The First Baptist Church in Manchester, NH asked us to restore two windows from their main entrances. These windows are special; built as complex wooden sashes with smaller inset stained glass circles and panels. They were in rough shape when we got to them, suffering from lead issues and failed previous repair attempts.
Once disassembled, it became clear that we were going to need all the tricks up our sleeves. Smaller cracks in the “1871 Panel” were repaired using traditional methods; through leads and copper foil. Other glass pieces were damaged beyond repair and required us to replicate them.
For the letters, that meant acid-etching their contour into red-flashed glass. Next we applied silver stain to create the background pattern. Lastly, we kiln-fired these and other handpainted pieces to set the stain. With a little trial and error in the process, the new pieces fit right in with their 150-year old counterparts.
It was great having these large sashes on the bench, and getting to geek out on how they were made. The interior was never painted which meant the the joinery is easily visible. We loved discovering the math and planning that went into every detail — like how the “1871” window fits perfectly within the arch of the “Baptist Church” window. Patrick matched the glazing to the wood by blending @Sarco putty with @mixolusa Universal Tints, but otherwise, the sash was in excellent condition and we left it pretty much untouched.
The installation went smoothly, as we had hoped. And the windows are already welcoming parishioners.
