Stained glass kits are pre-designed windows or stained glass projects that come in a box, all ready for a craftsman to put together. All of the glass pieces that will ultimately be fitted together to form the finished project are pre-cut with the edges already ground down. They are ready to be edged with copper foil and soldered into a finished window in the pre-designed pattern. The foil and soldering materials are typically included in the kits, too.
Some stained glass kits for advanced craftsmen contain more intricate designs that incorporate a larger number of stained glass pieces and a wider variety of tools for more control over the project. These kits are available in all types of designs and skill levels for the stained glass craftsman. Until a person becomes expertly adept at the craft, stained glass kits can provide a lesson at every step of the craftsman’s study.
Kits also are available that contain only the basic tools for the craft of stained glass. These kits do not contain a designed project or even the pre-cut pieces of glass. Craftsmen who purchase those kits can exercise more creative expression, making a simple stained glass project from beginning to end. They can design the project and cut all of the glass pieces that will fit together.
Stained glass kits that use traditional lead cames instead of copper foil are also available, although lead came is no longer commonly used. Classes and instructions for using it are not always easy to find, but they do exist for purists who want to maintain the craft's origins. Kits also are available with lead-free cames so that traditional methods can be maintained without the dangers of lead.
Some stained glass kits contain only a variety of types and colors of stained glass without a pre-designed project. The glass types can be used in a project of the craftsman’s own design. These kits can help those newer to the craft become acquainted with the incredible selection of stained glass available without a huge outlay of cash. As they learn about the properties of various glass types, they will also learn which ones they will want to invest in.
Stained glass kits are the best way for a beginning craftsman to try his or her hand at the craft to see whether it is worth the time and effort to learn stained glass making more in depth. A simple kit of just a few pieces for an easy project such as a pendant is ideal for the beginner. As the craftsman becomes more skilled, stained glass kits of increasing levels of difficulty can be attempted.