Antique Window Panes; Blending in

Harman

I was trying to fix a window on a home from the early 1800's and accidentally shattered one of the panes. The panes were blown glass, with that classic curvature and whatnot. How do I find a replacement that can match properly with the other window panes?

joecaption

Good luck, that type glass has a 50/50 chance of breaking as it's being cut because of the flaws in the glass.
May want to try a real glass company and see if by chance they have some old panes laying around.

Blondesense

You can find them online, just google "vintage glass window panes".
If you're lucky you may find an architectural salvage and/or reclamation place nearby that has some.
You might also try a Habitat for Humanity Restore or something similar.

joecaption

If at all possible when you out looking have the measurement of what you need. Not hard to remove a whole pane and replace it, it's the cutting where your going to run into trouble.

sdsester

I used to do architectural salvage for a not for profit place that rescued details from structures coming down. We had as much antique glass as was practical around (we did not keep a lot of it because it tended to get broken sitting especially if out of window frames) and if we knew someone was looking we certainly made an effort to be on the lookout.

There was also a specialty glass shop that could get new glass fabricated in a similar manner to the antique window panes. They had fused colored glass and stain glass, etc.

I guess I do not share Joe's fear of cutting glass nor do I find it difficult with a nice lubricated cutter. Most people get in trouble being timid cutting glass. You have to score it uniformly, snap it cleanly and be done. You may break some starting out but I seldom do cutting it any more. Of course I more often than not had the glass shop deal with it.

Like wood, glass has a grain to it and it takes some practice to recognize it. It is actually pretty easy in antique window pain glass because bubbles in it elongate with the grain. It helps to know if you are cutting and snapping with or against the grain.

__________________

To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 10 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.

Mike in Arkansas

http://restorationwindowglass.com/
http://www.restorationglass.com/
Others available. Google restoration glass
Think your going to be suprised at the cost