Ask Your Copper Foil Questions Here

Do you have copper foil questions? Are you having problems with your copper foil work? This is the place where you can ask a question about any aspect of copper foil work and I will give you an answer or help you solve the problem. It's free and it's easy to do.

Rather than answering individual questions via email, this will give everyone a chance to read about copper foil problems that others are having, and find out how to solve them. It will become a FAQ about copper foil work.

The advice I give is only my way of doing it. Please help me by contributing to the answers. This is a two way web page...you and me. You can ask a question, answer a question or do both. You can become my co-expert on these questions by submitting comments.

Of course you can still contact me if you have a question that you feel would not benefit others or needs a personal response.

Due to the volume of questions about copper foil that I am receiving, I started this page specifically for copper foil rather than lumping it in with all of the other questions I receive.

If you have questions or problems that are not about Copper Foil Work, please do not ask them on this page. You can go here for All Other Questions related to Stained Glass Work.

Important: If you do not include enough information in your question, I will not be able to answer your question. Please be as detailed as possible.

Are you having problems with your copper foil work? This is the place where you can ask a question about any aspect of copper foil work and
I will give you an answer or help you solve the problem. It's free and it's easy to do. Just fill in the form below, then click on "Submit Your Question".

Click below to see contributions from other visitors to this page...

Big Problems With Solder Pooling  I wrote you a while back about having trouble with the flow of my solder, it was pooling all over the place. I changed out the flux, the solder, even ...

Help, My Copper Foil Has Peeled Off!  My foil peels off the edge of my suncatchers, in spots when I tin them. I usually wash my pieces after I solder one side to prevent oxidation if I can'...

Solder is Pooling on a Foil Project   I just finished foiling a project and am experiencing a problem with laying down the solder. It is not flowing, but rather pooling. Meaning I have to ...

Antique Brass Patina  I cannot locate this patina...is this a copper patina that is applied differently? I am using on solder.

Secondly, what procedure do you use on lead?...

Soldering smoothly  I have been doing stained glass for a little over a year. My soldering is lacking in smoothness. I use 50/50 as my first pass and 60/40 after that. I ...

How to Clean Stained Glass Before Applying Copper Foiling  I know that I read somewhere that it is best not to clean the glass with windex before putting on the foil. What do you recommend? Thanks

Answer ...

Leaving Solder Silver On Copper Foil Project  I would like to do a copper foil project that I keep silver on the solder lines. (no patina) Does this alter your product at all? Will the finished product ...

Reinforcement for Large
Copper Foil Project.  I am constructing a large window (not to be exposed to the elements) that is 39" X 60", in copper foil. I would normally use lead came for a project like ...

Problem With Foil Lifting  After I finish soldering and wash my piece, sometimes I lift the inside edges up. What am I doing wrong?

How do I know when I need reinforcement?

Your ...

Copper Foil  Again, I love your site. One question, how do I protect the foil applied to the glass if I am not going to foil the whole project in one sitting. Also,...

Foil Trouble  Hello,

I am working on a piece that consists of 4 different clear, heavily textured glass. No matter what, I can't get the foil to stay on the glass....

Patina Problems  I don't understand how you can leave the patina on for so long{black or copper} because it stains the glass. Also I use Dawn,yes what you wash dishes with ...

Copper Patina  Prior to reading your article I applied copper to a piece I was repairing. Needless to say, the new solder looks black and the old is a copper color. Is ...

Foil Sun Catchers  What or how do you deal with the outside areas in a sun catcher? I have the foil around the edges, but when I run a "bead' solder to create an edge it ...

Beading  I have just started stained glass and having problem with the beading. How can I get it right.
Many Thanks,
Margaret

Answer:

Hi Margaret,
Thank ...

Composition of Flux   Why do you need to wear a fume mask when soldering? What is the chemical flux compositon? Why does solder bond with copper foil when using flux?

Answer ...

Not Soldering Foiled Pieces Immediately  Hi,
First, your site is fantastic. My problem deals with not soldering foiled pieces soon after they are foiled. Is there anything you have to do to ...

Using a Table Foiler  I purchased a table foiler recently. I know people that use this brand and really like it. I peeled the label of so I don't have the exact name but is ...

Foiling Inner Curves  I've been working on an angel suncatcher. The halo and the angel's face are both circular and the face fits inside the halo. I've had a lot of trouble ...

Black Patina Etc  Isn't there some sort of way of getting the solder black using the iron?

Answer
None that I ever heard of. Using the iron would continuously melt ...

Problem With Solder and Foil  I need to remove the outside solder and foil of a stain glass piece that I did....the outside foil that I solder is pulling aways from the glass.....how ...

Copper Foil Soldering Problems  When I go to solder the pieces together it gets clumpy and dirty looking and the outside edges are difficult to solder, what can I do to help this problem?...

Thank You  Thank you so very, very much for the information on using patinas!! I have been a glass artist for years and was just about to give up the whole thing ...

