While skill will get you far, every good artist needs quality stained glass tools in order to get the job done quickly and even more effeciently. Unfortunately, with literally thousands of different products and tools on the market, its hard to figure out which one will meet your needs, your experience level, and at a cost that doesn't break your budget. Below you'll find the staples of the stained glass artisan and tools that are hard to live without.
As you probably guessed, a vital part for any artist is the glass. The absolute leader in the market is the Spectrum Glass Company. They are the favorite for a number of reasons. They have an unbelievable selection of colors and textures and are constantly adding new ones to their line. They also have an extremely large distribution to retail stores which makes finding the products extremely easy.. Spectrum Glass is also extremely easy to work with and the glass always has very high quality. That's why it's the choice for most hobbyists and professionals.
A quality stained glass grinder is something that you might want to consider as you progress with your projects. You need to consider how much you'll use it on an annual basis to figure which one is right for you. One manufacturer of quality grinders is Gryphon stained glass grinders. They are respected by serious stained glass artists.The grinder is used to shape the glass after it has been cut to a rough shape. While you can certainly get by without a grinder for awhile, depending on the number of projects that you plan on doing, it will save you a lot of time.
Any experienced glass artist can tell you, you need to get good at cutting glass. A stained glass saws is likely one of the more expensive tools you will buy for your hobby. Its something that most artisans will want to get after they start doing more and more art. Most artists typically choose to buy this after they have a good stained glass grinder, but that just varies from person to person and depends on your needs. A stained glass saw doesn't mean that it will solve all your cutting needs, but it does make certain things easier. Its great for more detailed cuts or when you need to be very precise, but you will still be breaking glass by hand by the tried and true 'score and break' method.
I should mention that you do not want to buy everything all at once, even if its at a discount stained glass supplies store. Different gadgets will make the glass art a little simpler, but I always recommend buying one at a time so you can actually spend time learning how to use it. As your ability grows, your needs will change and that will effect what kind of glass tools you will want. Its not a good idea to go out and buy everything at once, because your needs will change as time goes on and so will the tool that you want to buy Follow these tips and you won't overspend on your next trip to the stained glass supply shop.
