Historic HomeWorks Forum

[johnleeke]

(update: 4/2/10)

Glazing points are small metal fasteners that hold glass panes in the window sash.


Video: Setting glazing points by hand and with a point driver.

Glazing Point Types

-- "T" Type:

cut and stamp-formed out of flat sheet metal, such as Hyde Tools #45760 (flat and rectilinear, which seats well into the corner between the glass and the wood of the glazing dado), and Fletcher 08-711 #7 (flat and rectilinear), and Lakeshore Easy Points (curly-form, which take more putty to cover over) "T" types are common and readily available at your local hardware stores. If you have a very narrow line of glazing you may have to trim this type of point with a pair of pliers and tin snips, or use a smaller glazing point such as the spade-push type.

-- Triangle Type:

the old-time traditional, cut from flat sheet metal, made
of zinc or steel, such as Fletcher Glazier's Points 08-511 #2, probably a special order at your hardware store. Or, make your own by cutting them with tin snips from a piece of sheet metal, just like the old-timers did.

-- Pin Type:


A wire rod is crimped about every 5/8". You bend over a 5/8" segment at a right angle and then drive the segment into the glazing rabbet with a small hammer, which does not break the glass because you gently slide the hammer along the surface of the glass. This method is common in Europe. Learn more at this discussion: http://historichomeworks.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=1291
Source: http://www.solventfreepaint.com/accessories.htm#glazingpins

-- Spade-Push Type:

Has a sharp spade-shape and a right-angle bracket formed on one side. The long strong point goes easily into the wood. The bracket that goes against the neck of the glazing rabbet and the stub that goes against the glass are small. Small parts are important when the shoulder of the glazing rabbet is particularly narrow, say less than 1/4", because the line of putty must be narrow to match the width of the shoulder and still cover over the glazing point with putty.

Spade type product names and descriptors:
M15 Glazier Points
2 1/2 Push Type
2-1/2 GALV PUSH TYPE GLAZIER P
#2 1/2" Push Type
made by Tower Mfg Co

Sources for Spade-Push Type:

-- Amazon.com:


http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001AZFO78?ie=UTF8&tag=historichomew-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B001AZFO78
(Disclosure: I get $.12 for every order via this link. This is a test. Upside: no added cost to you and money for me. Downside: Can I remain objective in my recommendations and still help you find the stuff you need. Would you rather make a donation to Historic HomeWorks to strictly assure there is no conflict of interest? Let me know what you think. JohnLeeke@HistoricHomeWorks.com)

-- Cleary & Son:

Glaser Points, #2 1/2 Push Type
Kim Cleary, window restoration products store is located at
192 Felton St.
Waltham, MA 02453
800-893-0728
http://www.windowhardwarestore.com/epoxy.htm

-- Do-It-Best hardware stores:

http://doitbest.com/Glazing+points+for+window+repair-Hillman+Fastner+Corp-model-122632-doitbest-sku-719066.dib
(only ships to your nearest store:
http://doitbest.com/Main.aspx?PageID=353&ContentId=88063)

--Bostwick-Braun Co.:
http://e-catalog.bostwick-braun.com/Catalog/ProductDetails.aspx?qsItemNo=328022

I think you may have to set up a commercial account to use Bostwick-Braun. Your hardware store may be able to order here. Let me know if you order from here and how it goes.

Glazing Point Materials

Modern glazing points are made out of zinc plated steel. The zinc helps protect the steel from rusting. Fletcher brand points are made of C-1010 Steel with electro-Zinc coating. Before the mid-20th century points were often made of solid zinc, which is more resistant to corrosion than steel. Zinc points are not available today unless you make your own. For points in wood sashes on ocean going vessels in the 18th and 19th centuries the use of marine bronze was a standard of the Royal British Navy--only the best for the King's (or Queen's) navy.

Making Your Own Points

In the old days glaziers made their own points and I have done it myself on occasion. All it takes is a scrap of sheet metal and tin snips. To make triangular points, first cut strips that are 5/16" to 3/8" wide. Then snip off the points with angled cuts, flipping the strip over after each cut. If your snips leave the points curled a bit, you might have to tap them flat with a hammer on a piece of flat steel.
I recall making 30 points per minute without pushing it.

If you look carefully at some of the old points you pull out you may see they have the variability of hand-made goods. If you've been to one of my training sessions you've seen some of these hand-made points from the early 19th century.

Point Driver Notes

The Fletcher Framemaster point driver sets the points right down on the glass, which is great for artwork. Some window specialists swear by it too.

The Fletcher #5 sets the points about 1/64" up off the glass. I like this space because putty fills it and protects the glass from stress and breakage. When George Hubbard invented the point driver he spaced the point up off the glass for just this reason.

George Hubbard was a wide ranging inventor and entrepreneur based in Windsor, Vermont. Hubbard invented the diamond-shaped glazier’s point and the tool to set it about 1880. Next time you're in Windsor stop in at the American Precision Museum and see George's patent models and several early production point drivers. They are exactly like the Fletcher #5 we all know and love.

To get your point driver to set the points a little deeper hold a big block of iron or steel against the other side of the muntin, stile or rail. A block about 2" diameter by 5" long works fine. An ordinary 20oz. framing hammer is too light. A little 5lb. sledge hammer with a short handle works, but you have to grind off the face so there is a crisp right angle or you may end up with split muntin ribs. This keeps the thin muntin from bouncing away from the point, which absorbs some of the energy of the driver. Be careful though on thin muntins; if you drive the tip of the point all the way through a muntin it may strike the edge of the glass on the other side and break it. Vary how deep the point goes by the size of the steel block, the smaller block has less mass and the point goes in less.

