| To ship a piece of glass, it needs to be crated. We | | | | end when marking) The cut two by four is then cut a |
| build a crate around every piece of glass which we | | | | saw blade width short so the box will keep the foam |
| ship. It needs to be a custom fit so that the glass can | | | | tight. We cut a second one for the other side.Here is |
| be adequately protected. The following pictures are of | | | | the foam "sandwich" with another piece of scrap |
| us building a crate for a 3' by 5' window. We use the | | | | foam on top of the pile to raise the top of the entire |
| same techniques when crating a smaller window.By | | | | package to the height of the two by four frame. You |
| building a custom crate for each piece of glass that | | | | can also see the two by four side piece ready to be |
| you plan to ship, you will have better success shipping | | | | put in place.Now we use a clamp to pull the two by |
| glass across country. You will find that by building a | | | | fours together on each end. We only apply a slight |
| crate in the following manner that you will be able to | | | | amount of pressure to the clamp. We want the crate |
| ship small windows using common carriers like UPS or | | | | to be tight but not so tight we damage the foam and |
| Fedex.We have the stained glass panel laid out on a | | | | drive it into the stained glass we're protecting.We cut |
| different table than the one we're going to build the | | | | and attach our connecting two by fours. Then we |
| crate on.First we lay the 1" thick rigid foam insulation on | | | | check that the top of the crate is even with the two |
| the table. This comes in pink or blue depending on the | | | | by four framework. Then we add a couple of layers |
| brand you buy.We lay the panel to be shipped on top | | | | of foam blanket to the top so that the lid of the crate |
| of the insulation and use a box knife to cut around the | | | | will apply a slight amount of pressure when it's in |
| panel. We cut right on the edge. We don't want any | | | | place.Because we have an inch of foam on the top |
| extra foam hanging beyond the window edge.Then | | | | and bottom and all around the glass inside the crate, it |
| we slide the cut line of the foam over the edge of the | | | | is safe to screw down the plywood top of the crate. |
| table and push down to break the foam. If it has a | | | | We laid the plywood on top of the framework and |
| membrane holding it together, we run a utility knife | | | | traced around it and then cut it out.Next we got some |
| along it to cut it off. We use the cut off pieces as a | | | | friends to help flip the whole assembly over.Then we |
| template to cut the second piece of foam the same | | | | laid the final piece of plywood down and screwed it in |
| size as the first.Then we take a two by four and use | | | | place.When we ship, we find that moving van lines |
| it as a pattern to cut four pieces of filler pieces of | | | | have a good system in place to haul sensitive and |
| foam.Here we have the "foam, glass, foam sandwich," | | | | delicate items, such as electronics and stained glass. |
| with some of our cut pieces laying on top.Next we | | | | They cost 3 or 4 times more than common carrier, but |
| take the long pieces and cut them to the length of the | | | | you get what you pay for.We took pictures for this |
| sign and set one on each side of the sign. Then we | | | | article that can be viewed at Gomm started building |
| stand up a two by four along the long edge and mark | | | | stained glass windows professionally back in 1983 and |
| a cut line a two by four width from the end of the | | | | has become an expert at many aspects of stained |
| sign.(We make sure that the other end of the two by | | | | glass building, design and repair. He writes a monthly |
| four is hanging out a two by four width at the other | | | | newsletter at his better stained glass website. |