 Maintaining
the value of damaged leadlights
Increasing
the value of old degraded ones |
Repairs
means fixing of localised damage -
the result of interaction with a cricket ball, say, or putting
a shoulder against a window while removing furniture. Cracked
and broken pieces of glass can be matched for colour and
texture and replaced. Bulges can be flattened out, and damaged
lead and solder joints can be replaced and repaired. Some
repairs are able to be done in situ, but most require the
panel to be removed to the workshop. If the panel faces
the weather, it is usual to fill the gap with plywood or
a sheet of plastic. The key factor in repairs is the time
involved rather than the cost of materials. They are normally
charged by the hour, including an allowance for materials.
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Restoration
is the more generalised treatment of leadlights that have become
degraded through age. Lead came lasts for approximately 80 years,
after which it becomes irreparably oxidised and must be replaced.
Signs that a panel is in need of restoration include lead that
has gone dull and powdery, a window that feels slack and rattly,
dry falling-out putty, splits in the lead and cracked solder
joints.
Re-leading a panel generally costs about the same as building
a completely new panel to a similar design. |
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in restoring a panel |
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1 |
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The
panel to be copied. |
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2 |
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A
rubbing on paper is made of the design using a scrap of lead
to trace the raised lines of the cames.
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3 |
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Going
over the rubbing with a felt-tip Sharpie marker.
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New
pieces are cut to match the pattern.
If
the glass from the original panel is to be kept, this is the
point at which the old lead is carefully cut away.
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5 |
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The pattern is numbered as each piece is cut (or as each piece
is removed from the web of old lead).
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6 |
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The numbered pieces are stacked in order. Old glass is given
a scrub and a scrape to remove the grime and old putty before
numbering and stacking, with extra markings to indicate alignment
and direction of grain and texture
if necessary.
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7 |
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Leading
up begins. Lengths of lead came are cut to size using a pair
of flush-cutting lead nippers, and horseshoe nails hold everything
in place.
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8 |
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Once
assembled, the panel is soldered front and back . . .
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9 |
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. . and the flux is washed off.
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10 |
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Putty
is pushed under the cames to stiffen and waterproof the panel
and lock the glass pieces firmly in place.
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11 |
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The
panel is scrubbed with chalk powder to remove the oily putty
residue. . .
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12 |
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. . and a horseshoe nail is run around every line to give a
crisp finish to the putty.
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13 |
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Stove-black
polish is applied and buffed with a stiff bristle brush . .
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14 |
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. . .and the finished duplicate/restored panel is ready to be
installed.
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