Did I make a mistake switching to BE???

yeepers · #1 2006-10-08, 5:44pm

Someone please show me beads you've made that have crisp, clear, stringer detail using BE opaque colors.

I thought I had a kickbutt set of beads....only to pull them out of the kiln to find that the opaques were dull and virtually invisible.

YIKES!!!

Did I jump the gun by switching over so quickly???

-Yee

ElizabethCreations · #2 2006-10-08, 5:49pm

Do you have a picture of this set?? I'm curious...

SuzyQ · #3 2006-10-08, 5:55pm

Hm, I do lots of BE florals and my vines are stringer but I'm not sure they are what you call crisp and clear. Let me peruse a few pictures.

Kalera · #4 2006-10-08, 5:56pm

Many of the BE opaques are really "opals", which means they are slightly translucent... it doesn't mean you made a mistake, but there is a learning curve, and in some ways it calls for a different working style.

I have never been able to completely switch from one glass to another, because I find that each does unique things that I can't get from the others. BE suits some people's styles better than others, but don't be disheartened yet... work with it for a while, experiment, play, and you may find that it does things for you that you love.

SuzyQ · #5 2006-10-08, 5:58pm

no, most of mine on opaque are soft looking. But I like that. what about powdered frits and then stringer?

JavaGirlBT · #6 2006-10-08, 6:23pm

I think it's like Kalera said. You just have to take some time and learn the colors. This is why I put my BE away. I want WYSIWYG glass.

KEW · #7 2006-10-08, 8:36pm

I switched to BE a year and a half ago and I love it. This is the downside. On the opalescent colors (mint, peach creme, etc.) you need to put a dot of white down like you would with transparent. The colors that look solid, generally are, but for the beautiful opals, you do need to do a little more work. (By the way, I still have not figured out a way to pull them into latticcino - although I have had some success with placing the colors on white and encasing with clear.)

gwacie · #8 2006-10-09, 6:53am

Thanks for the dot of white tip KEW, never thought of that. I wonder if casing the translucent opals over white would work the same as transparents over white for stringer work..

Think I'll try that today. Thanks!

Greg · #9 2006-10-11, 5:32pm

Hi,
The formulas we use to make Bullseye rods are essentially the same as those used to make the sheet glass and frit. We could make the opalescent colors more opaque but I suspect that we would upset whole other group of people.
Perhaps we could begin making certain colors a bit more opaque.

Greg Gabel

yeepers · #10 2006-10-11, 6:11pm

Hi Greg!

Thanks for chiming in. I know....you can't please everyone all of the time. I guess I just didn't realize how different the formulations would be and the resulting change in effects of the types of beads I usually make.

Don't get me wrong...I love the colors that BE offers....I'm just stumped as to how I'm going to be able to produce the same type of stuff I was producing before using new glass. I guess the bottom line is that perhaps that just isn't meant to be.

The lack of truly opaque glass is extremely limiting in terms of being able to produce fine lines of solid color. It's fine for larger solid stuff but it's in the details where I'm finding myself unable to reproduce the crisp detail that I was used to.

Now I know why people have all different types of COE glass in their inventory

Just can't do it all with one type. I'll just have to figure it out somehow.

Cheers,

-Yee

nagibeads · #11 2006-10-12, 7:13am

Quote:

Originally Posted by Greg

Perhaps we could begin making certain colors a bit more opaque.

Greg Gabel

Wow! Thank you thank you!!!
I would definitely buy more BE if you had more opaque opaque colors!

LyndaJ · #12 2006-10-12, 7:56am

I think it would be great!!! if BE had a different line of truly opaque colors - just a few to start with.

I think having that (and maybe some silver colors

) would be enough to send more lampworkers to BE.

Please, Please, Please?
Lynda

ChaseDesigns · #13 2006-10-12, 8:01am

I love BE. Part of what I love about it is the soft uncrisp colors. Works wonderful for some of my soft looking florals.

But, I still can't give up moretti. I just work with which ever one calls me.

Lara · #14 2006-10-12, 8:44pm

This is one of the reasons I haven't switched to all BE, I don't like the opal colors, I want strong vibrant colors. The opals are pretty, but I too want strong lines like Yee is talking about.

gwacie · #15 2006-10-12, 10:29pm

I want both....and more! This is why I have much too much glass and I switch between types whenever it suits. I'd hate BE to lose their soft opals. Rather than change them I'd think making ADDITIONAL more saturated crisp colors would be good. I mean how pretty would a two tone saturated and soft opal combo be together, eh?

