Glass work.

Being on medical leave from work is a mixed bag. It is like having an extended vacation in that I don't have any worries about work. I can stay up as late and sleep as late as I wish. I can take a nap in the middle of the afternoon and basically do whatever the hell I want.

However, there are the restrictions. I'm not able to lift anything heavy. Basically anything that causes me to contract the abdominal muscles is a no no. So I can't do much work in the shop except on really small projects like pens and maybe a small box. I wanted to be making a Roubo workbench, but that is out for another month or two.

To help combat the boredom, I've started taking a stained glass making class at Kaleidoscope Stained Glass in Covington. It isn't a formal class with structure, rather it is an open shop time with an instructor present to guide you and answer questions. For the class we do one round window and one 10x16 window. I also hope to take the lessons from the class and make a couple clocks and cabinets with stained glass in them.

This is my first project after about three hours worth of work. It is really turning out nice and is surprisingly easy to do. I got the copper foil applied to the edges of all the pieces before class ended Tuesday. Next Tuesday I'll begin soldering it all together. I don't know how long that will take, but hopefully, I can have it completed by the end of the session.

Working with stained glass is a lot easier than I expected. I didn't know what to expect for cutting curves in glass but even breaking the glass along the scored curve isn't difficult unless it is a very small or sharp curve. With the advent of modern glass grinders, it has become even easier since breaks off the line don't need to be filed down by hand.