The grinder is one of the more expensive tools. However it isn't really a must have. I have a couple of them, but if you are careful enough at cutting, you can get by without one. Straight cuts like used in panel lamps don't usually need grinding at all.
Check the yellow pages for stain glass supply shops. My father-in-law used to buy his stuff from one that also gave free lessons. Saturday afternoons were free lesson days and they made their money selling the materials used in class.
I learned to do stained glass in an evening class offered at a local juco. It really isn't all that hard to do. I need to go clean out my SG bench in the shop and see what I can whip up one of these days. It has been a while.
BTW, don't buy glass at Hobby Lobby unless you have to. That glass tends to splinter and doesn't cut as well as better glass. Every cut I've ever had came from Hobby Lobby glass.
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Don't always trust the opinions of experts.
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