Safety Tips to Follow When Working With Stained Glass

Creating art is an excellent way to keep your hands busy and relax your mind. Taking part in a project such as a stained glass workshop can give you a creative outlet and enliven the soul, thanks to the colorful light. Yet even as you immerse yourself in the art, it’s essential to consider your physical safety. Here are a few safety tips to keep in mind when working with stained glass.

Have a Good Light Source

The first principle of safety for stained glass making is seeing what you are working on. Besides, stained glass art calls for some level of precision, so you can’t take chances with good lighting. Natural daylight is considered the best type of lighting for creating art. The only downside about relying on natural daylight is that it varies depending on the day and time of the year. Too much light might also create glare or reflection.

To avoid these challenges with natural lighting, consider having proper lighting set up. Since you will be working on a flat surface, ensure that the lighting is directly above.

Wear Safety Gear

You will have to grind the stained glass at some point in your project. Therefore, glass bits are likely to find their way to your eye. That’s why always wearing a pair of glasses is essential when making stained glass windows safely. Ensure that the glasses you pick sit against your cheeks. Even if you have prescription glasses, you still need to wear safety glasses on top.

Additionally, you will need to wear a gas mask. That prevents you from inhaling glass dust, which can cause severe and permanent damage to your lungs. When cleaning the glass dust, always use a wet sponge to prevent the dust from going up in the air. Getting a rubber-backed carpet under your work area would also be a good idea to prevent the glass from spreading.

Have a Separate Bin for the Glass Waste

Where’s the fun without making a mess at an art workshop? However, you have to give some thought when disposing of glass waste. Ensure that you have a separate sturdy bin for the glass. If you don’t separate it, it can contaminate other recyclable materials, like cardboard and paper. Besides, glass is tough to sort when broken, so separating it makes work easier.

Have a Sturdy Table

Once again, stained glass needs precision, which can be hard to maintain if you work from a wobbly table. Ensure that your table is sturdy and level. It would be a good idea to work on a table that stands at your waist length so that you don’t strain your back.

Extract the Flux Fumes

Vaporized flux is harmful to your health. While most people just fan the fumes away when working, removing them with a ventilation system is essential. For instance, you can install a kitchen range hood above your working table so the fumes can go outside.

Never be Complacent

Even with all the above safety measures in place, it is still important to pay close attention while working. That’s how you uphold safety when making stained glass windows.

Final Thoughts

Do you want to get started in stained glass art? Learn from the experts! Create something beautiful with us by joining our classes and workshops.