Another "Best/Favorite Clear" post
 

Hi All,
I am just getting back into making beads again after almost a year. Anyway, I would love an update on your favorite or opinion on the best clear glass right now. I know some good ones, but I know things change too.
I appreciate it!

DH Zephyr all the way, and I don't give a damn that it's expensive. Glorious for encasing, buttery soft and crystal clear. The only thing I don't like it for is raised dots, I find it melts in too fast. I still use Reichenbach Crystal for those.

Thanks, Helbels!

I have to agree, Zephyr is the best.

Zephyr, after trying Lauscha, Reichenbach, TAG, Kugler, Vetro Crystal, Effetre Super & CiM. Aether is just as good but I save it for when I want a reaction.

Zephyr. I have a bunch of new Urobos clear, direct from the factory, and I still love Zephyr. I'm going to try pickling the Urobos clear as it makes a hazy scum line appear on my encasings. I really can't figure out why/how that always happens, but it never happens with Zephyr. Kind of a bummer, I always think I can find a "new" cheaper Zephyr alternative, but......no. I'll try the pickling (gotta get the pickle first so don't hold your breath) and post my results back here w/ some pics regarding the Urobos. I won't give up! Must. Save. Money!

Ditto on the Aether, it's awesome but you can't use it on things like ivory dark, red or rubino. Something about the gold content in the reds and pinks makes them turn brown. Aether looks beautiful over top of Hades by CiM, makes a blue stardust reaction.

Great, thanks! I had diamond clear but thought there may have been some recent questionable batches so I think I'll try Zephyr.

Good to know about the Urobos, Alexis. I have that but haven't tried it. Oh yes, I also have Diamond and it looked good but didn't play well with other 104's. Aether looks great over Triton, as well, for a more green color.

I tend to work hot, and Zephyr really takes a lot of abuse and still looks great.

Depends a lot on what I am doing. I can go through a pound or more a day when making cane so paying 20$+ just isn't practical. For this kind of work I just try to find something on sale and hope I don't need to trash it.

I use lauscha for things that need to be nice. I've never had a bad batch so there has never been a need to try anything else.

When I am really serious I peel schott pucks.

Hands down DH Zephyr for me. It keeps my life simple. When I get to the last steps like encasing...if it didn't turn out they way I liked, I can't blame it on the clear. It's perfect every time. :)

I have to admit, I'm a DH convert, Zephyr and Aether both are to die for. I do have a big batch of effetre SC from a really nice batch that Art Glass House got in and sold a couple of years ago. I can have some scumming occasionally but for the most part is nice glass. I like Reich too but it is a stiffer clear.

Ryan, inquiring minds want to know, what's this about peeling schott pucks? I'm always open to new info if you don't mind. I have some of your murrini, your clear is always beautiful on those.

You can buy pucks of schott s8 glass ( http://www.hisglassworks.com/cart/SC...lass_p840.html )

They are mostly used in paperweights where you have a lot of clear, you can see the kind of work people use them for here:
http://www.buzzinipaperweights.com/
http://www.paulstankard.com/works.php

The pucks can be pulled into rod. Any fingerprints or dust can potentially become scum so you generally use the clear right after pulling, and avoid touching the rods (either punty on on or use gloves).

It's a lot of work, but even the smallest puck is 1/3lb so they go pretty far.

Thank you so much! It's worth the work to get clear results IMO.

Zephyr here too. By the time I threw away beads from crappy encasing, I've paid for the Zephyr - and saved the time I lost in making those beads.

-D

I do a lot of encasement and use Aether 90% of the time. When I don't want the reaction it gives, I thinly encase with Zephyr first but always finish with Aether.

Are all of you that are using Zephyr using the seconds or the first quality rods?

I'm using first quality but I know I've seen several posts either here, on FB, or both where ppl said they were completely happy with the seconds.

I use Zephyr seconds and they are fine. As it's been said many times, DH's seconds are at least as good as most other companies' firsts; often better.

JMHO
Alli

I am working my way through several kilos of ASK clear. It's stiff, it's gorgeously clear and I love it for my raised lenses. I use Zephyr sometimes but i really need a stiffer clear for what I'm doing. Zephyr is a dream for encasing though. When i bought the ASK from Arrow Springs, i bought a little bit of several batches. They numbered their batches so it was easy to go back and get several 5 kilo bundles of the batch that tested compatible. I know some people had problems with compatibility and the batches were not consistent. But for $6 per pound i was willing to experiment. I have a pound or two that is not compatible that I'll make plain clear beads with, someday. As far as i know, Arrow Springs is still selling it for $6/lb. I can dig out my batch numbers if anyone is interested.

Can I ask why not use Zephyr when you don't want the reaction?

TAG Clarity, here. It's clean, crisp, sparkly, gorgeously clear... Best stuff ever. :)

I like Clarity too. I have Zephyr seconds and I'm not thrilled with them. They have a bit of a haze or film that doesn't come off with pickle. It burns off for the most part but I can see it while I'm working and I don't like that. I'll probably try ordering another batch. I got Aether 3rds in my garage sale box and they are perfect, just on the thin side, which I actually prefer.

I have some Aether 3rds I got in the garage sale box. They are oddly shaped but work like a dream so far.

I love Tag Clarity, DH Zephyr and DH Aether. I hate that it's so expensive after I spent years using $5 a pound Vetrofond fat rods I got way back in 2006. Unfortunately that 20 pounds really did run out.

I am very interested in the batch numbers, thank you!!

Thanks to everyone this is all very helpful! :)

Which is stiffer...Aether or zephyr?

Aether

Aether is the best clear ever made. It melts like butter. Zephyr is an excellent clear as well but it doesn't flow quite like Aether. It tends to be stiffer when worked cool and softens with more heat - while Aether is soft in any flame at any stage. Hope that makes sense.

I find the opposite is true. Zephyr is stiffer in my experience. The difference maybe that Zephyr is usually shipped in smaller diameter rod size than Aether.