Sticky Back Paper is the easiest and most accurate way
to transfer patterns to glass. By cutting around the actual
pattern piece on Sticky Back Paper, instead of tracing
with a sharpie, you never waiver from the exact size and
shape for your glass.
THE
REASONS I LIKE STICKY-BACK PAPER:
- Sticky Back gives much greater accuracy in cutting glass
- The paper gives you a slightly raised edge to score
against
- You leave the sticky paper on while you grind which
speeds grinding because you know exactly where the glass
is supposed to be
- Unlike a Sharpie, the paper doesn't rinse away while
you grind
- If your design will fit on 8.5"x11", you can
use a copier or printer to get your pattern on the Sticky-Back
Paper
- No tape or glue or spray adhesive gooey mess to deal
with
- Sticks better and less expensive than PresStick
- I don't like tracing around pattern pieces with a Sharpie!
THE METHOD IN GREAT DETAIL:
1. Tape sticky-back paper down to a table. If you need
a larger size, simply tape the Sticky-Back Paper together.
Butt the edges, don't overlap and put masking tape on
the front side entire seam.
2. Lay carbon paper over it.
3. Tape building copy of pattern over carbon paper. Trace
the design.
4. Remember to number, identify the color of glass and
indicate the "grain" on each piece before you
remove the original from the Sticky-Back Paper.
5. If you want to conserve the original pattern, lay a
piece of vellum over the original design before you start
tracing. You'll use the vellum for construction and save
your original.
6. Cut out the Sticky-Back Paper with pattern shears.
7. Position all your pattern pieces on the glass. After
you have them where you want them, peel off the backing
and stick each one down. Start cutting. You still want
to score and break the large and difficult pieces first
so that you can move pieces around if you have a bad break.
8. When you grind, grind UP TO the pattern paper. If you
ruffle the edge of the pattern paper, you're grinding
too much.
9. After you have ground, lay your pieces on the pattern
to check the fit. Leave the Sticky-Back Paper in place.
Having the pattern still on the glass will help you identify
places that still need grinding.
10. Once you are satisfied with the fit, you need to remove
the Sticky-Back Paper.
Simply soak the glass pieces in cool water for about five
minutes. I use a plastic washbasin. Put the pieces in
the water upside down with the Sticky-Back Paper under
the glass. This will keep the pattern paper from floating
away when they soak loose.
Put the large pieces in first as they take longer to soak.
Put the small pieces on top so they are easy to get out.
As you remove each piece, rub off the pattern paper and
dry the glass. Be sure to clean the grinder dust off the
edges as you dry. Write the number on the glass and lay
it on your building pattern.