You can do this either OVER any piece of glass to create extra design-lines where no colour-change is needed, or BEHIND the glass to give more subtle lines, as they'll be softened and blurred by the glass.

 NB Use black-backed foil if it's going on the rear, or the underside in plain copper may show through. Or use back-to back tape (fold it back on itself and bead one side, tin the other) and patinate the tinned side before laying it on the glass...too late later!

 FOIL......you can do this by laying unsoldered foil onto the glass and tacking it to a bead at each end, or have one end "free-floating", as the beading will make the overlay stay rigidly in place flat on the glass. But unless you're experienced and quick, your iron can heat-crack the underlying glass, so it's better to.....

 Lay a length of fresh foil-tape (or part of a sheet of copper foil) onto a small wooden board....cut the tape down to the width (but not yet the length) you want with a scalpel. Or you can have a drawing taped down if it's a complicated overlay (like butterfly-wing veins) and build the raw tape up on the paper into a pattern...press it down (bending it round corners if you want) and trim excess tape with your scalpel...leave maybe 1/4"extra length at either end of each line ....you'll see why.....

 Flux the raw tape and bead it up.....you won't need as much metal as with a wide bead, so melt a puddle and draw it along the foil until a nice consistent bead builds up. Dip your iron up-and-down (NOT side-to-side!) to smooth out any bumps.

Slide the scalpel to under the overlay to release it from the board or paper...the glue will have melted, and most of it will stay on the board/paper...that' not a problem, as you don't NEED the glue on the underside of the overlay.

 Now place the overlay in the desired position on the pattern (NB working on a light box makes it possible to have light coming through your original design AND the glass, so you can register the overly precisely)..now do you se the point of overlong "tails"?....use a pen to mark where the tails need to be trimmed....halfway across each bead they cross. Use side-snip pliers to trim the tails to size .

Replace the overlay on the beads (IN REGISTER!) and melt the first tail into the REAL bead...no need for any extra solder...it's all there already. Push the overlay flat down to stop it bowing or kinking, and melt-in each of the other tail-ends. Voila.

LEAD OVERLAYS can be done the same way...either pull the face off a H-Came (using pliers in each hand) , or buy (Glass-Gods Forgive Me) a roll of SGO-type lead strip from a craft-shop or DIY store...they're GREAT for lead-overlays .If it's a complicated pattern, again do it OFF-glass...and bloody quick too, or you'll totally melt the lead overlay as you attach it!

 Here's a panel I designed back in 1982 (based on a Mucha )....can you spot all the overlays?

The folds on the dress, the face, the fingers, the birds' wings, the brown branches, the purple flower-bunches...ALL are achieved with foil overlays, making the piece look much more complicated than it really is.....if the colour of the underlying art glass stays the same (and you don't want to change the "grain" of the glass), you can use overlays a LOT ...they are the same material (solder) as the foiled panel, so will patinate identically....Just make sure they lie nice and tightly flush over the glass they cover!

 
Click on PIX for bigger view

This process is not one that I dreamt up and I can no longer remember where I first ran into the technique. Perhaps in some readings of the ancients.

Applying foil to the curved surfaces of a nugget or glob can be very frustrating, particularly when you attempt to burnish the foil. Here is a method the speed the process. The method amounts to adding the foil. placing them in a container, shaking the container and then you are do.

Nuggets always seem to have some form of film when you receive them from your supplier. So the first step is to wash them. Use any method to clean them that suit you. Filling a container with warm water and a few drops of detergent and drop in the nuggets. Move them around in that solution and then rinse with clean water. Dry them either by placing them on a cloth or paper towel any allowing them to air dry, if you are willing to wait. When you are ready to apply the foil wipe them one at a time before you as you apply the foil.

One hint for this technique is to use foil that is no thicker than 1.5 mil. The minimum width that is usually possible is 7/32".

After the foil is wrapped completely around the nugget you can press the top and bottom overlaps of the foil down to the nugget, but you need not try to burnish is at that point.

Place the partially foiled nuggets into a container that can be closed. One of the easiest to use is a plastic margarine container with it’s lid. Any size is fine and is mostly dependent on how may you are working with. Only fill the container 1/3 to ½ full as the nuggets will need to have space to move around inside. Now shake the container for 30 to 60 seconds and there you have it open the container and the foil will be burnish and ready to be installed into you projects. If you have more to do just keep at the process, but I can’t immediately think of a design that would require the second load unless you were making several of the same item.

Through this process there may be a few minor scratches, but very difficult to even notice. Some artist have indicated that they use a paper bag, but unless you tell the grocery bagging person to use paper you may never have one around. Well maybe from the wine shop though.

