air jordans The first critical thing I learned when making mosaics from stained-glass patterns is to cut the base material to the exact size of a standard ready-made open-back frame. This avoids having to pay five times the price for a custom frame. I wait for my favorite hobby store to put their ready-made open-back frames on sale for half price so I usually pay about $25 for an attractive frame, including the installation, paper backing, and hanging hardware. tracksuit My favorite size is 18-inches by 24-inches. My preferred choice of base material is plain 1/8-inch hardboard, which you can get at your favorite home improvement store. I usually get the sheets pre-cut to 2-feet by 4-feet for about $5. So, for a measly five bucks, I have enough base material for two mosaics, which is good if you’re a starving artist on a tight budget. It’s important to know that 1/4-inch is about as thick as you can go in terms of the piece fitting properly into a ready-made open-back frame. The base material is 1/8-inch thick and the stained glass is about 1/8-inch thick, which makes the finished piece about 1/4-inch thick.
Measure and then carefully and safely cut the hardboard to the exact size of the open-back frame you plan to use. Let’s assume you like the nike sb shoes 18-inch by 24-inch size. A table saw enables you to make more accurate cuts than trying to guide a circular saw by hand. If a circular saw is all you have, then it can be done, just take your time and don’t rush the cut. Here’s a tip. I found a “refurbished” Skil table saw online that cost only $80 including shipping. When it arrived, it looked and functioned like brand new. I got a fantastic $250 saw for only $80. The key is to search online for a “refurbished” unit instead of brand new. After measuring and marking the hardboard (measure twice and be accurate), ensure you align the saw blade to cut on your cut-line so the resulting piece is exactly 18-inches by 24-inches. In other words, don’t cut directly on the line because the resulting piece will be something like 17.8-inches by 23.8 inches, which may be too small to fit properly in the frame. Every ready-made frame labeled as 18-inches by 24-inches that I’ve bought has been within a hair of Ray ban Sunglasses 18-inches by 24-inches. There’s not much room for error when cutting the base material, so measure twice and align the blade properly on the cut line. If the resulting base material is within a hair of 18-inches by 24-inches, it’ll fit nicely into the ready-made open-back frame.
When your base material is cut to the perfect size, paint it white. I use bright white ceiling paint primarily because it’s a lot cheaper than standard wall paint. I usually use two coats so the dark-brown hardboard is bright white. The whiter the base material, the brighter the glass will look when you adhere it to the board. If you don’t paint the base material white, the glass will look dull and dreary against the dark-brown board.
