Construction
We offer many styles of construction, including the leaded style and copper foil. Copper foil is well suited for detailed panels and three dimensional items or layered areas of panels. We use the leaded style in the larger and more traditional projects, such a stained glass windows for homes or churches. Other materials include brass, copper and zinc. All of our construction materials come in various sizes and profiles.
Panel under construction
Partially finished panel
Kiln Fired Painting
We do our own painting as well as providing this skill for studios in Michigan, Pennsylvania, Florida and Louisiana. Our traditional and contemporary methods allow us to work in the restoration of old painted panels and to design new projects. We are experts in the color details as well as the shading.
Our studio uses many techniques of tonal painting as well as a wide variety of colors and stainers and types of paint. Our tools and equipment are of the highest quality and incorporate the latest improvements.
Pieces fired in kiln
Painting Glass
Slumping and Fusing
We employ both old and new methods in shaping and bending and in melting and uniting our glass. Our experience ranges from simple bent lamps to three dimensional window elements.
Beveling and Engraving
Beveling, which has enjoyed a revival in the past twenty years, is one of our most cherished skills. We have been producing bevels for sixteen years. We take great pride that our department began under the guidance of Vincent Fox of Purdue University who is recognized as one of the foremost authorities in this field.
Our skilled artisans, trained in the latest techniques and using the most modern machinery, have been able to provide cost efficient ways to produce high quality beveled glass. Roughing, smoothing, and wheeling are carried out under the highest standards.
Our engravers can design many patterns and figures. Using either the diamond or copper wheel techniques, they create some of the most highly prized works from our studios.
We are very proud of our beveling department which we have made into one of the finest in the state, in not in the Midwest region.
Beveling involves a progressive series of finer grinding and polishing of the glass. It's all done by hand:
Roughing Wheel
Smoothing Wheel
Diamond Wheel
Cork Wheel
Felt Wheel
Etching
We have been etching glass for twenty years which makes our staff well prepared in one of the most popular fields of stained glass products.
Our studio employs the abrasive and acid etching techniques. Our methods are both from a surface and shaded manner to a deep relief carved style. We can produce bold and subtle contrasts by this surface erosion of glass.
Acid etching, which offers many types of shading, contrasts and textures, is one of our specialities. Our patient and highly trained staff uses a variety of glasses under the most rigid safety standards.
We combine our design and etching expertise to create truly realistic and dimensional projects of all types.