Removing window putty? I need to save the glass!

[drummer_boy]

Hi, Does anyone have any tips for removing the old glass from a sash?

I have saved 2 panes so far (although a corner did snap), fortunately we can sacrifice the window as it is totally rotten!!! But, some of the panes are proving a pain to remove! (pun, definately intended).

Is there anything available which helps to breakdown the putty?

I really hope there is!?

Any tips would be very much appreciated!

Oh ps, Where can i find a suitable replacement glass?..........i had a guy over to quote for refurbishing the windows, when i mentioned i wanted to save the glass, he looked at me as if i were mad..............& said he'd just removed a load from another property! apparently the couple wanted modern glass instead because it 'made their eyes funny' when they looked out!.........can you believe it?..........at this rate these beautiful things from the past will be totally lost, i mean, you wouldnt through away a 150 year old glass vase because you found a modern one that looks the same & doesnt have any imperfections!.............sorry to rant, but i just don't understand some peoples mentality!

Anyway, Thanks in advance for any tips & suggestions!

Chris.

 

[skier-hughes]

Here you go
http://www.holkham.co.uk/linseedpaints/o_puttylamp.html

Although it appears to be under re-development, try googling for putty lamp if they don't have anything available.

Graham

 

[Lime]

I have successfully removed old hard putty and saved the glass using a heat gun.
The glass needs to be protected by a heat shield and I have found that a sheet of aluminium fitted close up to the putty works well.
As long as the aluminium fits flat to the glass it can be moved about as the putty is removed.
Keep the heat gun moving up and down the putty and on a low heat but it does need to be hot enough to soften the putty.

 

[Lime]

apparently the couple wanted modern glass instead because it 'made their eyes funny' when they looked out!??.........can you believe it?..........at this rate these beautiful things from the past will be totally lost, i mean, you wouldnt through away a 150 year old glass vase because you found a modern one that looks the same & doesnt have any imperfections!!!?.............sorry to rant, but i just don't understand some peoples mentality!?

I have about 40-50 sheets (some quite large) of georgian window glass removed from a property further up my road (they had plastic put in) stacked next to my shed.
I use it whenever we have a breakage.

 

[biffvernon]

The putty lamp really does work - I posted a picture of one recently - here it is again, being demonstrated at a SPAB technical day:

It makes an impossible job merely difficult, but very worthwhile.

Hand made mouth blown cylinder glass, made in Poland, can be obtained from http://www.tatra-glass.co.uk/ in Loughborough. Ask for 'P1'. It is amazingly clear, iron free so looks white, edge on, instead of green. The movement in the glass makes it very beautiful to look through and to look at from outside. About £80 per square metre, free delivery for large quantities over a fair part of England, mail order for a price for smaller amounts and further away. They also stock masses of stained glass.

Crown glass, however, is just not available. It seems that the skill and craftsmanship involved in producing large thin discs no longer exists (and if it did there are pretty insurmountable health and safety issues around making it the old way).

So, cylinder glass can be replaced with stuff of a similar quality to the original. Crown glass is a finite and diminishing stock.

 

[GeoffP]

Hi Drummer_boy,

Why go to all that trouble. If the woodwork is scrap, just saw through and carefully take the wood from the glass. The glass should just slide out from the putty. If the frames are rotten, you might be able to pull them apart.
I’ve done this on numerous occasions without breaking any.

Geoff

 

[biffvernon]

In my experience, any job description involving the word 'just' is more tricky than my wife imagined.

 

[bournonite]

I agree with Biff - I've used the heater he shows in the photo - think they are made in Denmark or somewhere similar arent they Biff? Anyway - brilliant - slow - just gentle heat that does not heat the glass as its infra red, but the putty gets warm enough to make it soft so you can just scrape it away...

I'll see if I can find a reference to the maker or find where you can hire one..

Euroconservation in Telford I think...

Pete

 

[biffvernon]

Albacks of Sweden make them.http://www.windowcraft.se/eng/puttylamp.htmlHolkhams supply them. I did hear recently that the current model was being upgraded and there was a delay in the re-supply. Holkhas will know. http://www.holkham.co.uk/linseedpaints/why.html

 

[drummer_boy]

Hi thanks for all the responses!

If you could tell me i can hire one from that would be great!..........i had a look on the website (the name escapes me but it was made by some swedish guy), they cost £750!!!!

hence i think hiring one might be more appropriate!?

Thanks, Chris.

 

[bournonite]

Got it...


Go to http://www.eura.co.uk


EURA Conservation. Address:. Unit H3 Halesfield 19 TELFORD Shropshire. Postcode:. TF7 4QT. Contact Name:. Robert Turner. Tel No:. 01952 - 680218 ...


They're the guys that hire them.... Ask for Russell Turner - he's the man that heads up their glass / metal window section, and the guy who showed me the thing in the first place...

If he wont hire one, he'll tell you how to get one.

Pete

 

[NT]

If you could tell me i can hire one from that would be great!..........i had a look on the website (the name escapes me but it was made by some swedish guy), they cost £750!!!!

A 1 bar fire on a 1kW dimmer, series impedance or variac would do the job. Less well a 275w heat lamp may also work, though its output wont be as well patterned.


NT

 

[dusty]

Try Strippers product called Klingstrip, I think it softens putty enough to cut out with a knife.

 

[drummer_boy]

does anyone have any reclaimed glass panes for sale???

LIME.....i did contact you a couple of times as i noticed you said you have around 40-50 panes of Georgian glass, if for some reason you didnt get those messages, perhaps you will see this?........is there any chance you can supply us with some panes for our windows? a few panes have cracked in the existing windows (which need replacing) but our new window arrives next week & i want to get cracking with the on going renovations, i'll need 12 panes for new window (the old one was a totally inferior window, modern glass & it wasn't even the right style/molding!)

Anyway, if anyone else can help me out either by supplying me with the glass direct or can you give me the details of some good reclaimation yards that will/might have some old (georgian) window panes, i would be truly grateful!?

Thanks, Chris.

 

[brian stout]

I recently visited the North Bennett St. School, nbss.org, in Boston, MA during their open house. The school offers full time professional training in several traditional disiplines from Bookbinding to Violin Making and Repair. I had the chance to talk to Robert Adam, the head of the Preservation Carpentry department about their methods, windows and floors in particular.
When it comes to stripping paint and putty from windows he suggested a steam box. Constructed of rigid foam, large enough for the window to slide in on an open mesh tray, seal it up tight and connect to a commercial steam machine for about 20 minutes. He says the paint and putty come off very easily. Better than dipping in solvent.
He does caution that if all the paint does not come off the first time to let the sash dry out for a day before steaming it again. This will prevent the wood from fuzzing up from absorbing too much moisture. If this happens a very light sanding is all that is needed. This happens all the time when dipped but can be avoided when steaming with care.
A friend of mine has a steam machine so I may be building a box this winter to try it out.

 

[worms]

I had the chance to talk to Robert Adam...

Wow! I'd love to be able to have a chat with Robert Adam!

http://www.britainexpress.com/History/robert_adam.htm