How ordering works

Each pattern page lets you choose a panel width within that pattern's declared range and a cutting technique, foil or lead came. After payment, the ZIP is generated for that exact combination, not pulled from a pre-made file, so the checks and the glass list match the size you actually chose.

The download link appears immediately after payment and is also available afterward from the files page. Bundles (Beginner Pack, Complete Collection) work the same way, generated as one size across every pattern included.

If your chosen width falls outside a pattern's range, checkout will not proceed for that combination; the range is shown on each pattern page and in the Pattern Sizer tool.

Two choices before payment

Panel width, inside the pattern's declared range, and technique, copper foil or lead came. Both feed into the file that is generated: the width scales the geometry and the technique sets the margin subtracted from every piece. Getting them right before checkout means the printed sheets are ready to cut against with no adjustment.

Payment and delivery

Payment is handled by Stripe; card details are entered with the payment provider and never pass through this site. One email address is collected, used to attach the download and send the receipt. The ZIP appears immediately on the files page, with no wait for an email and no account to create.

If you picked the wrong size

A pattern can be rebuilt at a different size within its declared range, or for the other technique, at no extra cost. Write from the contact page with the email address used at checkout. There is no time limit on that request, which means a pattern bought for one opening can be reused for another later.

Measure before you choose the width

Use the finished visible glass size, not the outside size of a wooden frame or the rough opening in a wall. Measure the opening in three places across the width: near the top, near the middle, and near the bottom. If the three readings differ, use the smallest reading as the safe maximum finished width.

For a fixed frame, leave clearance for fitting and seasonal movement. A practical allowance is 2 mm to 3 mm per side for a small cabinet panel, and 3 mm to 5 mm per side for a larger door or interior window. For example, an opening that measures 400 mm at its narrowest should usually be ordered as a finished panel near 394 mm to 396 mm if the panel will sit in a rebate.

Write the target panel width on paper before opening checkout. Also write the unit you used. If you measured in inches, convert once and check the result before entering the width. One inch is 25.4 mm. A 12 inch opening is 304.8 mm, so a panel with 3 mm clearance on each side would be about 299 mm wide.

Use a steel rule or tape measure, not a fabric tape.
Measure the frame after paint, varnish, or old putty has been removed if the panel will be fitted into an existing rebate.
Do not add a border allowance yourself unless the frame design requires it, because the pattern is generated at the panel width you enter.
Keep the written measurement until the panel has been installed, so any rebuild request can be checked against the same numbers.

Working figures to check before payment

The width you enter controls the scale of every piece. Small errors are multiplied across the whole pattern, so it is worth checking the order against simple limits before paying. The figures below are not product limits. They are workshop checks that help catch wrong measurements and wrong units.

Check	Practical figure	Why it matters
Frame clearance	2 mm to 5 mm per side	Allows the finished panel to be fitted without forcing it into the opening.
Unit conversion	1 inch equals 25.4 mm	Catches orders that are about 25 times too small or too large.
Printed scale test	Measure a 100 mm reference length if one is present on your print workflow	Confirms the printer has not fitted the sheets to page size.
Paper overlap for taped sheets	10 mm to 20 mm	Gives enough area to align and tape multi-page printouts without shifting the lines.
Pre-cut review time	10 to 15 minutes	Lets you compare the glass list, page joins, and chosen technique before cutting glass.

Print the pattern at 100 percent or actual size. Do not use fit to page, shrink to printable area, or borderless scaling unless you have checked the resulting measurement. A 1 percent print error on a 600 mm panel is a 6 mm error, which is enough to affect fitting and border alignment.

Frequent mistakes and recovery steps

The most common mistake is ordering from the frame outside size instead of the visible glass size. If this happens, do not cut glass from the file. Measure the opening again, decide the required clearance, and request a rebuild using the email address from the order.

A second common mistake is choosing the wrong technique. Copper foil and lead came require different line allowances, so the cut shapes are not interchangeable. If the technique is wrong, mark the file as not for use, then request the other technique before printing templates or labels.

A third mistake is printing correctly generated files at the wrong scale. If the sheets have already been printed, measure a known dimension on the print and compare it with the same dimension in the PDF or with the intended finished width. If the error is only from printer scaling, reprint at actual size. If the entered order width was wrong, request a rebuild instead of trying to enlarge the printed sheets on a copier.

If you entered the right width but later changed the frame, treat it as a new fitting condition. Measure the new opening, subtract the clearance, and check that the new target still sits inside the declared range for that pattern. If it does, the file can be rebuilt to that size. General account and file questions are covered in the FAQ.

Special cases before you place the order

For cabinet doors, measure after the hinges are installed if the door has any twist or sag. A door that is 2 mm out of square can pinch a glass panel even when the width is correct. If the rebate depth is shallow, test with a scrap of glass or card of similar thickness before committing to the final size.

For pairs of doors, measure each opening separately. Do not assume the left and right openings match. If one opening is 398 mm and the other is 401 mm, choose sizes that suit each actual opening or rebuild one file later for the second door.

For repairs, base the order on the frame, not on the broken panel if the old piece was tight, distorted, or previously trimmed. Remove old cement, nails, clips, and hardened putty before measuring. A clean rebate can easily change the usable width by several millimetres.

For panels that will be transported before installation, keep the printed full-size layout flat until all glass is cut. Rolling paper can change alignment at taped page joins. If the job must wait, store the ZIP, the printed sheets, and the written measurement together so the order size, technique, and frame notes are not separated.