I wouldn't hesitate to use your neighbor's stuff if she offers. You will need so much equipment that the investment will be a little steep. I usually buy top of the line equipment, because you do get what you pay for. It's a lot of money to invest, especially if you're not sure you're going to enjoy it. It's hard to break the equipment, so just make sure she shows you how to use it and it should be fine. Just listen to her instructions closely and never put a lot of pressure on the grinder. It doesn't take much pressure to smooth out the glass and it keeps the equipment from wearing out. So don't be in a hurry, take your time when grinding is what I'm trying to say, I guess.
You could also look into a beginner's class at a stained glass shop. They will rent the more expensive tools for a real reasonable price, so you can try before you buy. I usually take a class for each type of stain glass (solder, lead, etc.), as each type uses different tools. Our teacher also let us use different qualities of the tools so you could decide which one you wanted and you could actually feel the differences between the more expensive tools and the lower cost ones.
Be sure to show your patterns to your neighbor so she can tell you if they're going to work or not. It's not as simple as drawing a pattern and going with it. There's a lot of no-no's when building patterns. A good glasser will recognize when something won't work and she can help you fix any problems.
I'm so excited for you! I hope you love it! |