more on LEADED GLASS

A new reader spent a lot of time googling the world for us to find out about leaded glass repair.

Thank you!



We have had one lead on the lead (pun intended) in the comments section of the Original post about the damaged window

I've also included some of the leaded glass windows I've spotted around Vintage Vegas. I love them best when the sun is on them and the reflections are prismically distorted.

Kristie wrote:
Dear Jack, re: fixing the window of damaged leaded glass....
I googled in France and found lots of info. Basically sounds like you have to take it down fix it and put it back up.
These pictures below show (and the article details how) French artisans make stained glass today...your window is the same thing, basically, with diamond shaped glass and no paint.
The article below it shows how they (the Depart of Historical Monuments) did it to save thirteenth century windows in the Reims Cathedral after they were partially destroyed by German machine guns in the first world war (...much worse than evil tenants). They basically just (just) took the window out from the opening (in this case the stone of the cathedral) piece by piece and reassembled the design on the ground. It was then transported sandwiched in between sturdy material (like sheets of wood) to workshops where as much was saved as possible and what had been destroyed was recreated. It took over a year while the Germans were still bombing.... this I am saying only to make you feel better in the face of the Vegas window project......
Of course the technique varies also depending on the degree of finesse and detail desired... artisans there use the same techniques today as they did then.....
(author’s footnote) Don’t miss seeing the cathedral of Reims when in France (a short trip south of Paris)...it puts the cathedral of Notre Dame (or any other for that matter, to shame in the stained glass dept.)
But I’m getting off subject....there are a lot more detailed explanations if you are interested.....
...(sometime later...)
After reading a couple of blogs on the subject (one person was trying to fix a window in an old church that was damaged by a hail storm and another person their front door)... they all are of the opinion that you should take it down and work on it on a flat surface...
Below (here I translate) is what you can do if the lead is still in good shape: let the pane soak in acetone...if that isn’t enough you will have to add ethyle acetate to the acetone bath and step back....further...
This is very volatile combination as well as noxious so do this in a well ventilated area...better yet...outside....once it softens the lead joints, you can VERY gently press it flat between or against sheets of plywood. When it has set...you can replace it in the window...(if you haven’t blown up the neighborhood, poisoned your self or broken the glass...)
Good Luck.....







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