Blue Ridge Glass Works Tools & Supplies Shop
Glass
I purchase my glass from Anything in Stained Glass and Stained Glass Express (Bonus: $20 flat rate shipping 😉)
Facebook groups I follow:
Cutting
Toyo Thomas Grip Supercutter is my personal favorite cutter, however some people find the Pistol grip Toyo cutter to be more comfortable.
Both Toyo cutters I recommend come with a built-in cutting oil reserve for smooth cutting. I also keep an oil reservoir and paper towel handy on my cutting mat to dip and roll the cutter out every few cuts to prevent gunky buildup.
Hand tools- Running pliers and Grozing pliers for breaking glass. My newest obsession are these Bohle running pliers!
Markers- Permanent markers in black, metallic gold & silver are a must when tracing patterns.
I use Mark Stay to help the marker stay while grinding, sawing, or beveling. You can also use ChapStick to smear over the lines on the glass to help keep it on longer while grinding.
For sharp interior curves and angles, I use the Taurus 3 Ringsaw.
Common replacement parts: grommets, blades,
Start-up Kit: This Delphi start-up kit includes all of the tools and supplies you need to set up your own home studio
Grinding
I currently use the Glastar Allstar G8 Grinder, it’s more on the expensive side, but has always been reliable!
Here are some common diamond grinder bits you’ll need.
I love these Aqua Flow System brushes that snap and lock onto your grinder for continuous water flow with less clogging.
Grinding can get messy! I place my grinder in a plastic storage container sideways to help contain the mess 😊 Make sure you clean your grinder regularly to manage the glass sludge.
Foiling
Backing Color - Foil backings are available in 3 colors: silver, copper and black. Normally the color selected is determined based on the finished color of the solder you plan to use for your project. If you are going to use black patina, then black backed foil would be the best color to choose.
Sizing – Foil comes in 3/16", 7/32", 1/4", 5/16", 3/8", and 1/2". EDCO Foil is the best in my opinion! I generally use 3/16 or 7/32 for typical glass pieces. For thicker glass, 1/4 foil is useful. For special accent pieces with pressed flowers or other goodies, I may use 5/16, 3/8, or 1/2 foil!
Foiling/Burnishing tools - these traditional fids are still my favorite for burnishing my pieces! Some artists prefer these curved fids, which can also be used to open lead came channels, as well as burnish foil.
Soldering
The Weller W100 was my first soldering iron and still one of my go-to tools!
If purchasing a soldering iron without a built-in temperature control, I do recommend a rheostat soldering iron temperature controller, which can be used with any iron!
Hakko FX601 Soldering iron - this is a soldering iron I use with a built-in temperature control, which is useful when adjusting temperatures for accent pieces, soldering details, or attaching came.
3M Respirator – I use a half facepiece respirator and particulate filter that has removeable filters while soldering.
60/40 Solder - they usually come in one-pound rolls.
Copper wire – I use wire in different gauges to make all of my jump rings, handing hardware, and any decorative wire details on my glass pieces.
Came - there are a lot of options. I primarily work with copper foil and use came for framing. I’ll use 3/32 round or or U-zinc came. This can be purchased pre-stretched (on request) in 6ft strips or in 15LB spools. Lead came is intended to be stretched before use using a vise clamp.
Copper, zinc or brass came can be purchased as well.
If you are making jewelry or pieces that will be handled often, make sure you use lead-free solder.
Gel Flux is the way to go! It’s smoke free with no running mess! It works with traditional and lead-free solder.
Brushes for flux application. I buy in bulk. Sometimes I’ll clean my brushes with flux remover for reuse.
Hakko soldering tip cleaner – This wire-type cleaner is a must while soldering. I also use this tip tinner, which is perfect for tinning and cleaning your soldering top.
Extra brass wire sponges are great to buy in bulk for your Hakko cleaner and I use them for patina prep instead of steel wool. They don’t scratch the glass and requires way less clean up.
Gloves- These gloves are needed when handling flux. They provide the perfect grip for handling glass, and they are cut-resistant! I keep a separate pair just for soldering.
Cleaning & Polishing
Kwik-clean is my go-to stained glass cleaner to remove flux. You can also use it on your patina.
I use Clarity stained glass finishing compound used to polish and protect lead, brass, and copper. It waxes to a high shine and can be used to restore tarnished finishes.
Patina
Flower Pressing
Microfleur Flower Press is perfect for fast drying times, color retention, and those tricky flowers that always turn brown in books!
Design & Templates
Dragonfly Glass Eye 2000 - I use this software to design all of my stained glass pieces. It has common stained glass brands built-in, so you can give clients a clear idea of what the outcome piece will look like and can even assist with pricing. I'm able to easily resize any of my designs and print them out for my templates.
I hope my recommendations are helpful! Many of these are affiliate links at no extra cost to you that do support my business. I use all of these products in my daily work and will update my tools & supplies as I find products I love!
Blue Ridge Glass Works Tools & Supplies Shop