Gomm Studios   (385) 392-7989
Gomm Stained Glass
  • Home
    • Fun Quiz Page
  • Projects
  • Classes
    • Learn More About Studio Classes
  • STORE
    • Art 4 Sale
    • Amazon Shop >
      • Store-Books
      • Store-Videos
      • Store-MiscProductsWeUse
      • Store-VideoandAudio
      • Store-StainedGlassSupplies
    • Etsy
    • Tips Articles >
      • Fixing Windows >
        • Repairing Severe Damage
        • Repairing A Broken Piece Of Glass
        • Fixing A Small Break In A Big Piece Of Glass
        • Faking A Repair
        • Doing A MAJOR Repair
        • How To Repair A Leaded Panel
        • How To Repair Stained Glass That Has Separated
        • How To Rebuild A Leaded Glass Window W/ Copper Foil
        • How To Repair A Moderately Broken Art Glass Panel
        • How To Repair An Insulated Stained Glass Window
        • Changing the Border Glass In a Leaded Panel
        • Repairing A Stained Glass Panel For An Artist
        • Repair Using A Dremel Tool
        • Quick(er) Lead Repair
      • Tricks Of The Trade >
        • Insulating Glass So It Can Be Hung In A Door
        • Moving And Handling Glass
        • Cutting Diamonds On Very Rough Glass
        • How To Add Coining To A Panel For A Very "French" Look
        • How To Shorten A Stained Glass Panel
        • How To Trim And Cut A Stained Glass Panel That's Too Long
        • How To Build A Jig To Help Cut Bevels
        • How To Cut Stained Glass Without A Pattern
      • Reinforcing and Framing Glass >
        • Reinforcing A Large Panel
        • How To Aggressively Reinforce A Window
        • Soldering A Zinc Edge On A Panel
        • How To Solder A Reinforcing Edge On A Curved Panel
        • How To Put Metal Around An Octagon Shaped Panel
        • Building A Frame For Stained Glass Shutters
      • Shipping Stained Glass >
        • How To Ship Big Stained Glass Panels
        • How To Build A Solid Shipping Crate
        • How We Crate Same Size Multiples of Glass
        • How To Build A "Double Foam" Crate
        • Loading Glass On A Trailer
      • Lighting Projects >
        • Installing Art Glass In A Pool Table Lamp
        • How To Build A Panel For A Backlit Space
        • How To Reinforce A Stained Glass Skylight
        • Creating A False Skylight
        • Building A Four Sided Lamp
        • Repair A Cheap Lamp Shade
        • Building A Stained Glass Lamp With A Worden Mold
      • Installing Stained Glass >
        • How To Install Stained Glass in an Existing Window Frame
        • How To Install Stained Glass In A Cabinet Door
        • How To Hang A Stained Glass Window
        • How We Install A Panel In An Arched Window Opening
        • What Ttype Of Caulk To Use
      • Sandblasting Stained Glass >
        • How To Sandblast Stained Glass
        • How We Sand Carve A Stained Glass Transom
        • Setting Up A Sandblast System
        • How To Sand Carve A Rose In Glass
      • Organizing Your Studio >
        • Build Your Own Work Bench
        • Chemicals We Use In Our Studio
        • Getting A New Glass Order
        • Build Your Own Stained Glass Rack
        • Converting To A Lead Free Studio
      • Bring New Life To Windows >
        • Removing Corrosion From Stained Glass
        • Re-Apply Patina To Stained Glass
        • How To Clean A Really Dirty Window
        • Clean And Apply Patina To Stained Glass
        • Cleaning And Adding Patina To A New Stained Glass Panel (revisited)
        • Easily Clean Corrosion Off Of Stained Glass
      • Unusual Projects >
        • Building A Stained Glass Globe
        • The Painted Leaf Project
        • How To Paint A Face On Stained Glass
        • Fusing A Stained Glass Necklace
        • Building A Stained Glass Picture Frame
        • Building A Stained Glass Jewelry Box
        • Make Stained Glass Charms
        • Repairing A Stained Glass Angel By Making Our Own Glass
      • Soldering Techniques >
        • Fix or Reinforce Glass With A Solder Bridge
        • How To Solder For A Stained Glass Repair
        • Reclaiming Old Flux Core Solder For Use In Stained Glass
        • Soldering Technique-Fixing A Foil Problem
      • Basic Skills >
        • How To Cut Stained Glass
        • How To Cut Stained Glass with a T-square Cutter
        • How To Cut A Tight Curve In Stained Glass
        • Cutting Very Thin, Irregular Stained Glass Pieces
        • Cut Glass Using A Straight Edge
      • Advanced Craftsmanship Skills >
        • Cut Glass Using A Taurus Ring Saw
        • Drill Holes In Stained Glass With Diamond Drillbit
        • Drill Holes In Stained Glass With A Grinder
      • Business Tips >
        • Marketing Stained Glass
        • Helping Your Stained Glass Business (And Yourself) Survive With Style
        • Mistakes Happen To Us All (And Then We Fix Them)
        • Converting To A Lead Free Studio
    • Training Videos & Books >
      • Gomm Studios Portfolio 1
      • Stained Glass Mandalas For Meditation
      • Stained Glass Mandalas For Success
      • Beginning Stained Glass
      • Stars, Stars and More Stars
      • How To Install Stained Glass
      • Stained Glass Picture Frame
      • Stained Glass Jewelry Box
      • Stained Glass Kaleidoscope
      • Stained Glass Charms
      • Stained Glass Projects For The Whole Family
      • Stained Glass Fan Lamps and Night Lights >
        • Fan Lamp Class Extras
      • Stained Glass Seasonal Quilt Blocks
      • Stained Glass Desk Sets
      • Stained Glass Stars
      • "Blinders" David's SF Novel
    • Videos
    • Patterns
    • Greeting Cards
  • About Us
    • Instagram
    • Shows And Galleries
    • History Of Our Studio
    • Articles About Us
    • Links
    • Contact Us
  • Patreon
  • 5 Ways To Thrive
Picture

