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Join up the two edges and turn it over and it is easy to check that top opening now for size!

Assuming no adjustments are needed - take it apart, foil then hit it with the masking tape again!

From here fit the top hardware(see below!) before tack soldering the panels so it can stand up for itself!

Having tack soldered the outside it's
time to remove the masking tape and
get busy soldering the inside seams!

After soldering the iside this looks a little untidy so moving swiftly on!

If you are fat like me then fancy wedgies
etc are a waste of money!

Solder up the outside so that the shade gets some real structural integrity.

No! It's not finished yet - by a long way!

Here's a handy trick!

Use a threaded rod or tube with a nut and approproate finial (or another nut) to mount the shade.

Part fill a large wine bottle with lead scraps or sand and add the shade!

Starting to look a little like a lamp but really this gives you free access to the bottom edge of the shade for the next stage!

This is a piece of cardboard recovered from a corn flakes box! I use it because individual templates are needed now.
Each is discarded after use!

Because the lamp is essentially scratch built there can be small variations that would make a standardised template inadvisable.

The two pictures below define the process
well enough I think!

OK! That didn't hurt a bit did it!

I would suggest that better positioning than I have shown will save glass!!!!

There will be two rows of these!

When foiled tack them at the points then fill the gaps with solder! This is something of a knack but it is good practice!

See soldering tips for some good advice (when we get to that of course!)

I enjoy this bit most of all!

Blacking makes the vulgar silver of the solder disappears and the glass leaps out in full colour!

All done!

Don't ask for a pattern will you!

I think it's pretty!

There will be more pattern free ideas soon!

If you spot any discrepancies or if anything isn't clear please let me know!

Artichoke lamp - Brian's way! So who needs a pattern???
Some people seem pretty daunted by the idea of making lamps! I hope this tutorial will help! Design wise it's a simple shade and should be well within the capacity of anyone! Soon there will be a tutorial for a more complicated design - also without a pattern!
Brian beating his same old drum! The one concession I WILL make is that I do use a template sometimes when making repetitive pieces! This is one I used for another lamp another time. It's cut from an ice cream container lid. The top opening is defined by the accumulation of that short horizontal bit! I am going to make an 11 sided shade this time so the circumference would be a little too large for the hardare I have to hand. By marking out 'taller' the opening is reduced. I could have made a new template but that would have been a waste of plastic!
		Fully marked up! I need 11 so that meant 3 off 12" pieces of glass! Don't worry about that section at the top being scrap - I have plans for that too!
Scrap? No way - these will make 12 fine angels (Brian's way!) of course! There is very little 'scrap' in stained glass!
		It's pretty already!
Masking tape is a wonderful thing - cheap too! In case you are confused this is inside up! Glass often has visibly different sides - colour, pattern or texture - so make sure your panels are all orientated the same or it will almost certainly show!
		Join up the two edges and turn it over and it is easy to check that top opening now for size!
Assuming no adjustments are needed - take it apart, foil then hit it with the masking tape again! From here fit the top hardware(see below!) before tack soldering the panels so it can stand up for itself!
		This is a handy bit of kit! Available in the UK from Tempsford Stained glass it comes in two sizes. The appropriate vase cap could be used without it but I find it is easier to make a neat soldering job with these. The vase cap just sits on top to tidy things up!
Having tack soldered the outside it's time to remove the masking tape and get busy soldering the inside seams!
		After soldering the iside this looks a little untidy so moving swiftly on!
If you are fat like me then fancy wedgies etc are a waste of money! Solder up the outside so that the shade gets some real structural integrity.
No! It's not finished yet - by a long way!

	Here's a handy trick! Use a threaded rod or tube with a nut and approproate finial (or another nut) to mount the shade. Part fill a large wine bottle with lead scraps or sand and add the shade! Starting to look a little like a lamp but really this gives you free access to the bottom edge of the shade for the next stage!
This is a piece of cardboard recovered from a corn flakes box! I use it because individual templates are needed now. Each is discarded after use! Because the lamp is essentially scratch built there can be small variations that would make a standardised template inadvisable. The two pictures below define the process well enough I think!

OK! That didn't hurt a bit did it! I would suggest that better positioning than I have shown will save glass!!!!

There will be two rows of these! When foiled tack them at the points then fill the gaps with solder! This is something of a knack but it is good practice! See soldering tips for some good advice (when we get to that of course!)
	I enjoy this bit most of all! Blacking makes the vulgar silver of the solder disappears and the glass leaps out in full colour!
All done! Don't ask for a pattern will you! I think it's pretty! There will be more pattern free ideas soon! If you spot any discrepancies or if anything isn't clear please let me know!