A quick on the spot method to repair
Leaded Glass
By Andrea Daley
You do not need solder, a soldering iron, or came, and all the paraphernalia that goes with the art. No need to take the item apart. Here is all you do. Just take your drill with a cutting wheel, cut the section of the solder or came, remove the glass and clean away the excess solder or came. Position the broken glass together with scotch tape and bring to a stained glass studio. Have them match the color and duplicate the shape. The charge should be minimal, under $10.00. Return with the whole piece and position in place. Make up a snake of Plumbers Seal, two-part epoxy putty, coat over the sides simulating the thickness of the solder. You can even sculpt it to be a little uneven to resemble the solder. Make sure all the water marks are cleaned from the glass. (You really need to read the article on sculpting with Plumbers Seal to understand this process) Then, even though it is not cured, just paint it the color of the solder. It will take on the exact look of the solder or the came. It will be stronger than the original and will withstand the outside elements. It will not shrink. I told you it was easy! You now have another full time business!
For a stain glass studio to come out, disassemble a lamp, take it to their shop, in most cases they have to disturb the adjacent pieces or have to completely redo a whole side because of one broken piece. The cost could easily run $350.00 and up. Your charge is $150.00; a handsome profit is made. You just saved the Moving company $200.00. What do you think the cost would be of disassembling a church window?