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Tips, Techniques, and Questions -- Technical questions or tips

View Poll Results: What clear do you use?
Double Helix 23 22.77%
TAG 5 4.95%
Moretti/Effretre or Vetrofond 41 40.59%
Lauscha 22 21.78%
CiM 1 0.99%
Other, please post 9 8.91%
Voters: 101. You may not vote on this poll

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  #1  
Old 2011-03-22, 5:09pm
KarenBeth's Avatar
KarenBeth KarenBeth is offline
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Default What Clear?

I know there are a lot of threads about the best clear but I was really looking for a recent one and I'm hoping I can get a lot of people to take the poll as I'd like a general consensus. It's been awhile since I bought clear. My last batch was a bad batch of diamond clear. That was after I trialed it and loved it. I'm a little disheartened but it has been awhile. I'm hearing DH and TAG are good but they are like $60 a lb. I must have been in a hole with the prices of glass going up. Lauscha is too shocky for me. What is everyone using? Is the DH and TAG really worth it? I don't mind forking over the money if I can see that its gonna be a favorite. I'm just a little leary. So, lets hear it!
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  #2  
Old 2011-03-22, 7:12pm
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DH is the best for me. It is pricey but I buy the seconds and as for me it is just as good. I can over look those tiny flaws (that are hard for me to find) that makes them seconds.
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  #3  
Old 2011-03-22, 7:26pm
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Thanks KFraley. Where do you buy seconds? Directly from DH?
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  #4  
Old 2011-03-22, 8:34pm
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$45/pound for the TAG and DH seconds is still a bit spendy for me. I was paying about $30 for the Diamond Clear, never had a problem, but of course it's no longer available. I just can't convince myself to go to all of the trouble of pickling, though, so I may have to buck up and pay the higher price.


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  #5  
Old 2011-03-22, 9:03pm
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I'm currently working off of a batch of Diamond clear seconds, Effetre super clear, TAG clear seconds, and CIM clear. I'm pretty happy with all of them.
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  #6  
Old 2011-03-22, 9:25pm
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Lorraine Chandler Lorraine Chandler is offline
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You might want to try doing what Pat Frantz did. See link below....You need to scroll down a ways to get to the article she has written about clear. That way with a little elbow grease you can use any clear.

I clean my clears and I like most 104. I plan on cleaning all of my glass colors too, to see if it makes a difference worth doing the cleaning.

http://frantznewsletter.com/?page_id=1714

Last edited by Lorraine Chandler; 2011-03-23 at 9:50am.
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  #7  
Old 2011-03-23, 5:46am
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I just started pickling my glass yesterday as I'm just finished with painting my new studio. Can't think of a better time to do it. The rods are actually sparkling. I just didn't know it makes that much of a difference. I mean, I wonder if you can tell the difference between moretti and others.
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  #8  
Old 2011-03-23, 3:14pm
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Reichenbach is very nice.
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  #9  
Old 2011-03-23, 5:33pm
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I just saw diamond clear at either divardi or frantz the other day...or maybe it was howacoglass. Isn't crystal just as good as diamond? Am I missing something wonderful here?

Quote:
Originally Posted by PolychromeBeads View Post
$45/pound for the TAG and DH seconds is still a bit spendy for me. I was paying about $30 for the Diamond Clear, never had a problem, but of course it's no longer available. I just can't convince myself to go to all of the trouble of pickling, though, so I may have to buck up and pay the higher price.


Aimee
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  #10  
Old 2011-03-23, 5:43pm
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Quote:
Originally Posted by TeresaRB View Post
Isn't crystal just as good as diamond? Am I missing something wonderful here?

I hope it is much better. Diamond clear has been discontinued...

http://www.lampworketc.com/forums/sh....php?p=3451613
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  #11  
Old 2011-03-23, 6:10pm
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Is crystal the new one that's coming out?
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  #12  
Old 2011-03-23, 7:59pm
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Diamond clear was SO much better than crystal clear - I have about 2-3 pounds of crystal crap - I mean clear - and all it's good for is the middle of beads where it won't be seen.

I'm down to my last pound or so of diamond clear, and I'll have to buy something real soon now. I just hate the idea of spending valuable time pickling glass, but I also hate spending $45 per pound on clear. Decisions, decisions...


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  #13  
Old 2011-03-23, 8:34pm
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I like Reichenbach Crystal best right now. It's less money than TAG and Double Helix clears, and the results with it are great. It's a little stiffer than any other clear I've used though, which takes a little getting used to. The thin rods are way easier to encase with, but you have to be sort of careful because Crystal will boil if you park it in the flame for any extended length of time and the thinner the rod, the more prone it is.

I love DH Aether, but I don't like what it does to my silver glass, and find that it stays tacky in the kiln so my beads are more prone to damage from rubbing against each other when I use it. I have five rods of TAG Clarity from last fall that I keep meaning to try, but I keep forgetting.
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  #14  
Old 2011-03-24, 1:19am
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Thanks for the info! Reichenbach is off my list. I tend to stay away from colors that are finicky in the flame. If it's stiff to begin with and then boils, that would just piss me off. I thought I read that about aether before, as well. Its interesting to see how the poll is working. I'm surprised that the majority still use moretti.
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  #15  
Old 2011-03-24, 7:35am
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I think there are two Reichenbach clears, with the codes 1011 and 1012. I've used only the 1011 and can abuse it to no end, but I've heard the 1012 can be bubbly.
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  #16  
Old 2011-03-24, 12:37pm
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I use 1011 too. I'm not saying that it is a scummy or bubbly colour because that's not the case at all. All I'm saying is that if you are using a thin rod, and you park it in the flame, that the end can boil (and it can happen with a thicker rod, too, if you accidentally park it too long and it fries, although it takes longer). Once I got used to keeping it moving in the flame, this didn't happen nearly so much and it never happens to me after the clear is actually on the bead.

