c/glaziers

My sister and I finished a stained glass suncatcher for mom's birthday

Ngl, seeing her pride in that little rainbow panel made the burnt fingers totally worth it.

Just realized I was wrong about tempered glass for years

I always skipped tempered glass in small windows to save cash. Figured it was just for big doors or fancy places. Then I saw a kid run into a regular pane and get hurt bad. After that, I started putting tempered in any spot where someone could bump into it. Like in a bathroom or near a play area. Now I tell new guys it's worth the extra cost. Makes me miss the old days when we didn't worry as much, but safety comes first.

PSA: Wearing back support while handling big glass panels really helps.

It cuts down on end of day soreness a lot.

My foreman started weekly safety chats, and I think it's making a difference.

Cutting corners on glass thickness for storefronts always backfires.

I keep seeing quotes where thinner glass is used to save a few bucks. It might hold up at first, but wind and impact cause cracks way too soon. How come we aren't pushing clients to invest in the right grade from the start?

My dad taught me to score glass with a steady hand, no machines.

Now everything's automated, but I miss the feel of it.

Update: My storefront job got stuck waiting for special glass

I need to tell you all about planning for long lead times on custom pieces. Last month, I had a job with oversized tempered glass for a cafe entrance. The factory said it would ship in three weeks, but it actually took over two months. This meant I had to reschedule my crew twice and deal with a very unhappy owner. Always ask for a firm delivery date in writing before you start any work. I won't make that mistake again, and you shouldn't either. It's a simple step that saves a lot of headache.

Showerthought: My daily tool once-over is paying off

I started giving my tools a quick look every morning. Noticed a loose handle on my glass cutter recently. It stopped a messy accident and kept the job smooth.

Had a wake-up call when I thought about using non-tempered glass in a shower.

It's cheaper, but if it breaks, someone could get really hurt.

Shoutout to the slow cure on that big storefront job

I mean, I used to think waiting for silicone to dry was a waste of time, idk. Last month, I had this massive storefront install, and the client wanted it done fast. I was all set to use a quick dry sealant to meet the deadline. But my usual supplier was backordered, so I had to go with the standard stuff that takes a full day to cure. I was sweating bullets, thinking we'd fall behind. Let it sit overnight, and came back the next day. The seal was rock solid, no gaps or anything. Honestly, it's holding up better than any rush job I've done. Maybe it's just me, but now I'm all for letting things take their time.

Back then, window work meant mastering putty application.

I started in this trade when putty was the go-to for sealing windows. It took patience and a steady hand to apply it right. These days, we mostly use silicone sealants that set fast and clean. I remember spending hours smoothing putty only to see it crack in the frost. Now, jobs are done in half the time with fewer callbacks. Part of me misses the artistry of the old way, but you can't argue with better results.