Those who live in glass boxes...

     Well hello, Blog, I remember you! Today I am going to tell you about making glass boxes. You can pass along the info to any humans who may happen along...

     I have a lot of pretty glass that I like to turn into things...boxes, jewelry, wind chimes...

This is some of the glass I use for stained glass projects. I think I was a magpie in my last life, because I can never pass up anything colorful and shiny! Sometimes I buy glass with  a specific project in mind, but more often, I get it just because it sparkled and the color sang to me! Small window panes, card holders, sun catchers, and boxes of every shape and size have been known to spring from this shelf...

Now this stuff...this is cool! It's for fusing. I cut it up, break it, grind it, whatever, and stack/pile it and cook it in my little kiln. I have a small Paragon kiln, with my eye on a bigger, floor model when I become rich and famous! I make mostly jewelry with this, but picture frames, small dishes, and other melted things have been known to appear...

Lately, my muse has me working on boxes. I like to make them, people have been asking for them...it all works out! Pink ones, purple ones, clear ones, square ones, long ones, boxes to hold trinkets, tarot cards, and baby teeth...The possibilities are endless!

This pretty lavender glass is for the sides of a tarot card box. I have decided that I don't like the look of corners that have heavy solder on them, so I am beveling my short edges at 45 degree angles to make the corners tighter. That does give me a slightly wider edge to wrap with the copper tape, though, so I am trying the 3/8" instead of the 1/4". So far, the 1/4" is perfect on the long sides, but short on the bevels, and the 3/8" is perfect on the bevels, but too wide on the long sides...trimming may be in order!

Here are the sides of 3 boxes taped and ready to solder together. The pink is has the 1/4" copper, and the lavender has the 3/8". The difference is noticeable.

Sides are together, all nice and square...time to cut some bottoms. I have learned not to cut the bottoms until I have the sides together...no matter how careful I am, if I just cut to pre-measured sizes, something always changes during construction. I have added a lot of glass to the scrap box that way! Now I put the sides together, then use them for a template...it's working much better!

Got the bottom glass cut, time to smooth the edges and make it fit. I love the sound of grinding glass in the morning!

Bottoms for the 3 boxes ground, taped, and ready to solder. I tin everything first (apply a thin coat of solder), then I solder them into the bottom of the side assemblies.