I work pretty hot though... I suppose it's possible that other people might never even have this problem if they work cooler than I do.

In my opinion the Reichenbach Crystal (1011) is the best clear I've used and it's well worth getting to know its minor quirks.
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  #17  
Old 2011-03-24, 5:14pm
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How well did the pickling work for you KarenBeth? That is something I should try.
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  #18  
Old 2011-03-24, 6:52pm
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Default Pikcling

Karen, When you visit next time I'll give you some pickling mix, I have plenty. Pickle solution is caustic when it's heated. Make sure you are in a well ventilated area. I bought a box from Rio and I will never be able to use all of it.
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  #19  
Old 2011-03-24, 8:43pm
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The glass itself is sparkling after I pickeled it. I haven't tried the pickled glass on beads yet to see if there is really a difference but I've never seen my rods sparkle this much so it'll be interesting to see. My studio should be finished this weekend so I hope to light up the torch then. I have about 10 rods of clear left and they are mixed with DC and moretti. I plan on making test beads to determine which is which since that batch of DC was a bad one and the beads crack. I'll take pics so you can see the difference at least.
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  #20  
Old 2011-03-25, 7:48pm
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Karen - can't wait to see how the pickled glass works out for you!

It's actually fairly easy to separate the Diamond Clear from the Moretti/Effetre - DC turns the flame magenta while Moretti doesn't so just melt the tip of each rod and you can tell!

I voted Aether as my #1 clear but considering that last time I torched, I had Diamond Clear (very old batch from almost three years ago), Effetre Super Clear, and Clarity on my bench in addition to Aether . . . can't wait for Double Helix to make a non-reactive Aether clone!
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Last edited by Hayley; 2011-03-28 at 7:56am.
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  #21  
Old 2011-03-25, 9:01pm
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Wow, that's great info Hayley, thank you! I never really paid attention to the color flame. I guess I'm always too focused on the bead.

I'm thinking from the looks of what I'm getting from the consensus I may just buy a lb of moretti and a 1/4 of aether to play with and check it out.

Thanks for all your help!

I still plan on posting some beads made with pickled glass after this weekend. Just finished up the painting and everything in the studio gets set back up tomorrow. EEEEEeeeeeeek.... I'm so happy!!
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  #22  
Old 2011-03-28, 6:57am
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I love just plain moretti clear, I never pickle it. From Howaco
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Old 2011-03-28, 8:00am
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Reichenbach 1011 and both types of Lauscha, depending on what I'm doing, and some Effetre 006, though my current batch doesn't seem as nice as the last one.
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  #24  
Old 2011-03-28, 8:46am
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I ordered Reichenbach clear from my favourite supplier in Australia but they didn't supply it apparently the batch they were sent was too awful to be sold. Instead they sent me some CIM clear and some Moretti special clear (and didn't charge me - fantastic service) but I've found the CIM to be almost unusable on my Hothead torch, it burns, gets black flecks and streak and bubble if I look at it. Back to Moretti for me, I have more trouble with clear glass than any other thing in my short period of glass bead making.
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  #25  
Old 2011-03-29, 9:18am
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I've converted almost all the way to Reichenbach. I still keep some Tag on hand, as well as Aether. I haven't had any problems with it (Reich) boiling (and haven't really noticed a tremendous difference in viscosity, either) but I make fairly small beads, or use fairly thin encasing if making larger beads. The BEST news about Reichenbach, IMHO, is that I've never had a bad batch. I know many of you order oodles of clear at a time. I did that once. Want to guess what glass? Yep, Diamond Clear. The BAD batch. So, I decided I'd rather order small batches and cut my losses, as well as have an "alternate" stash of clear if needed. So, I order clear maybe twice a month (and I only make beads part-time, maybe 6 days a month).
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  #26  
Old 2011-03-31, 3:02am
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I love aether for ease of working but i don't like what it does to some glass. Lauscha reformulated is my go-to clear and always performs. I recently discovered pickling (please see all the threads) and found that effetre super clear is as good as lauscha and a bit easier to work with (less sticky). it plays nice with the pink DH glass too, which aether doesn't IMHO. I've used clarity and find with my torch it bubbles and scums no matter what i do i have a 1/2 pound of GOOD diamond clear i'm hoarding because its so good. I guess this doesn't help you, huh?LOL
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Old 2011-04-07, 10:13am
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I just got 2 pounds of Moretti super clear from Frantz and was absolutely shocked when it arrived. The bundle actually looks milky there are so many scratches and scum on the rods (not blaming Frantz, btw).

I'm very disapointed because I've always had such beautiful results with it. I tried to use it and it is just not useable for encasing at all. It's way too scummy. I would peel it, but the rods are 5-6mm which makes it harder.

I wish I knew where to go to get consistent good results.



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Old 2011-04-07, 12:01pm
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Cara, how old is that Clarity? We are on our 4th recipe, and this is the one people are saying nice things about. If you bought it before last summer, you may have Clarity 3 instead of Clarity 4. We can exchange it if you like.
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Old 2011-04-30, 9:18am
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Jenny - with all the praise about Clarity, I got a small bundle to try recently and had the same bubbling experience as Cara but only at the tip of the rod (thin ones). It happens whenever I pause in encasing and let the tip cool a bit and reintroduce it to the flame again (same rod that I have been holding). I see that others have had similar issue based on the brand of torch they are using. Someone had trouble on her Cricket but no her Minor. Any thoughts and/or suggestion?
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Last edited by Hayley; 2011-04-30 at 10:45am. Reason: addition
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Old 2011-04-30, 10:06am
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I use Reichenbach and Aether (DH). Have had the Clarity too and loved it, but it's hard to get in the Netherlands.
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