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Remove most of the pins, apply flux sparingly. With a hot
soldering iron flatten out the solder tacks and tin all the exposed
copper foil with a flat seam.
DO NOT attempt to fill and build [bead up] seams on the form.
The lamp does not have to be level to tin and make flat seams.
Burnish with a damp cloth to cool and clean.
Tinning: Apply a thin coat of solder over the foil
Tinning of the exposed copper foil will stiffen the FullForm™
lamp or a section of a SectionalForm™ lamp enabling you
to lift them off the form. Tinning also makes it easier to build
up well rounded seams later on. It is also prevents the copper
foil from oxidizing before you have completed all the sections
of SectionalForms™. Be sure and burnish with wet cloth
to clean the outside.
Tip: If you are making a FullForm™ shade that
turns in at the bottom you must remove the shade in two parts.
We suggest separating C16 and CF18 shades as illustrated. Mark
and carefully remove the upper and lower parts of a C16 lamp
shade from the form. Then attach the rigid glass ring to the
bottom of the shade.
Divide lamp at line - Lower portion or lamp soldered together
to form a ring |
Two sides of lamp (glass parts) soldered together forming two
rigid sections |
Sectional construction only
Carefully remove, clean, and store the first tinned glass section.
After cleaning each tinned glass section, store them by cradling
them in styrofoam peanuts or a similar material until all are
completed. Resist the temptation to handle them.
Attach Glass Sections Together
Sectional Construction Only - Do not miss this step -
it is great time saver. Install temporary adjustable assembly
loops. Assembly loops allow the positioning of the glass sections
before they are permanently soldered together. Cut pieces of
wire solder about 2" long (the same solder used for seams)
and bend to form loops.
2" long solder loop |
Loops span the seam between glass sections |
Adjusting loops holding a 6-repeat glass section lamp prior to
soldering together |
Solder the ends of each loop to an outside horizontal seam
so the solder loop will span between glass sections and temporarily
hold them together. Place the loops at the bottom, at the top
and about three or four inches apart in the middle. Before soldering
the glass sections together, gently bend the wire solder loops
using your fingers or pliers to MOVE THE GLASS SECTIONS UP AND
DOWN, IN AND OUT, AND TOGETHER FOR A PERFECT FIT. Check for OVERALL
ROUNDNESS of the lamp to be sure there has been no flattening
of the glass sections. It is important to keep the bottom level.
Any unevenness of the bottom is very noticeable. The FIRST AREA
soldered permanently together should be at seam intersections.
Continue to solder by placing two or three small mounds of molten
solder at seam intersections near the top, bottom, and center.
Don't try to make rounded seams at this time. Snip or melt off
the wire solder loops.
Assembly loops also work well in the assembly of free form projects
other than lamps.
Fill in Bridging Parts
Sectional Construction Only - Follow this step only if your lamp
shade has bridging glass pieces. Before cutting out the bridging
pieces, test for fit. Some pattern adjustment may be necessary.
Do one piece at a time to insure that they fit snugly. Foil wrap,
solder and make a flat seam. Clean by rubbing with a wet cloth
or sponge.
Lamp shades made on FullForms™ and SectionalForms™
are now at the same point of construction. You have reached the
fun part of lamp making and can actually see how the finished
shade is going to look.
Before and After bridging parts installed
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