Get the Lead In....

Back to the skylight...or as the Georgians called them "Roof Lanterns". I kind of like that term. I found it when I was looking for the history of skylights.

I decided that I would just keep going in the direction of half timber and all the things that go with that style.

Windows? What else? Leaded. Back then the glass was made in small pieces. I decided on diamond panes.

In the first photo, you can see what I used. I found a piece of real picture frame glass the right size to work in the skylight and glued it in place. Then I dug through my stash and found my golfer's lead tape. It is self adhesive, so all I had to do was cut it into narrow strips. I used scissors, but if you are going for accuracy, I would suggest a metal ruler and a sharp Exacto knife.

I made the mock up accurately and from a good grade of foam core. I am going to use that instead of going through making a whole new one. It is going to be covered completely, so nobody is going to know it's not wood, unless they take the whole thing apart. Hush! Don't tell!

Did I say rustic? It is that. I only have the skylight sitting on the roof to show you how it is going to look. I did the actual work elsewhere. It's much easier to do the strips of leading flat.

I taped a piece of graph paper to the back of the glass for better placement. That let me line up the diamonds.

after that, I framed out the window with 1/2" scale crown molding on the interior. That kills two birds with one stone. It covers the seam between the glass and the wall and gives a finished edge all around. It happens that it is the same thickness as the foam core that I am using.

First I trimmed all of the excess lead around the window. Then I framed the exterior with 1/2" scale chair rail. Logically, these windows wouldn't open. They would however, need support. I put two vertical pieces of chair rail to divide the window into thirds.

Now I have to go back to the real world and finish the laundry and cleaning. By tomorrow, I should have the roof lantern finished.

See you then.