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 the heat of the iron as low as possible and working as fast as possible, but it still happens. How can I cure this problem?

Answer
Hi,

Foil lifting can be a problem. Here are all of the reasons, I can think of, that might be causing it.

The more obvious ones are that you didn't clean your glass before you started foiling or you didn't burnish the foil well enough. Either one of those reasons will cause the foil to lift.

I always clean the edges of my glass with alcohol just before I apply the foil. That gets rid of any grinder dust, as well as any oil left from cutting.

Make sure you have that foil pressed down tight on the edges of the glass. If it's textured glass, use a wooden chop stick or even a pencil and roll it across the front and back of the foil. That will make sure the foil is seated down between the bumps and valleys of the texture.

Too much heat can be a problem, not because the iron is too hot, but because you hold the iron in one place too long, trying to make the solder look just right. This, in turn, will cause the foil to lift enough for flux or water to get underneath. Once you start cleaning the finished piece, the foil will not only lift, but often pull right off.

The placement of your hanging loops is another reason this could be happening. If they are not soldered on at a spot where an internal solder line meets the edge, the foil will eventually pull loose from the weight of the glass. If there are no internal lines where you want the loops, solder a wire around the perimeter of your panel. The wire will strengthen the edge of the panel and give you the freedom to solder the loops wherever you want. How to do this is covered in
Finishing The Edges. The first method on that page tells how to apply wire to the edges of your panel.

Finally, cleaning too vigorously can pull the foil loose from the edges. When you are scrubbing the finished panel, don't push against the foil from the inside out. That can pull the foil loose from the glass. Scrubbing up and down the edge, or from the outside in, will prevent this from happening.

I hope one of these reasons will help you to solve your problem,
Sue