Kalera · #16 2006-10-12, 10:38pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by gwacie

I want both....and more! This is why I have much too much glass and I switch between types whenever it suits. I'd hate BE to lose their soft opals. Rather than change them I'd think making ADDITIONAL more saturated crisp colors would be good. I mean how pretty would a two tone saturated and soft opal combo be together, eh?

Wow, you would be able to make the most wonderful subtle organic beads with a palette with those options!

LyndaJ · #17 2006-10-13, 6:16am

I've sent them a message about this on their website a couple months ago. I said that there were LOTS of lampwork folks frustrated with the consistency of the 104 colors and if they added some true opaques to their line that more and more of us would make the switch!!

I wonder, though, is most of their business stained glass? I could see them being hesitant if that were the case. But all the folks who fuse and do sculpture, and lampwork etc are a pretty big population, I'll bet.

BE's got the best color choices other than true opaques (IMO

)

Lynda

squid · #18 2006-10-13, 6:42am

I would bet that BE's biggest customer base is a combination of fused and stained glass. Fusing is becoming more and more popular - and one thing with fusing vs stained glass is that with fusing you always use at least two layers of glass, if not three, so you consume more glass for the same size project.

Lee · #19 2006-10-13, 6:45am

I am gradually switching over to BE. I have never done *precision* work, even with Moretti - so the soft look does not bother me. As a matter of fact, I prefer the soft, dreamy look. And the fact that it is less shocky. I truly hate shocky......

Greg · #20 2006-10-13, 8:03am

I will look into making some more opaque versions of colors we currently offer. They would most likely be initially offered as "odd-lots".
Thanks for the input.
Greg

CraftymissKim · #21 2006-10-13, 8:16am

I LOVE BULLSEYE!!! My son who is 14 make's fused glass faces and things so any beads that crack or I hate he melts them away. (beads work great for eyes

) Dylan loves the fused glass and with us both using Bullseye nothing goes to waste.
If you are ever in Portland you MUST go check out Bullseye and Visit me. Kim

Chuckie · #22 2006-10-13, 8:35am

Quote:

Originally Posted by Greg

I will look into making some more opaque versions of colors we currently offer. They would most likely be initially offered as "odd-lots".
Thanks for the input.
Greg

Now THAT's service! OK everyone, now's your opportunity to let Greg know which opaque colors to start with. They can't do them all at the same time! If you could pick 5 colors, which ones would you choose?

Here's my list:

0212 - Olive
0164 - Egyptian Blue
0303 - Dusty Lilac
0138 - Marzipan
0013 - Opaque White (might already be dense enough, just not available in rod form yet)

Here's a link to the BE Catalog. Be sure to check out the flat glass color pages to see colors not available in rod form yet.
http://www.bullseyeglass.com/connect...alog/index.php

Char

Greg · #23 2006-10-13, 9:24am

I was thinking of asking the same question. Give me 5 of your favorites.
Also, 0013 opaque white was released in rod form about a year ago and is in stock.

Greg

Chuckie · #24 2006-10-13, 9:41am

Maybe it was the 0013 powder frit I was waiting for... You can replace the white on my list with 0301 Pink!

Kalera · #25 2006-10-13, 9:47am

Have I mentioned that one of the things I love MOST about Bullseye is how responsive they are to suggestions???

Deb Hopeful Journeys · #26 2006-10-13, 9:52am

I haven't switched to just using BE, but here are a few comments that I have been hearing from friends and thought I would share.

They like the fact that BE is CONSISTENT with colors.
It is an American company.
Shipping is reasonable
Prices.

I think that is an awesome list of positives. I will be watching this thread and am very excited to see Greg step in here and address the opaque issue!!

Way to go!!

BonfireBeads · #27 2006-10-13, 9:58am

Here's my list in order of importance (to me at least):

0116-Turquoise Blue
0203-Woodland Brown
0212-Olive Green
0146-Steel Blue
0124-Red

I could go on and on, lol!

nagibeads · #28 2006-10-13, 10:55am

0301 Pink Opal
0142 Neo Lavender
0334 Gold Purple
any of the gorgeous caramel odd lots
and a super opaque 0013 Opaque white
are the top 5

but others that would be nice are

Sugar Daddy odd lot
0312 Pea Pod
0421 Petal Pink
0144 Teal Green

bclogan · #29 2006-10-13, 11:15am

I want a red and a blue that are suitable for RWB beads. And I want a Green, to go with above red, for Red/Green Christmas stuff.

Fuschia/Magenta
grape Purple

Abacus Beads · #30 2006-10-14, 6:38am

Bullseye Rocks..........I am slowly switching over, I like the way it melts, and the colors are great. I've even done some color mixing to come up with lighter or darker shades.
Liz R