Designing With Glass

(Page 4 of 4)

April/May 1994
By Michelle Silver 
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Making Hinges

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Cut your brass tube using a small handsaw so that it is 7 1/2" long. Flux the tube heavily and place along the 8" side of the box top, where the foil overlap is. Solder the tube to the lid. Do not let any solder get into the ends of the brass tube. Run the iron along the underside of the tube so that it is smooth.

Now cut your brass rod into two 1 1/2" pieces, using a small handsaw. With pliers, bend each piece in the center to make a right angle. Each side of the angle should be 3/4". If the sides are too long, trim them with your metal cutter. Then flux the pieces well.

Place your lid on top of your box and then put one end of each rod into the ends of the brass tube. Tack solder onto the exposed half of the rod and onto the seams of the back sides as well.

Place the box on its side so that the new hinges are facing the ceiling and go over the rods again with solder. Hold the lid tightly as you are soldering.

Cleaning

Wash the whole box, inside and out, in the sink. Using a steel wool soap pad, scour off any black flux tarnish on the seams. Be gentler on the tinned edges (the top edge of the sides and lid). Then clean the whole box with a sponge and dishwashing detergent. Again, be careful with the lid.

Painting

Place newspaper down on your table, and set the box on top of it. Now it's pretty much up to you, although Deana suggests painting the inside of the lid for an interesting look. If you feel nervous about painting with no plan, cut a piece of paper the same size as your lid and draw a pattern on it. You can hold it on top of the lid as you are painting the other inside. If you make a mistake, just wipe the paint off with a bit of fingernail polish remover or thinner on a piece of cotton or tissue.

Final Step

Glue an 8" x 5" piece of felt onto the bottom of your box so it will not scratch the surface of a table or shelf. Or you can buy "bump-ons" at a framing store (small, clear knobs used to protect walls from picture frames). Glue one in each corner.

Editor's Note: Deana Blanchard and her husband, Chuck Young, own Selena Stained Glass in Boulder, CO.

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