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Karal Studio's Stained glass Tutorials

Tutorial 4
Cutting curved lines

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Tutorial Intro.

Design
Flat panel
3 Dimensional

Cutting
Straight lines
Curved lines

Foiling

Soldering

Finishing

Overview

To cut curved lines you'll need to learn a few techniques and know which to use for what circumstance.
Convex curves will not give you any trouble, it's the concave ones you need to be mindful of.
Thin shapes are also a wee difficult, however the right tricks deal with them too, a?! The main thing to keep in mind is that cutting curves is not a race, rather you do it mindfully / slowly than to rush it and fail several times. After all, the glass is expensive, and wasting it on failed cuts is not the go.....

Concave curves

These are the ones that take skill. A little thought as to how to achieve a specific cut will make all the difference between success and failure. Having a design that is doable also helps. If you have made your own design, you have total control with every shape, but going with somebody elses design can be a bad move. Rather you critique a design before making a commitment to cutting it, yes?

Take a look at the following illustration and ponder why I have classed them as dificult, painful or immposible....

If a concave curve is going to break incorrectly, it always breaks towards the shape you are trying to cut out. DOH!! Therefore, I suggest you always tackle the hardest curve first. Your chances are good that if you can cut the hardest curve first, you'll be successfully with the rest.

OK, watch the following You tube video and all will be shown there. Good luck and lots of practice will have you cutting curves like a pro..... :-)

Youtube Video Episode 6
Cutting curves

Youtube Video Episode 11
Cutting compound and complex curves

Next tutorial Foiling the glass pieces.

www.karalstudio.com/glass/stained-glass-tutorials/cutting-curved-lines.html