This set of instructions for puttying will contain both the Traditional method as well as the method that I use. Before I begin the instructions let me first explain that there are two schools of thought about whether or not you need to clean the remaining flux from your solder joints before applying putty.
On the one hand you have those who say you must always clean with a neutralizer, in the opposing camp you have those who say you never have to clean the flux off if you are puttying.
I fall somewhere in the middle and feel that you don't have clean the flux if you are using a mild one but if you use an aggressive flux then you must neutralize it.

Traditional method
There are two methods for applying putty in this method, if you apply it using your fingers it's used as it comes from the can-firm but you must knead it in your hands to warm and soften it. It can then be rolled into a rope laid along the came and pushed firmly under the edge of the came.
The second method to apply the putty is with a brush, if you choose to use this method you must thin the putty. I use boiled linseed oil. Some will tell you to use paint thinner and others will tell you to use raw linseed oil. All can be used but raw linseed oil slows the drying time and paint thinner speeds it up.
The thinned putty is pushed under the leaves of the came using a natural China bristle brush.
After you've done this to all the came on the first side you take a putty knife, hold the front edge against the glass with it at a slight tilt from the vertical and at a 45 degree angle to the came. The knife is drawn along all the edges of the came, this serves two purposes it pushes the putty in more firmly plus it removes some of the excess. This excess putty can be returned to the can.
The next step is to use a piece of burlap which is softly rubbed using a circular motion over the whole first side; this removes more of the excess putty and some of the oil.
Next you sprinkle whiting over the whole panel and using a circular motion with a clean natural bristle brush you start cleaning the whole first side. You repeat this adding more whiting until all the excess putty and oil are removed and the came has darkened.
Vacuum all the excess whiting up wait 15 minutes and repeat all the steps on the second side.
Wait 24 hours and then using a pointed dowel or wood fid you point all the came lines on both sides to remove the putty that will have squeezed out.
Using this method you'll have to clean everything in your shop that will be covered with whiting dust and make sure to wear a mask while using it, the whiting dust will contain minute particles of lead.

My Non Traditional Clean Method
I use a plastic putty knife to apply the putty so it's a soft putty method, you mix a little boiled linseed oil into the putty.
I just put a clump of putty next to each piece of came and then start working it in with the putty knife.
After all the putty is applied I use the same knife to remove the excess as described in the prior instructions.
This is where I start to really differ from the traditional.
I sprinkle whiting lightly over the whole first side.
You then take a one ft. Square of terry cloth and gently lay it over the whiting, place both hands with fingers spread atop the cloth and gently using a circular motion work the whiting into the putty.
Once this is done wait 15 minutes and then take your pointed dowel or wood fid and run it along all the came edges.
Using a shop vacuum with a HEPA filter and using a brush attachment vacuum up all the excess whiting and putty.
Then using a clean natural bristle brush you go over the whole panel first side to clean what little whiting and putty remains.
Wait 15 minutes and repeat to the second side.
Wait 24 hours point up both sides as done in the traditional method.

Explanation
I use the second method because it's cleaner, done right and no whiting nor lead is spread from atop the work bench plus you won't breath any either. It's both cleaner and safer especially to those whose studio is located within their homes. As an added bonus I find it faster too

Ernest Nauta Stained Glass Sunnyside, N.Y. .

[Threading] Here's another aspect of threading what you call them Glastar Hand Foiler. I find it quick and pretty foolproof. I start by threading the foil and the paper cut to the same length thru the opening once they are thru I pull enough out so that I can separate the two and start the paper thru it's outgoing slot. I then I take a "twisty" (as in bread wrapping) and stick it to the foil that then allow an easy feed thru the rolled. Cut the foil on the working side of the roller and that done. I remove any foil from the "twisty" and use it again for the next time and the next time and........

[Identifying] My father was a top auto mechanic and would look at a bolt head or nut, grab the correct wrench and continue working. I never gained his valuable skill at knowing what size a wrench was needed with out several tries. That carries thru to foil. Once a roll of foil is out of he wrapper, I can never be sure what width it is later. I always take a Pilot marker and write the size inside the rim.

[More Identification] The Glastar hand Foiler has the size marked on the inside under where the copper foil will keep it covered. A very ingenious technique when the gadget is not threaded. Before I ever use one I take a scribe (knife point...ice pick...engraver or whatever) and carve the size on he exposed side. If it is difficult to read, then I run a marker across the scribe and wipe it off before it has a chance to dry. That fills in the scribed area, so you know what you are grabbing. -- dale

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CLEANING THE HAKKO 456 - a supplement by Ernie Nauta

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