Many potential clients know that they would like some kind of art glass for their home or business, for decoration or privacy or both, but are not sure which type- etched or leaded glass would work best for their application. Others have decided that they definitely want leaded and beveled glass or a design sandblasted onto glass. The client would come into our studio or we go to their home or business and show them some photos, samples and drawings to get the design process started. Then we would create a scale drawing, present it to the client and upon approval get a deposit for fabrication to begin.

Some clients have a drawing or scale artwork already worked up so we work with that or replicate it exactly as they have designed it.

Sandblasting Stone:

For sandblasted designs we order the materials needed and enlarge the scale drawing approved by the client up to full size at Kinko's. The glass is covered with the appropriate sandblasted resist- either contact paper for surface etched design, or a heavier vinyl for a carved design. The paper drawing is then glued to the resist and the design cut out by hand with an exacto knife. Then the creativity really gets going as the artist has to look at the design and decide in which sequence the pattern pieces will be peeled and sandblasted to achieve the desired effect.

 
The sandblasting process cannot be rushed as it takes great care to ensure that the detail just blasted does not get obscured by the blasting of the piece next to it. When the piece is finished, the resist remaining is carefully removed and the glass cleaned. Then it is either ready to install or it is made into an insulated glass unit and then installed. Cutting Edge Glass installs most of the pieces it produces. We have found that most people do not want to install our work because if they break it, they pay us to fix it.

For very fine letters and duplicate pieces such as awards, we have stencils made from a photo-chemically sensitive vinyl, which we then carefully layout and apply to the glass. If we have a lot of copy to sandblast, such as names for a donor wall, we have stencils cut on a computer.		 Installing Stone Piece:


We will sandblast on a customer's exisiting glass such as as in a bathroom window or a door, but it will be at the customer's risk. The advantage to this is it may save the customer some money. We have a very good track record of removing glass from existing openings, but this must be looked at in a case by case basis. Wood doors should be prefinished, and then it is simply a matter of popping the pins on the hinges and removing the door.


Installing A Leaded Window:

For leaded and beveled windows, we draw up a full size pattern, including a copy on manilla pattern paper. The pattern piece is laid on the glass, scored, and cut. The window is then assembled and all the joints are soldered. It is then cleaned and glazing putty is applied to all the lead-came to seal the glass. It is allowed to set up for a few days then the window is meticulously detailed with a dental tool to get all the putty out of the corners. Then any residue is cleaned out of the corners with a rag and sharpened chop stick, and polished with a shoe shine type brush. It is now ready for installation or it can be put inside of an insulated window.

Customers are welcome to a tour of our facility.