I wouldn’t say I like reinforcing bars in my windows.

The general rule is to use a reinforcing bar every eighteen inches. However, I’ll sometimes add an extra one or two, like when the window is exposed to wind and rain.

I’ll use 3/8″ or 1/2″ flat bars in a typical leaded glass window.
They aren’t intrusive when placed perpendicular to the window, but no bars are better.

When I started including branches in my designs, I would leave a space between the pieces of glass on either side, fill the space with solder, and sculpt it to look like an actual branch. This also gave the window more strength.

I’m fond of Canfield’s 60/40 solder: 60% tin, 40% lead. I use it for almost everything. I like using suitable tools and materials; they make me feel better.

Today, this solder costs $24 per roll on Amazon. I remember when I would pay $1.95.

So, I began looking for a way to reduce the solder volume I was using to create my branches. One day, I realized I could fill the voids with various finishing nail sizes, reducing the amount of solder while adding strength to my windows and eliminating the need for reinforcing bars in almost every case.