Secrets releaved, glass stashes!!!

Pia Kaven · #1 2010-08-14, 7:25am

This might have been asked several times before, and I apologize for that, but I am search impaired!

Anyhow, I have only worked with the Effetre glass myself, that for, I only have few of my favorite colors of Effetre. I also have some Lausha clear, and a sampler of DH silver canes (ive been too afraid to mess it up, by using it for some nonsense...

)

What I am curious about is, how many different kinds of glass you folks have, and how are they distributed? Wich ones you use the most? And do you mix them? Or do you try to make beads using just one manufacturer at a time? What is your favorite and why?

I would love to have some bullseye, but I have been really hesitant to get some, since I only have 104 glass, and I think the first purchase will be really expensive. Do you make 104's 96's 90's and 33's all...?

Lorraine Chandler · #2 2010-08-14, 8:25am

104 COES: Effetre, CiM Messy, Kugler, Vetrofond, Lauscha, ASK ( the older original rods until they are all used up).

Double Helix and most of the silver glass makers in 104 coe.

Some mixing, being ever so mindful of posts on LE about what works and what doesn't.

96 COES: Reichenbach, CiM messy, Uroboros system 96.
Some mixing.

90 COE Bullseye my main squeeze glass and NO mixing.

Pyrex clear rods for punties.

Edited to add...every rod is labeled and put in an area for that brand of glass. I am very careful to keep the workbench cleaned and glass sorted and put away after each session because I do have so many different brands and coes.

mewkittie · #3 2010-08-14, 8:36am

I only use 104 COE glasses Effetre, CiM, Kugler, Vetrofond, Lauscha, ASK, DH and I use them all together but there is some incompatibility between some of the colors.

I have some Bullseye and Boro but I probably tried them once and haven't gone back to using them.

Pia Kaven · #4 2010-08-14, 2:27pm

I ordered some boro... I forgot that, but they are all just random shorts, and then some clear. And my implosion pendant that I tried to make, looked really pathetic, and I havent been back to make more. I think I would love to make boro too, but it seems just way too difficult to figure out without anyone holding my hand...

some day I will post the picture of this pendant, and make you all laugh! If you could only see what I did in my head, before I started making it. It was going to be awesome... but something happened, or rather, didnt happen.

KJJames · #5 2010-08-14, 4:09pm

I have a good stash of Effetre and CiM glass that I used for many years.

Not too long ago I was gifted some Bullseye glass and fell in love with it. So much so that I have started stocking up on Bullseye and use it primarily. I love how firm it is compared to 104 glass and I love the colors.

Having said that, I still like my 104 glasses. I won't give those up. I have a good collection of Thompson Enamels for my 104 glass and love using those. I'm not really ready to invest in those for my Bullseye glass.

I too have every rod labeled and the different COE's are in 2 different storage units.

At this point I don't plan to invest in Boro, but I had never thought I would love Bullseye the way I do!

Pia Kaven · #6 2010-08-14, 4:17pm

i still get every once in a while reminders for the thread bullseye purchase... that was yours? I did not read the whole thread, and I am just wondering where the heck you come by gifted bullseye? Just asking...

I have not even tried any of the silver glasses, or reduction classes, or striking, excluding couple exeptions, more like accidents. I am just very impatient stocker... I need to learn to hold my horses... Especially considering how much I actually have time for torching. Not enough to justify all at once kinda deal.

woozles · #7 2010-08-14, 5:33pm

I use 104 COE effrete, vetrofond, CIM and DH.

I would love to try satake, but can't see setting up for a different COE at this point.

Pia Kaven · #8 2010-08-14, 7:45pm

Thats my biggest thing considering bullseye... different COE, seems like too much to stock up from ground up. It is easier to buy random canes from other 104's that look nice, or might be usefull, but to start from the scratch on one COE is tough! There is so much other 104's I could do before even thinking of other COE's... I need some patience here!

Thanks Vicki, Lorraine, Karen and Susan!

Janetlee · #9 2010-08-14, 7:59pm

I use only BE . I have used 104, and Satake which melts like butter. I prefer BE for the control of the glass and the pinks in BE.
I have have been gifted with some Boro from a very dear friend. But we have moved

and I haven't gotten to try any of the Boro

. All my studio stuff is packed.

I hope to be able to torch once we have my studio building set back up.
Janet

Pia Kaven · #10 2010-08-14, 8:04pm

I had only heard couple of times of Satake, and I googled it. Oh no, not another I like. The colors look really nice, how is the glass otherwise? Does it melt too fast?

Janetlee · #11 2010-08-14, 8:09pm

Satake has wonderful colors. But it melts real fast. Its a learning thing of control of the glass. The black is wonderful in the soda glass. I mainly ordered the soda glass from Dogmaw(Jo) . It is alot like Hemitate glass in BE. It gives the metallic finish on to it.
Janet

squid · #12 2010-08-14, 9:42pm

I use BE, 96, 104 and boro. Labeling is a MUST.

