[muawiyah]

One of the big costs with glass is HANDLING IT SAFELY so that it doesn't break. The bigger the load the easier that job is. Your typical small sheet jobs (for hobbyists) are more expensive to handle on a per pound rate.

There's no way around this problem either.

I've heard of people who were into using beer bottles as a source for all sorts of things ~ but that was years back. Today's beer bottle glass is a high tech product ~ wear your goggles and heavier shirts, tunics and headdress when messing with that stuff.

BTW, we have an art center in Northern Virginia called the Torpedo Factory. There have been glass artists there since it opened about 4 decades ago. They'll tell you all about it ~ if you are anywhere near the DC area. Blanko glass is a few hours away and they do "art glass". One of my old neighbors back in the hood was the main stained glass guy in Indiana ~ he wouldn't do any of that stuff at home because it wasn't safe (he said but what did he know). I used to hang around at his house a lot ~ guy did paintings, sculpture, clay, etc. His wife was also an artist.

Personally I am not going to try melting glass ~ too dangerous for my tastebuds.

[dangus]

Thanks. I think stained glass usually contains lead. You wouldn’t want to vaporize that!