[woodturner]

Are there benefits to the spade type over what we can find at the box stores? For those of us working on our own homes, are the box store points OK to use, or is it worth the effort to find the others?

[johnleeke]

Points:

The characteristics of the spade-push type that makes them particularly useful on some sash is that they have a long strong point that goes into the wood, and the parts that hold the glass and go against the neck of the glazing rabbet are small. Small parts are important when the shoulder of the glazing rabbet is particularly narrow, say less than 3/16", because the line of putty must be narrow to match the width of the shoulder and still cover over the glazing point with putty.

Putty:

Glazol has good handling characteristics, and a rather long skin-over time. It is of the Modified Oil Type, Nonhardening.

The demonstration was the first time I have actually used the Sarco Type M putty. It handled very nicely, was quite soft, did not stick to my hands much (with use of whiting power), tooled into place very well, stuck to the glass and primed wood well, plus it has a reputation in the window industry for good performance and a long service life. It is my current top choice for the Traditional Linseed Oil Type, Hardening.

I'll set up a little comparitive demonstration of several putties to show skin-over time, for next week's conference.

For much more on putties, click on "Windows & Doors" above to see other discussions here at the Forum, particularly "Putty Analysis."

[Peregrine]

I found Tower glazing points on the Aubuchon Hdwe site. It is not Mac friendly and I couldn't place an order. Check out

http://paint-and-supplies.hardwarestore.com/50-273-glazing-tools/glazier-point--658186.aspx

Roger and Denise

[johnleeke]

Good product sourcing research!

I have not seen these #11 size, I'll try to get some at my local Aubuchon's.

They also carry the Fletcher #5 Point Driver and diamond points in two sizes:

http://paint-and-supplies.hardwarestore.com/50-273-glazing-tools.aspx

We have to let Ralph know about this.

[Ms. Chips]

I wrote a note to Aubachon Hardware inquiring about obtaining the Tower spade push-type glazing points. Got a reply this morning:

[jlindtner]

I've contacted the good people at Aubachon about getting a pound or two of the Tower M15 points but haven't heard back. I called a week ago and they were going to check with Tower about availability and then e-mailed but still no reply.

Has the well run dry on points? Do I need to resort to buying 1/2 an ounce at a time? Please no...somebody help me.

Thanks.

[jlindtner]

I got a call from the good people at Aubuchon Hardware. They have informed me that Tower is no longer making glazing points. They only have 7 pounds left after I placed my order this afternoon. Get them while they last.

[johnleeke]

Glazing Point Gazette

>>>> All the latest glazing point news that is fit to print <<<<

RIP M15

It is always a sad day when we loose a good friend we have gotten to know over these past years and decades.

Tower Manufacturing is canceling their production of the famous M15 Spade-type glazing point. Tower is the last known manufacturer of this fine point. These tiny bits of metal were known far and wide for their ability to fasten the panes in many an old window sash. A long-time holdout and remnant from the old days when glazers were glazers and their points could be counted upon when the going got tough, these were the points that saved mens' souls as they worked late into the night finishing up that last stack of sash to be delivered first thing in the morning; that won womens' hearts when the line of glazing got so narrow there was no hope left; and that saved the lives of playing children when the putty had finally weathered away and the trusty Spade point staid the loose pane preventing sharp shards of splintered glass from raining down upon their innocent heads.

If each of us stops now for a moment of silence we will recall how good old Spade save the day at least once in our lives. How can we forget--not easily, not without a heartfelt tug, not without a tear in the eye. Every time we pick up a putty knife we will recall good old Spade, no longer with us. Such a tragic loss.

Yet, there IS hope. Even after the coldest darkest night, the gray light of dawn and warm sunlight surly follow. Spade lives on, in many old and new sash, doing his best, as only he knows how, locking hundreds, nay, thousands, perhaps millions of panes of glass firmly and solidly into their sashes. Who else could perform such a feat, even after his demise? I tell you, only good old Spade could do such a thing from the other side.

Spade is survived by T-type, Triangle and Diamond point, all still in production, but none so fine as the one and only spade.

Thanks to the tireless research efforts of John Lindtner, restoration contractor in Delaware, we learned the tragic news just today.

your erstwhile Glazing Point Gazette editor,

John Leeke
(wearing his best black suit, only a little linseed putty on the cuff of the left sleeve)

[WindowWoman]

You can buy the triangle shaped points in bulk at www.crlaurence.com. Just type in glazing points to find them.

Now if only I could find someone who could ship me 500 ft reels of sash chain I'd be a happy girl.

Alison Hardy
Window Woman

[johnleeke]

Glory be! The Resurrection of Spade.



I am happy to announce the Spade is back. Manufactured by Hillman Fastner Corp.

Here's a place to get them:
http://doitbest.com/Glazing+points+for+window+repair-Hillman+Fastner+Corp-model-122632-doitbest-sku-719066.dib
now to find a source for more than 1oz packaging.

[johnleeke]

Another spade point supplier:


Glaser Points, #2 1/2 Push Type

Supplier:
Cleary & Sons, Kim Cleary, window restoration products store is located at
192 Felton St.
Waltham, MA 02453
800-893-0728
http://www.windowhardwarestore.com/epoxy.htm

[Skuce]

Updating the link:

http://paint-and-supplies.hardwarestore.com/50-273-glazing-tools.aspx