The Lead Came Technique
Constructing a window, using the lead came technique,
appears to be something that a lot of stained glass instructors do not teach anymore.
Some even admit to not knowing how to do it.
From reading the threads on various stained glass forums, I know that there are
quite a few people that want to know how to work with lead came, but don't know where
to learn. I hope that this tutorial will give you enough information to get you well
on the way to making a leaded window. When my husband and I moved to Australia, in 1980, we opened a stained glass business.
It grew rapidly to the point that we were teaching 6 to 8 classes a week. We also did
a large volume of custom work, repairs and restorations, with the vast majority being
done in lead. Our students all started out learning lead work first. There were very few windows made
with copper foil when we lived there; matter-of-fact, stained glass windows are referred
to as leadlights. Lead is the traditional way to construct a window and our students
and clients expected lead. Therefore, I have had a lot of experience working with
and teaching the lead came technique. Can't find what you're looking for? Use this search box to search the world wide web.
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Lead came was the first material used to construct stained glass windows. It is the traditional way to do stained glass. Look at church windows, stained glass windows in old homes and old buildings. They are made with lead. Lead gives them a look that says fine craftsmanship, high quality, beauty, I'm here forever. Lead is more forgiving than foil. Yes, you still need to cut accurately, but there is room for slight errors, such as a chip on the edge of the glass. Slight imperfections along the edges will not show under the lead came, so, unless you are an
absolute perfectionist, there will be less time spent at the grinder. I have never found a design that I couldn't do in lead. Lead came comes in a huge variety of sizes, giving you the ability to lead up the smallest of pieces. I wish I had pictures
of the most intricate windows we made, but unfortunately, they were left behind when we sold our business. We made many windows with very small pieces, most with birds and flowers,
all in great detail. Every single one was leaded. Look at the orchid sidelight on my home page. Every bit of it is done with lead. Actually all of the windows, in photographs, on this web site were done in lead. For those of you that aren't ready to venture out into leading tiny pieces, you can copper foil anything with many small pieces (like a flower or bird). Then you can use that foiled
object as though it were a single piece of glass, to be leaded into the window. Just remember not to bead the edges. It will need to fit into the lead came channel and the beading will
cause the piece to be too thick. You can peel the foil off of the edges, if you want, to prevent the foil from showing beyond the edges of the lead.
One word of explanation here. I very seldom use zinc and as a result have had little experience with it. When I was constructing windows for a local studio I used zinc for the
borders only because the studio owner wanted it that way. I have used it enough to know how to cut it and solder it, but beyond that I confess to not knowing much about it. Therefore, this tutorial will be all about lead even though some of the instructional photos have zinc in them. I took those pictures when I was constructing a window for that local studio. In our studio, we have constructed very large windows for restaurants, churches, etc., and
we have always used lead around the outside. To my knowledge, there have been no problems
in the 28 years we have been in business. I'm not against zinc, and many people use it. I just find lead easier to work with, to cut
and trim...and it has enough strength for any application when the window is properly
reinforced.
Working With Lead Came Lead came is not dangerous if you take sensible precautions when handling it. Here's a list of things not to do when working with lead came: And a list of thing to do when working with lead came: That's it. All sensible things to do or don't do.
1. A separate surface/board to build your window on. 3/4" plywood, homosote or
fiber board will all work. I personally like plywood because nails won't
fall out once they are hammered in.
9. Twenty 1 1/4" to 1 1/2" common nails 10. Container for scrap lead. I use a coffee can. 11. Masking tape, 1/2" wide, to tape down the cartoon. 12. Pattern 13. Glass 14. Lead Came. Since our ultimate goal is building a leaded window, when I talk
about lead I will be referring to H came. U came has many uses and it can be
used around a free hanging panel if you want a finished look to the edges.
Beyond that, more information about U came will be covered in a future tutorial
in this lead came series.
If you are going to make a window to fit a specific place, you must have exact measurements for the finished piece. First of all, determine whether the stained glass will go over the
existing window or be installed in place of the existing window. In the USA, most stained glass is installed over an existing window. In Australia we replaced the existing glass with the stained glass panel. It's up to you as to how you want to do it. Another consideration is the type of window frame you will be installing the stained glass in. Some frames will be very difficult, if not impossible to replace the glass with stained glass. If you have a wooden window frame with wood beading holding the glass in place, you could replace the glass with your leaded panel. Pull off the beading and measure top to bottom
in several places and do the same side to side. There can be a variance in width and length with wood warping, or just plain poor workmanship constructing the frame. If there is a variance, use the smallest measurement. If there is a huge difference, use a number that is half way between largest and
smallest. Once you have those measurements, subtract 1/8 inch (3mm) from the total length and the
same from the total width. This will be the finished size of your panel, including the
outside lead came. If you will be installing the lead came panel over the existing glass, measure the width
and length of the glass that is showing. Subtract 1/8 inch (3mm) from the total length
and width. That will be the size of your finished panel.
For the tutorial on preparing and setting up the cartoon, click here: Preparing and Setting Up The Cartoon For the tutorial on cutting and stretching lead, click here: Cutting and Stretching Lead For the tutorial on how to construct your leaded window, click here: Making A Leaded Window For the tutorial on how to solder your leaded window, click here: Soldering A Leaded Window For the tutorial on how to putty your leaded window, click here: Putty A Leaded Window For the tutorial on how to lead up a circle, click here: Leading Up A Circle For the tutorial on how to lead up a diamond, click here: Lead Up A Diamond 
If you have any questions or comments about lead came, please feel free to Contact me. To find everything else on this web site, go to: Web Site Index
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6. Plastic or Wood Fid (also called Lathekin) Even 1/2 of a wooden clothes pin will work.
This is what H came looks like. It looks like the letter H on it's side. The face is what
you see when you look at a leaded window. The heart gives lead it's strength. The channel
is the entire empty space on both sides of the heart, even though it is colored green on
one side only in the diagram. The channel is where the glass sits. There is no top or bottom
to lead came. Both sides are the same, so you don't have to worry about getting the right side up.
