 Angel
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Joined: 20/Oct/2004
Member: 17
Posts: 84
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Quote: On 18/Feb/2005 at 9:18:25 AM Utvolman99 wrote
I am just now really trying to collect tools to make my stained glass easier and faster. In breaking my window making down into tasks foiling takes the longest (and hurts my head the most!). I am looking for an economical foiling machine that works well.
Foiling machines (aka Table Top Foilers) are a very personal-use gadget. There are at least 3 of them that are interchangeably limited and useful. (Glastar, Inland and Diegel) and there's the Table Foiler which is mostly a horizontal version of the other 3 "vertical" models. People who love them will gush over their magic. I AM the original TOOL and GADGET Freak on glass forums so of course, I've had every single one. Hate them all...sent back 2 of them). The biggest drawback for the "machines...(though they are hardly machines...mostly just foil rollers) is their inability to foil small pieces and deep inside curves.
The only 2 methods that do EVERYTHING and with a bit of skill, do it well, are FINGERS (Jeffrey's favorite old fashioned method  ) and the Glastar Hand Foilers. I've tried everything but keep coming back to the Hand Foilers. Cheap (about $7) and easy to use with very little instruction. I like them so much, that I put a photo-illustrated method for their use on the Silicon Folly main website. You can do anything...faster and neater with the Hand foilers. I'm faster with them than any table model because you need to keep going to another method when the big foiler won't handle something. Hand Foilers will do glass the size of rice grains up to any large size needed.
Now, with this said, you will have a lot of rebuttal here from the proponents of the Table Foilers...and many bemoaning the fact that they could never get the "hang" of the Hand Foilers. Finger foilers seldom get into these discussions. It's all a matter of what works for YOU. Foiling is a tedious process. I do it while watching a TV in the glass room. Never think of foiling an entire project all at once...even if it 's ready for that. Mentally break it down in your mind into sections and concentrate on the piece in your hands without thinking too far ahead...which can be boring and tiresome. ONE PIECE at a time by whatever method you're using.
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Angel |
