Sealing leaded glass frame

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slownsteady

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We have a china hutch that has leaded glass panels in the doors. Basically just like stained glass, the solder between the panes appears to be shedding dust. And since this is where some of our glasses and plates live, we don't want this dust anywhere around them. What can we use to seal the solder? Some kind of clear acrylic or polyurethane??
 
Linseed oil and plaster of parris is what we used to seal stained glass edges. Im sure that is what is dried out, and easily repaired.
 
Please post a picture of what your dealing with.
No clue what plaster of Paris or Linseed oil has to do with a stained glass window.
 
Really nothing to show. i have etched glass fastened together with solder in panes like stained glass. There are small amounts of dust that accumulate on the shelf below. As mentioned at the top, we don't want any dust around our plates and glassware...especially if the source of dust is lead-related.
 
The lead came, looks like a small "H" channel, which is wider than the stained or beveled glass. The plaster of Paris and linseed oil are mixed to make what looks like window putty, and pushed into the H brackets to give the glass stability and hides imperfect glass cuts.
 
I'm pretty sure the dust is the filler used and not the lead. I just replaced a front in a grandmothers clock and it was held in with glazing points and window putty from well over 100 years ago. It was also powdering off like what you said. I removed the door and took out the broken glass and took it to the glass man in the city, telling him do your thing. When I got it back he did a beautiful job and i was surprised he put the new piece in with points and clear silicon.

I would just wash rinse the dishes before use anyway. That's what we do with the stuff we pull out a couple times a year.
 
Thanks for the extra explanation havasu. Once i knew what i was looking at...and what I was looking for, it all made sense. There are a few areas where the whiting looks like it all came out. Should I be scratching out the old stuff before adding anything new to this? I think I will be going with silicone. I doubt I will ever use the whiting that NeilG mentioned (thanks for the link, Neil) more than one time, so seems like a waste. The challenge will be getting a nice clean line and keeping it just under the caming. That's where the slow-n-steady part will have to come in. ;) :)
 
If using clear silicone, the white will stand out like a sore thumb. Why don't you pull the glass out, lay on a paper covered table, and mix up some of the correct stuff rub it in, wipe off the excess, and it will be good for another 100 years.
 
You might be right, but I still don't know what I'll do with a 1-1/4 lbs of the stuff. In any case, do I just go over the old stuff, or do I clean it all out?
 
Get as much out as you can with a brush, pick and vacuum. Resist the urge to pry up the lead. An inexperienced hand is likely to break glass that way. Maybe you can score a small amount of whiting and color from a local artisan.
 
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