My question on Lauscha - Page 2

PaulaD · #31 2007-06-12, 9:00am

I have an idea after re-reading this thread. Maybe the people with cracked beads can send them to Lauscha or give them to Mike to send....

Paula

Julz · #32 2007-06-12, 10:05am

So, the batch in question is from a few months ago- like maybe March? My supplier is supplied by Mike, and I did purchase some new bundles of clear then, 8-10mm rods. Haven't tried them yet- should I just stick to Lauscha on Lauscha with this bunch, and save my older L. clear for encasing others?

Is there a consensus on what the sizes, and approx production dates were, and what to do to eliminate the cracking issues?

I'll be looking for a follow-up post from Mike and others. Thanks!

collectiblesbyrose · #33 2007-06-12, 6:14pm

Well, I think I'll buy some Lauscha colors to go with my clear.

PaulaD · #34 2007-06-15, 3:36pm

My batch got here in March and was ordered in December of 2006. Mine seems to be ok but I have just ordered more Lauscha clear that has been reformulated this year and is supposed to be more compatible with Moretti. I don't know about how it will work with silver glasses until I get my hands on it and test it!
Paula

Reenie · #35 2007-06-16, 1:43am

My glass got here in May and no problems at all with it. Hopefully the bad batch is long gone!
irene

firelady · #36 2007-06-18, 12:44pm

I can confirm one reason why costs have gone up.... There's a new fuel surcharge now because of the cost of oil...(a big drag!)

Regarding incompatibility....first, somewhere up the thread there's mention of using the Lauscha with 96 COE. Personally I wouldn't try that. Also, it doesn't do well with reduction frits between the core bead and encasing. At least I observed that in Tucson in February...

There are several things I've learned since I began researching compatability. One, COE is not the be-all and end-all of compatability like I always assumed it was. VISCOSITY is another big variable...but it doesn't come with "numbers" so it's harder to track. Two, each company, no matter what their official COE may be, has a variation within their own line of maybe 5-10 points. That just makes it interesting.

Also, because of the metal content within each color....as you work the glass, depending on WORKING TIME and also FLAME SETTING, you are burning out certain components within the glass, causing the molecules to change some while being worked. This actually changes both the viscosity and also the COE in some cases. In other words....if you have been working from a single rod of glass for 15 minutes, and you then change the flame setting or another variable, and add another layer of the same glass from the same rod, just via how long you worked the core versus the last glass added....the two layers may be incompatible!!! This is chemistry in action. It's awesome, untrackable, exciting, and frustrating. Just thought I would cheer you up. Isn't this fun?

Janelle Zorko · #37 2007-06-18, 9:37pm

Hi Marcie,

Your explanation makes sense. However, it used to work. Now one batch doesn't. I've "spoken" with Rene via email. I believe it was probably one slightly "off" batch. I have every confidence that Lauscha has corrected the problem and any future shipments (and probably MOST of the older shipments) are/will be fine. I LOVE Lauscha clear - that's why I was so surprised when I had the cracking with silver - which I'd never had before with it. As others have suggested, I'll try it with my other Lauscha colors and will continue to use the clear when I get some from a newer batch.

Janelle

Reenie · #38 2007-06-18, 10:25pm

I use "Only" Lauscha clear on all my beads. Some crack, some don't. My problem is that I like to look at them when I'm done...sometimes a bit too long.
I probably won't ever change
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But I'd choose the Lauscha clear over any other just because it's crystal clear and no smudging.
Because of my minimal amount of Lauscha glass at the time all my beads were either Moretti or Vetrofond. The Lauscha is too pretty to use lol. I do the same with my gemstones...gee I wonder why I don't make much!
Irene

PaulaD · #39 2007-06-19, 4:47pm

I agree Irene. It's pretty awesome clear!

Paula

meadowesky · #40 2007-06-20, 6:00pm

I made 2 encased florals about 8 months ago. I gave them to my MIL as a gift. Last week she called me and said that they cracked. after 8 months!!!
I went over to look at them and the clear was spiderwebbed down to the base color.
how many of us have sold beads with lauscha clear and had them crack down the line by customers?? and lost business because of it, and damaged our reputation???

