How do I Apply Wire Accents to Stained Glass

by Copper
(Houston, Texas)

I would like to add some wire accents to some projects. Cat's wiskers,leaf veins... I can't find any info on how to do this. I'm betting I use copper wire, but how do I make it stick ?Thanks--and my given first name is Copper

Answer

Yes, you use copper wire. Tin it, then solder one end of it to a solder line for whiskers, both ends to the leaf for a vein. You will have to design the pattern so there is a solder line wherever you want to attach the wire.

Wear gloves while you are tinning it. The wire gets very hot! Make sure you only tin it, don't bead up the solder. If you're not familiar with tinning, you flux the wire, then run your soldering iron down it, on both sides. The wire should look silver instead of copper, but there shouldn't be any measurable amount of solder on it.

You can tape the wire in place when you're ready to solder it to the project, or sometimes holding it with needle nose pliers works better.