Instructor Dan Blumhagen talks about soldering techniques with Sharon Music, a student in the class. Because of all the necessary electrical tools for this highly technical craft, Blumhagen hosted the class in his Lost River studio, just a couple of miles north of the cooperative barn on WV 259. Some larger examples of Blumhagen's work can be seen hanging in the studio windows over his shoulder.

The foiled pieces of cut glass, which literally means that slim, sticky pieces of copper foil have been placed around the glass edges, are placed on a pattern, also known as a cartoon, and held into place. Here Music and George Richeson are using push pins to hold the overall assembly as they begin to solder the separate pieces together.

Blumhagen points out how soldered joints should look as the group of students, including Tom Reid, and Richeson, looks on.

Here is a clearer view of the pushpins on the cartoon. In one hand Richeson holds a soldering iron, in the other is a spool of solder wire. A brush in the jar to the side was previously used to apply flux to the joints being soldered.

A soldered suncatcher can be seen in the foreground, lying on top of its pattern (or cartoon). Behind is another suncatcher that has not yet been soldered together. You can see the strips of copper foil around the edges, and the push pins that are holding the pieces in place on top of its cartoon.

Some tips on using the soldering iron are provided to workshop participant Kathy Rudich.

Music carefully applies the soldering iron to joints in her suncatcher.