Glass Tips & Tricks 

Newsletters from our past converted to fresh articles about stained glass.
Picture

How To Repair An Insulated Stained Glass Window

​need a video of article

Picture
Here's the finished window we delivered. The clients didn't care for some of the colors that they had chosen. We just can't let someone have a piece of glass that they don't love!

Picture
They had sent us a picture of a window. They wanted us to design a window that would be similar (identical). The wife picked out and approved the colors. The husband was more particular..why didn't he pick out the colors?

Picture
To repair an insulated unit, you've first got to cut the butyl rubber gasket on both sides of the art glass. Start with a very sharp utility knife. I like to pull against the strip on the work bench. It takes a great deal of effort to split the rubber. But once both sides are split the unit will open like a book.       

Picture
The only piece to be repaired that intersected an edge of the panel was an orange piece of glass. To peel the rubber away, the utility knife was effective. First I peeled back the top piece of rubber, using care so that it would be intact later when I put it back. 


 I also cut and peeled back the bottom piece and the piece that was left on the edge of the glass.

Picture
The three strips of rubber were peeled back so they wouldn't be in the way.

Picture
Then I scored the glass to be removed many times and began tapping underneath to remove pieces.

Picture
Then I used pliers to remove most of the glass. At this step, one should use care not to damage the foil. It's time well spent because repairing the old foil is tedious and more difficult than keeping the old foil intact.

Picture
Then a hot iron is used to melt away the solder holding the glass in place.

Picture
With pliers, I hold the foil to be removed, and slide the iron carefully between the foil that held the broken out piece and the pieces that are to remain.

Picture
Then the new glass is cut out.

Picture
And the glass is ground to fit.

Picture
Then the new piece is fit to the opening and trimmed just a bit till it fits perfectly.

Picture
And the foiled glass is tacked in place.

Picture
Once the soldered piece is complete, the rubber strips are eased into place.

Picture
After the first leaf is replaced, I moved to the next cluster of pieces to be replaced. I felt it important to replace one section at a time so that the window wasn't weakened too much.

Picture
The pieces were removed just as those before.

Picture
A small piece of glass was laid under the replacement pieces to boost them up to the proper height while they were soldered (you can see it peeking out under the brown leaf).

Picture
When all the pieces were replaced, and soldered in, the window was flipped over and soldered on the back.

Picture
Jeanne scrubbed the window with CJ's flux and patina remover, then patina'd the lead lines as they had been before the repairs were made. Then she polished and polished to remove every smudge.


Picture
Meanwhile, I polished the inside surface of each of the pieces of tempered glass.

Picture
Once it was all clean, I was able to place the tempered glass onto the art glass.

Picture
I had to reseal the rubber gasket using butyl rubber from a tube.

Picture
Here's the finished panel, much the same as when we started, just some different colors. "Bad Photo!" sorry
Picture
Lily Havey, one of our favorite retired stained glass artists, wrote with a concern after this article was published: "I was under the impression that once you broke the seal on an insulated panel all the dead air space was replaced by air so that it became useless as insulation. " 


My Answer: That's true, and then you stick it back together and you have dead air space again. The butyl rubber stays quite sticky and if you replace the glass very soon, the rubber that's left on the art glass bonds back together with that on the tempered glass. If it's no longer sticky, you can add a thin film of bonding agent available at Home remodeling centers in the roofing department. We use "Henry 209 Elastomastic" because it bonds with butyl and it's black like the rubber. I've been told that silicone shouldn't be used because it tries to dissolve butyl rubber.

They used to put Argon in between windows but found that over time (5 years) the air gasses migrate through the molecules of the glass so the slight insulative advantage of argon is lost and isn't worth the extra expense.  


Home

​
Stained Glass Books
​

Stained Glass Videos

​Links Page

Stained Glass
Art Therapy

​Studio Classes

OnLine Classes

​Portfolio

​Etsy Patterns

​UCAB Sourcebook

Build Your Own Table

Tips & Articles

Patterns

​Contact Us

Art For Sale

​Free Videos

Creativity Quotes​

Date Night
​
​
History Of Our Studio

​Articles About Us

​Shows And Galleries

​Join Our Email List

5 Ways To Thrive
​​

Copyright © 2016-2017