Display some killer Halloween artwork you've found or created yourself.
#80140
This is what I used to do before getting into this pumpkin thang.
Years ago (like 25) I owned a stained glass shop, this was up in my attic, and I took a photo of it today for a post on my forum.
I only have a few pieces left, and my entire portfolio and about $3,000 in tools were stolen in the car that got Stolen. :oops:
That was LONG ago. but this was my very first Piece and why I held on to it.

I'm still very proud of it, because, in the class I took, everyone else was making these little sun-catchers,
those small stained glass things that hang in the window with a suction cup and hook. Butterflies, grapes.

This is what I tackled fist time out.

Image
#80142
That is gorgeous. Simply stunning work Stoney!! Did you get paid for commissions? This seems like something else you would've made a living off of.
#80143
Wow that's amazing! Do you tackle everything that rates " extreme" on the difficulty scale? It's a very beautiful piece and to think that you did that as a beginner! 8)
#80145
Well I'm not ashamed to admit it, the glass shop didn't last very long about 3 years.
I could do the Grand work (even Beveled windows) church windows etc..., I just didn't have the pocket for the right location.
was a small store front.

Stained glass is really for the upper class, or the artsy folks. If I were able to afford a location in an art district, it would have been a success.
Now days there's plastic knock offs... or window Clings.

But yea, I made mirrors, Lamp shades - Like Tiffany. with Dragon flies. and 100's of different sun-catchers.

this is not my Image, But I made 100's of these things and they sold like hot-cakes
It's just a little lead statue, and you make the wings out of the glass.

If your not Familiar with this type of stained glass, it's known as foiled. and how lampshades are made.
each and every piece of glass is wrapped in copper foil tape, you them place these side by side, on top of your secondary pattern
(the first pattern was for cutting the glass) you then put flux on all the copper, then Solder, the lines in.
Lastly you add a Patina chemical, that changes the Silver solder to Brass, Black, Green etc...

Image

I still have Boxes of UN-opened supplies soldering Irons, cutters etc...
I should spend a day or two and ebay it all, it's just sitting in the basement.
#80172
I just thought of something Funny,

Even with the stained glass, I had to deal with those dreadful black shadow lines. :lol:

But in that case, I added those lines - It's Steel Thick rods, that hold the weight of the glass.
without them, in time the glass would sag, (well not the glass itself) the solder.

The Solder used is a 60/40 mix of Tin and Lead. the lead is a very soft but heavy metal.
And Glass is also heavy. The piece above weighs about 50 to 75 lbs.

So the next time your in a church, and if the windows are LARGE, you will see support rods.
Many place them in the Front, But I would rather it cast a shadow, than actually see the the rods.
#80189
That was an AMAZING first piece, St0ney. Beautiful. I made a couple of very small pieces, years back, but not nearly of your standard. I worked on them in a garage. I was just starting to get the knack of it, sort of, when I had to move to a house with no spare room or garage to work in. I was worried about the tiny shards of glass getting into my cat's paws. I still have quite a lot of glass, so you've made me wish I could have another go.

Let us know if you decide to do more. I'd love to see them if you do.
#80242
GeordieKin wrote:I was worried about the tiny shards of glass getting into my cat's paws.

If you worked with stained glass you know, those shards also go in the persons hands - LOL
I've gotten cut so many times, I literally stopped feeling it, I would be working on the glass, and notice blood dripping from my hand.
Band aids stock went up those three years...

I don't know if I would take it up again or not,

But if you find away, and do get back into it, Hit me up first, I'll hook you up with some supplies dirt cheap.
I have (6) Brand new Glass grinders still in the boxes, Plus many many other things.. I mentioned that little butterfly lady (just for example),
I think I still have at least a dozen of the little statues.
#80259
wow that is an Awesome piece of art. I have though of taking a class in stained glass but it was too expensive. So many things you can do with it. I also have no room to do that sort of thing.
#80283
nosferatu wrote:Wow that's amazing! Do you tackle everything that rates " extreme" on the difficulty scale? It's a very beautiful piece and to think that you did that as a beginner! 8)
Ya Know Nos, you do have me pegged, I really don't know what it is, but I always go large/Big. and most times Overboard...
And I'm just not afraid to try something, ,, I do a lot of reading first. to make sure I fully understand what I'm getting myself into.

Here was another one of my Extreme Projects,

I wanted a KOI Pond, and I built one Brick by Brick. I made this whole entire thing myself.
The pond is actually cider-block re-enforced with rebar, and concrete. I added the Stone Veneer when the walls were completed.
It took two years, over the weekends. It's a little mis-leading from the photo, this thing is 6 foot deep, 3 below and 3 above ground.

I built the shed behind it, It's was from scratch not a kit, and it's really my pump house with storage. also goes 3 foot below ground.
So when you open the doors you walk down 3 steps.

The Filter's and bottom drains are gravity feed, so the top of the filters, has to level with the top of the waterline in the pond.
I also built the pergola on top also from scratch

Image

Plus a waterfall in the center of the back 7 foot wall.
The waterfall although pretty it air rates the water for the fish, adding Oxygen, there is also two side jets to do the same thing.
and a skimmer for stuff that falls into the pond (leaves etc..)

Image

And my Fish

Image
#80290
:shock: ....... :shock: :shock: ......... :shock: :shock: :shock:

.........Words cannot explain your prowess. However I'll try some superlatives.

This is just gorgeous. The fact that someone would do this is amazing in of itself. Your picture wasn't misleading (at least to me). It looks like what you have said. The height wasn't easy, but not hard either (for a cabinet maker anyway) to guess. When I looked at it before I saw the dimensions it was, I thought 5' high, so I wasn't far off.

I'm just in awe. Like I said it's hard to explain how amazing that is to look at. I'm pretty sure I'd be out there all day.
#80318
Thanks Sonic: I also have great respect for the woodworkers / cabinet makers we'll all Craftsmen (and Craftswomen).

I said misleading, because of the hidden under ground work. Like the back wall, I forget how high it actually is from the ground to the top is over 5 foot closer to 6 foot,
But there's another 3' of wall below ground. So it's really a 9 foot wall - LOL

I guess the point I want to make with these post, is it's okay to try something NEW, that you never did before.
YES of course I'm proud of the pond also, Ya know before doing that project, I never laid brick (or messed with Mortar or concrete),
I got a mason book at the library, and read up.

By going OVERBOARD, I'm not just saying Size, Because I never did this type of work before, I tended to reenforce everything, Probably much more than was actually needed.

Inside the pond, before I placed the liner in, I have 1/4" Steel Angle Irons in the Corners, Were they needed? Probably not, But I was afraid, that the weight of the water could be an Issue, And push the walls out.... Sometimes Lack of experience and Job Knowledge, cost more and leads to more work. But I can guarantee this Pond will last longer than my house. One would need a Bulldozer to knock it Down. Also I'm Very Glad my Wife is not into Pumpkin Carving For she wont read this. But this whole project cost around 30 thousand dollars - LOL All because I like to look at Fishies. - LMAO Also This is very surprising (to me at least), but the Pump I'm using for the waterfall and jets, is still the originally Pump, and it's been running every minute of the day for about 10 or 11 years...
#80411
I once built a pond but it would have looked like a plastic cup of water next to that! That looks simply stunning. You sir are a Master Craftsman. End of. It looks beautiful. I'd spend hours sat there.