Stained Glass Lead/Copper Foil Calculator
Figure out how much copper foil or lead came to buy from your pattern's total seam length.
How this calculator works
For copper foil, this adds 10% to your measured seam length for overlap, wrapping waste, and mistakes, then divides by your foil roll's length to get how many rolls to buy. For lead came, came is typically sold in 6-foot strips, so this divides your seam length by 6 and rounds up.
A note on solder
We're not giving you a hard solder-weight number here on purpose — how much solder a project actually uses varies a lot with bead size, technique, and how experienced you are, and we'd rather not hand you a false-precision number. As a practical starting point, a one-pound spool of solder comfortably covers a good-sized hobby panel; buy more once you see how your own technique uses it up.
Where these numbers come from
- Standard copper foil roll lengths (65 ft economy, 108 ft standard) and widths (3/16″, 7/32″, 1/4″): stained glass supply retailers (Delphi Glass, Mosaic Art Supply)
- Standard lead came strip length (6 ft): widely consistent stained glass supply convention
Frequently asked questions
Why does the calculator need total seam length instead of just the piece count?
Copper foil and lead came are bought by linear length, and the amount needed depends on how much actual seam there is to wrap or channel — a pattern with many small pieces has far more seam length than one with fewer large pieces, even at the same overall size.
Should I buy extra beyond the calculated length?
Most stained glass workers add a buying cushion for cutting waste, mistakes, and touch-ups, since coming up short mid-project means a delay waiting on more material.
Does foil vs. lead came change how much I need?
The underlying seam-length math is the same either way, but foil and lead came are different materials sold and priced differently, so which one your pattern and technique calls for changes what you're actually buying, not how much seam you have to cover.
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