Wrapping Glass Nuggets With Foil  Hi Sue,
Actually, I have two questions.

I'm having trouble copper foiling nuggets. Besides nuggets being not very round, the copper foil really bunches ...

Black Patina Staining Clear Glass  Hi There.

I wonder could you help me with a problem. Having made, washed and dried two copper taped soldered stained glass windows, I applied black ...

Black Patina.  I didn't wash off the flux before I added black patina to my solder. I would like to get a nice shine on the patina but don't know how. Should I wash ...

Smooth Soldering Hints  Is it an art in itself, to make a smooth soldering line on a panel? I have made a number of panels and sun-catchers, but the soldering is very unsteady ...

Copper Foil Did Not Stick  I had completely finished a project and was cleaning it up in order to put the patina on it. I washed it in warm water, then put flux remover on. One of ...

Soldering Copper Foil  I want to know if the soldering copper foil it's dangerous. I talk about the Smoke welding. do you use some protection? I am worry about this.
I'm waiting ...

When To Use U-Channel Lead or Zinc To Frame A Piece  How big can a piece be before you have to go from using copperfoil and soldering to using lead channels to frame a piece? I want to make suncatchers and ...

Gap Between Foiled Pieces  I have a small gap between three pieces that have been cut and foiled. Can this be soldered any way, and will it hold? The gap is where three pieces meet,...

Ceiling Tiles For Copper Foiling  Hi Sue,

What brand or kind of ceiling tiles are you using for copperfoil pieces.
Thanks,
Sunny

Answer

Hi Sunny,

Hmm...that's a good ...

Patina Problems  After applying patina to a project, I have been finding patches of copper foil showing through. At first I thought I had not covered the entire piece ...

Advisibility Of Patina For Outdoor Foiled Piece   I recently met Pattie Boyd (George Harrison's first wife and inspiration for the songs "Leyla" and "Something) and offered to do one of my copper foil ...

Black Patina Turning Pewter Color  I am having trouble with my black patina not staying black....it seems to turn a pewter color and loses that wonderful black color. I live in the country ...

Oxidation Under the Foil  I have noticed oxidation under some of my foil. Because some of my pieces are clear, I can see underneath from one side or the other. At the time that ...

What Width of Foil Do I Use  I am doing a project that has small pieces of glass as well as larger pieces. Some pieces are considerably thicker than others.
Help....how does one ...

Copper Foil Cuts Fingers  I am fairly new at stained glass and have been using Venture 1 mil copper foil because it was given to me. I decided to purchase Venture 7/32 black back ...

Copper Patina With an Antique Look  I am making a piece that is 8" by 73". I want to use copper patina. The look that I want is the antique finish not the bright shiny patina. Should I ...

Edco Copper Foil  Sue, I went back over your Copper Foil Tutorial, and I went to the site you recommended, A-1, but they don't carry Edco. Can you recommend a dealer (online)...

Copper Foil Mil/Thickness  Is one copper foil mil/thickness better to use for deep curves than another weight? Does that make sense? I've been using 7/32, and I'm "graduating" to ...

Tack Soldering  My instructions for my project is to tack solder another piece of glass onto another piece of glass. What does that mean and how do I do it?

It is a ...

2nd Side Soldering Problems  Hi Sue,

Love the site, so helpfull. Thanks.

I have a problem. I make pictures around 5'x3'. When I turn them over, the copper is either black or ...

Gray Looking Patina  Hi Sue,
I need your help again.
I have a panel that was done a few years ago.
The black solder lines are looking grayish now.
Should I take a wire ...

Those Pesky Copper Foil Edges  Sue, I'm having an awful time with the outside edges of unframed pieces, particularly where pieces are joined. If they are not EXACTLY matched, the joint ...

How To Repair Copper Foil Once It Has Been Beaded  Hi Sue,

I've just finished beading my copper foil suncatcher (which looks pretty good after following your instructions!).

My problem is I have ...

Patina Stain on Glass  Hi,

I have several panels with patina stains on the glass. I thought I'd have to live with it. Then I joined Warner glass chat and asked. Someone referred ...

Foil Lifts Off Outside Edges  I have trouble with the foil lifting off of the outside edges of my projects. I thought it was because I was using too much heat. I have tried keeping ...

Locating Copper Patina Finishing
Products In Australia  Good morning,

Firstly, I love your website. I have found it to be a very helpful site. More like having a teacher in the room with you, easy to follow ...

Copper Foil Thickness  What is the most common thickness used, 1.25 mil or 1.5 mil?
Thanks Karen

Answer

Hi Karen,

1.25 mil is the most common thickness.

1.5 ...

Best Results for Copper Patina  A suggestion to achieve great Copper Patina results.

Use TSP (tri sodium phosphate) as the only cleaning agent. It is available from paint stores and ...

White Spots on Black Patina (Copper Foil)  Sue, First of all I would like to thank you for creating this web site, and taking the time to help all of us out here in learning this wonderful stained ...

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