Pia Kaven · #13 2010-08-15, 6:00am

Squid, do you label every single rod? That would drive me crazy

! And while I believe that your stash is HUUUUUGE, I dont think you have come quite clean about your 104... how many different kinds and which ones? And wich glass is your favorite?
You know the first step is admitting

KJJames · #14 2010-08-15, 6:11am

Quote:

Originally Posted by piakaven

i still get every once in a while reminders for the thread bullseye purchase... that was yours? I did not read the whole thread, and I am just wondering where the heck you come by gifted bullseye? Just asking...

Yes, that is me! A friend made some luscious beads out of BE glass. I thought they were made out of Boro because the colors were so intense. She told me they weren't and that they were BE and I had to try it so she would send me some rods. And so, the gift of glass

I thought the same way you did that about not wanting to have what I will describe as the complication of different glass COE's and having to build up the glass. What I have found is that it is the ability to do different things because of having different glasses.

As someone mentioned earlier, BE is a much stiffer glass, so I can use it for more sculptural pieces. I am also learning better stringer control. It is great for hollow beads. As I mentioned earlier, I like my 104 for the use of enamels. Because I have so much, I will often experiment with 104 before BE.

I am slowly building up my BE stash. Not like I did with my 104 stash. I was very hasty with that. Now I have colors that I rarely use. With the BE, I bought a lot of the basics (white, black, clear, etc.) and a small amount of the colors I wanted to choose favorites of. It's working too. My next order will be very selective 1lb amounts of certain colors.

Pia Kaven · #15 2010-08-15, 7:56am

I think I am gonna have to venture to the BE at some point here. And I was thinking of doing it the same way as you mentioned... starting of the favorites, but zeeesh, there is so many of them!
And I have never managed to make a hollow bead, I would love that, and about stringer control, yeah, I need that! Glad you shared all this info, I think I will feel more comfortable to start slowly stocking up on BE. Though there are so many others too, luckily lots of them are 104's. When I grow up (or out) I will be a glass hoarder, thats my dream!

Salado Flameworks · #16 2010-08-15, 10:24am

We have 104, 96, boro and a very small amount of bullseye. We have every clear, black and white rod labelled in every coe and almost all of the other colors. Probably 80% of the rods are labelled. We label the rods on the end with a tiny piece of colored masking tape - blue for boro, orange for 104, yellow for 96. Any odd lots get labelled with the name also. Yes, it is a huge chore at first but it beats picking up the wrong rod of glass and having my marble crack in the kiln. I am also anal about picking up when I'm done and putting the rods away in the proper place.

I use mostly 104 (Effetre, Vetrofond, CIM, Lauscha, silver glasses) but I'm using more and more boro these days. My partner uses mostly 96 (Uroboros, Reichenbach) but she's playing with more boro also.

As a matter of fact it is time to go out to the studio and turn on the AC so it is cool enough to play later.

Have fun,
Peg

Pia Kaven · #17 2010-08-15, 10:28am

There is the great labeling idea that I have waited... color coded tapes! Why didnt I think about that earlier (ok, the answer is quite obvious... no need to color code just one manufacturers glass

) Thanks Peg, that was a great idea, once I have more than one kinda glass

bastetsbeads · #18 2010-08-15, 4:10pm

For several years I worked with a lot of the 96 COE veiled cane and Gaffer Glass/Reichenbach 96. My 104 COE sat off in its bin and I ignored it. But having gotten bit by the silver glass bug, I cleaned up my bins and now about 1/4 of my 104 is silver glass (and expanding). I've also gotten more in to the CIM colors since the first ones I tried several years ago. I've got a little ASK (original colors) and in the 90 COE I have a little Bullseye left but have gotten rid of most of it. I had some boro, but sold it because it's just too hot in Texas to work with it. Also, I am impatient and my torch just doesn't' have the power for it. It's like working in slo mo. (Now with a lot of the 104 silver glass choices, I don't really feel the need for it either so much because of the cool effects you can get with the silver glasses.)

You don't have to "spend" all your silver glass in one place (or piece) unless you like to work big. My suggestion would be to try some smaller stuff first, then you'll find out what you like and know what direction to take and where to spend your money on it next. Make some twisties; layer it on base colors. You just have to keep in mind some of the compatibility issues that have come up here on LE occasionally (like the Laucha clear thing).

Pia Kaven · #19 2010-08-15, 4:54pm

Very good point to use your silver sparingly... I need to remember that! Little does go far. I tried today for the first time my silver sampler from DH, and I am looooving it.
And I do agree about the boro. I bought some, and kinda regret now, since it is sooo hot, and doesnt melt fast enough for me. I work just with minor, and I was whipping that poor lil thang! One blaah try, and I was done!

Elegance_1 · #20 2010-08-16, 5:58am

Pia, where are you in Dallas? I use 104, 90 & 33. I have many, many many lbs of BE in just about every color so if you are interested I can put together some glass, we can meet and you can pick out rods to play with. (free) I live north of Terrell but work in Dallas so meeting after work is never a problem.