PaulaD · #41 2007-06-20, 6:05pm

I think that if you or any other artist is having a problem they should send photos of the beads to lauscha via email. We can all be very sympathetic but none of us can do anything about it. IMHO.
Paula

encantado · #42 2007-06-24, 9:54am

I used to use only Lauscha clear, but I had the same problem everyone is talking about with the beads cracking--- sometimes a week later. After this happened a couple of times I switched over to the Moretti Super Clear, and haven't had any more problems!!!

P.S. I did experiment with the Lauscha by just encasing plain white moretti, etc and they still cracked. I chalked it up to a bad batch of clear.

*StarleensStudio* · #43 2007-06-25, 10:02pm

My 2 cents... I hardly ever voice an opinion but I do not want to see Lauscha get slammed again over cracking when there are so many variables to consider. Mike, I have bought lauscha from you in 5-20 lbs several times a year. I love it despite some batches being more favorable than others. It is worth every penny when the quality is dead on. When it's not... well you just ride it out. I have never experienced excessive cracking and apprentices test 10 random rods upon a new shipment arrival from the suppliers I order from regularly.

Here is what has caused lauscha cracking for me at times:
(all beads go into the kiln with a slight glow)

* encasing some opal/milky lauscha colors. Galaxy always gave me a70% crack ratio. Same for Milky way.

* encasing glass that contains a high metal content. Not just silver! For example, every time I get an order for an encased rubino bead I cringe. If the ruby layering over the base bead is over 2mm thick it will crack on those dark cranberry old stock rods. Now you combine this with a lentil press and forget it...

* some of the vetrofond odds such as parrot green/key lime cannot be encased in lauscha. BTW, any color with a translucent quality causes me to raise an eyebrow as I encase for the first time. Opalino white silk was the only exception. Cirrus has cracked on me a few times...

* Excessive use of inclusions: wire/mesh/cz's

* lauscha is a bit more touchy if I have encased over 104coe and a bit too much 96coe frits that have a high lead content. It's funny, some you can get away with it and others forget it.

These are just a few… Truly there are so many variables to consider and this is an ever-increasing issue with all the wonderful new glass types for us to use. Even equipment provides more to consider. An individual using a bushy flame will curb the stress more than someone working on a little narrow flame. If there are only a small handful of complaints it could be a strange combo on the artists end? At any rate, I feel for the individual that has lost work.

Out of approx 70lbs of lauscha purchased in 2007(some from Frantz), I am happy to say that none of my stock was returned due to cracking. If one of my students or I had an issue, we made a project to study cause and effect. Every time it was a strange combination of operator error on our end.

Hope my 2 cents was worth the read.

~Starleen

Janelle Zorko · #44 2007-06-26, 8:37am

Starleen,

It was! I think Lauscha clear is WONDERFUL and I think your tips are very helpful. It's the clearest clear and *normally* gives GREAT results.

I was just in Lauscha. I met Renee. I wandered the factory. It was spectacular. In the Lauscha factory, you'll find a ton of small figurines with one or two colors on them. Nothing is encased (unless it's made in the furnace). Lauscha, in general, isn't doing anything different for the beadmaker than they are for themselves. A lot of vendors are importing Lauscha's stock glass and it's beautiful. The problems sometimes happen when we try to mix glasses or do something different with it than it's intended for. Unfortunately, different batches sometimes also behave differently with our "experiments".

People should know this. I think it's really good to discuss (and not slam the company for doing what they've done for 400 years).

Janelle

PaulaD · #45 2007-06-26, 7:19pm

Actually with so many pretty Lauscha colors available why even mix the manufacturers up? I've been emailing Rene about this thread and he gave me some advice. He pointed out to me that not all glasses (from any manufacturer) are always within the coe limits or are on the edge of the coe limits and that can cause cracking and that working with cold tools can cause cracking.
Laucha has just manufactured a more Moretti tolerant crystal clear which I have just ordered lots of. But like any new color people should do smallish test beads first or a stringer test before they put hours into a bead or a series of bead sets.
I agree with Starleen about the flame size and think that a lot of people are just not working with enough heat and don't realize it. That's why they can't get their raku or their silver colors to pop.
Btw, the only bead that cracked on me this weekend was a Moretti Copper Green On Moretti clear.
Paula