Saturday 16 December 2023
Work in progress
We had a call from the window restorer to say that our job was on the bench, would we like to come and see what they were doing?
Each piece of glass is numbered on a paper cartoon. Cleaned and stripped of the old lead, cement and debris the cleaned glass is then set back onto the cartoon and pieced together with new lead strips.
Once all the pieces are in place the lead is soldered.
This section of our window has been soldered and is now waiting to be put on a flat bed and blathered with dark cement. The cement will get into all the small crevices between the glass and metal. The fully refurbished glass panels will then be sandwiched between two plain glass panels. When reinstated we should have a much warmer house! (Sometime in the New Year.)
It is labour intensive. After this visit I can now appreciate the rather eyewatering cost! The firm keep the cartoons of all the work they have done. We had a look at some very impressive examples of their work. It was a really interesting afternoon.
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Beautiful (the glass that is). It's wonderful that such skills are still around. So many have disappeared.
ReplyDeleteWe are fortunate that this firm are just a short distance away from us so that we were able to visit. They are a small outfit but they work all over the country on some very impressive jobs.
DeleteHow wonderful to be able to go and see the work being done. As you say, it explains the cost.
ReplyDeleteYes, I do now feel much better about the amount we are having to pay!
DeleteFascinating process!
ReplyDeleteI am looking forward to having the windows back in place, hopefully before the weather deteriorates.
DeleteThank you for letting us have a glimpse, too! Good to know such skilled work is still in demand, and people can make a living of it.
ReplyDeleteI think this firm make a good living because there are many old dwellings, churches and the like, in need of their skills.
DeleteHow fantastic to get the opportunity to watch. And what a marvellous idea to get triple glazed windows out of the process.
ReplyDeleteI'm hoping it will make a big difference to the warmth of the house.
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