How To Make A Tinned Picture Frame

How To Make A Tinned Picture Frame

You will learn to frame anything two-dimensional using inexpensive materials and a soldering iron!

You Will Need

• 2 Pieces bevelled glass, large enough to contain your artwork or dried flowers
• 1/2 inch copper foil (black self adhesive backing)
• Artwork or dried flowers for framing
• Copper wire
• Burnishing tool
• Soldering iron
• Flux
• Solder
• Flux and patina residue remover
• Patina (optional)

---

Step 1:

Encase your artwork/object

Sandwich your artwork or dried flowers between two pieces of bevelled glass.
Wrap the edges of the glass with 1/2" copper foil tape (the kind used for stained glass)

---

Step 2:

Make a hook

Snip off about 1-1/2" of thin copper wire. Twist into a loop and tape the two ends to the top of your frame using the copper foil tape.

---

Step 3:

Burnish the Foil

Use a pencil or the end of a painbrush to rub the tape onto the glass so it is well adhered and any bubbles are removed.

---

Step 4:

Tinning the frame

Heat your soldering iron.
Cover all of the copper foil with flux.
Use the soldering iron to melt solder onto the copper foil. Use the iron to spread the melted solder so the frame is evenly covered.

---

Step 5:

Clean the frame

Use flux and patina residue remover to clean up any flux still on the glass.

---

Step 6:

Add Patina

You can leave the frame to age and turn dark, or you can add some copper patina.
Pour the patina into a glass container - do not dip your brush into the bottle of patina or you will contaminate it.
Paint on the patina.

---

Step 7:

Final cleaning

Once it's dry use the flux and patina residue remover to clean up any residue.
Then use a glass cleaner to finish off your piece.