Stained glass

Kevin Buschey <kbuchey [at] peoplepc__com> writes

>I am in the process of repairing a stained glass window. ...
>guess it is from the 1920's, possibly a catalogue piece. There a
>number of broken clear pieces of glass. The pieces are framed with
>zinc channels. I am attempting to heat the old solder enough to
>liquify and break bond, so I can disassemble the frame and remove
>the broken glass. The old solder will not liquify when applying the
>soldering iron to it.

As a stained glass restorer, I would not melt the solder to
disassemble a zinc window. There is a possibility that you will
damage the zinc channel. I would first scrape the solder joint with
a knife or metal burnisher till I got to shinny metal. Then I would
use a fine kerf saw blade and a Dremel tool and cut the joints. Do
the glass repairs and when resolder the zinc. To resolder use zinc
chloride flux, 100-150 watt soldering iron  and a small amount of
60/40 solder. I some cases you don't need to add new solder at all,
simply remelt the old solder.

Victor Rothman
1468 Midland Ave #5
Bronxville, N.Y. 10708


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                  Conservation DistList Instance 19:57
                   Distributed: Sunday, May 28, 2006
                       Message Id: cdl-19-57-005
                                  ***