color or texture in the catalog may not be the same as the color or texture you eventually receive.

There are a number of glass suppliers that can be found online. Simply search for ?stained glass supplies? or ?stained glass? and you'll see hundreds of possibilities. If you decide to try an online supplier, make a small purchase the first time so you can evaluate their quality, professionalism, and service. When you're comparing price with your local shop, make sure you take into account shipping charges; the raw glass may be cheaper, but when combined with shipping costs the total transaction may cost more.

Some glass manufacturers sell ?sample sets.? These are exactly what they sound like: packages with a variety of glass types and colors enclosed. Many smaller sample sets cost less than $15 or $20 at online supply stores. Typically larger craft stores like Ben Franklin carry very few glass sample sets; if they do, their selection will be limited, but if you check they may have just what you need. In general the sheets of glass are smaller than what you'd normally buy, so you're not stuck with a lot of glass you may never use. If you're new to the hobby, aren't sure what you want to make, and are interested in experimenting, a sample set can be an inexpensive way to try out different colors and techniques.

If you stay alert you may find great deals from local artisans or hobbyists. For instance, many hobbyists will sell glass if they're preparing to move ? glass is hard to pack up and move, and many people won't want to bother. You may not find an opportunity like that often, but if you do, you can usually pay twenty-five percent or less for glass compared to what you would have paid retail.

Sometimes glass shops will also sell partial sheets at a large discount. If the partial sheet is large enough for your intended use, great! (Buying partial sheets is like buying carpet remnants.) Glass shops often also have ?For Sale? bulletin boards for hobbyists to use to advertise leftover glass they want to sell ? keep an eye out for pieces you can use.

You can also find supplies and tools at yard sales ? make sure you have a wish list of tools with you and you may find exactly what you're looking for. You can also buy used tools on ?For Sale? bulletin boards at glass shops; if a local craftsperson has upgraded to a more expensive grinder, for instance, they may be more than willing to sell you their used grinder for a fraction of its original cost.

There is much more to this story than written here. Stained glass can be incredibly interesting once you learn all about it...

Article Source : Pg. 35

About Author

Both David Roth & Tim Jeffries are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.

David Roth has sinced written about articles on various topics from Ski, Gift Ideas and Computers and The Internet. About Author:Dave Roth owns and runs a successful stained glass studio outside Chicago where he sells products and has classes. He runs the site