If you don't care for your boro, we may be able to just do a trade once you play and decide what colors you want quantity of.

Pia Kaven · #21 2010-08-16, 6:03am

Oh my gosh!!! I live in Plano, I would looooove

to meet some day. Only I work until 7pm (except this coming Friday

) I dont know where Terrell is, but hey, thats probably why I have GPS

I am not the navigating guru, and my GPS is weird, takes me on to de-tours, but so far I have always gotten to where ever I was going.

MagpieGlass · #22 2010-08-16, 6:20am

I have them all (COEs). Mostly BE and Boro.

104 is a little bit of Effetre (basic colors) and silver glass (StrikingColor, DH, TAG). I only still have 104 because of the silver glasses.

You can buy a multi-pak of electrical tape to color code. I had planned to do that but it fell by the wayside. I label several rods of a color and use the labeled rods last. That way I know what color it is. (I print out labels on my computer/or handwrite --- the address kind).

Here is my basic storage. Top shelf is frits, top rod shelf is 96, middle is 90 and bottom is 33. COE 104 is in a corner in coffee cans next to my kiln (the bad child ... sits in the corner) lol. It is a lot fuller now than when this pix was taken.

I work with a single COE at a time and when I'm ready to work with something different I put them away (ha ha usually dump them in a coffee can labeled with the COE they are).

Pia Kaven · #23 2010-08-16, 6:25am

Nicely organized! I am surprised how many different glasses people have, I totally thought when I first started that you are stuck with what ever you choose first... well, I have been stuck, since I didnt know about LE and other glass workers, and all that can be done! Now I am just dying to get my hands on this and that!

MagpieGlass · #24 2010-08-16, 7:32am

Pia,

I know what you mean. My ultimate plan was Boro and BE. But I love the Silvered Glasses so 104 had to stay. And 96 well ... Gaffer came out with Chalcedony and I love frit. With Gaffer I don't have to worry about compatible and layer it on to my hearts content!!! It is quite the addiction. I didn't show you my cabinet with Silver Leaf, shards, mesh, wire, etc.

Enjoy the exploring. Each has its own special characteristic that makes it soo much fun.

Pia Kaven · #25 2010-08-16, 7:43am

Lol, thats what I was afraid of...

I am kinda relieved that my boro experience wasnt so cool as I thought (if you dare me, I might just show a picture of the pendant that I made... and you will laugh until you breath no more!) It defenitely slows down my must-have-that-behaviour. Well, that was the case with boro, but all the others, they just keep coming with this new stuff, and it is all just more gorgeous than the previous. Not fair!

bclogan · #26 2010-08-20, 11:15am

I've been pairing down my stash. I have only a small amount of 104 left, and the Bullseye got thinned. I'm seriously thinking of eliminating that also and just having 96 and Boro. Less confusion. Even with every rod of glass labeled, I STILL manage to mix stuff up and ruin beads. Oh well...

Pia Kaven · #27 2010-08-20, 11:20am

Yeah, that would be frustrating, I have so far only Effetre, except for the clear glass, I have Effetre, and Lausha. And I cant even keep count on which one is one or the other. I cant understand how people do it. Luckily mixing them two isnt too serious, but it still annoys me. But I still am so curious about BE, Precision, CiM, TAG and many others, I am worried that it will get out of control!!! There is so many pretty things to make, how many different glasses am I really going to use???

LemonwoodStudio · #28 2010-08-21, 4:28am

Hi Pia .... I haven't even started torching as still setting up my studio as you know I'm totally new at this! But I already have Effetre, Tag, ASK, Vetrofond, little clear Lauscha and CIM! Bought about 100lbs ++ glass from someone destashing their stock to concentrate on BE I think it was. Studio should be up next week and I can start playing! Will use the tape idea to keep things clear - thanks! Amanda

carolinesbeads · #29 2010-08-21, 8:18am

I only have 104 (Efferete, CIM, Precision 104 and some DH. I haven't been bead making for long and I wanted to get a better handle on beadmaking before I started playing with other COE's. Also I am still on a HH and I don't have a kiln yet, I plan on saving up for those things before I buy different COE glass.

Caroline

Pia Kaven · #30 2010-08-21, 8:32am

Amanda, I cant believe how lucky you were to buy someones whole stash, wow! How wonderful is that. And on the other hand, I can see someone concentrating totally on BE. I cant wait to see what you are going to do, you need to post some pictures soon!
Caroline, I totally know what you mean with trying to get first good in one COE, I feel the same way about even the other glass than Effetre in the same COE! I am hesitant to waste my silver sampler, and on the other hand, I just want next month to come (cause I have met my limit on purchases this month

darn garage sales) so I can order some more of it! I am so glad about the Ambers tutorial of fireopals, really explained well, and after trying it, I dont understand why I have been so hesitant! Little seems to go far...
Pia