How many lbs of glass should I buy to start off?

[ShellyJo1969]

Yeah I know, as many as you can afford! I guess that's not really a good question...let's try a new one.

How about this: How many beads could you make with one average 13" glass rod? I mean I know they come in different lengths and mm wide, but you know, medium sized?

I don't know how far a 1lb goes? Since they are often sold in 1lb lots I'd like to get educated on how far that goes...for an average size bead..yes I know beads come in all sizes...Come on work with me here people! Geez, I thought I was anal! HAha

I just don't know wheather to by 1lb or 10lbs or what?

I found some good prices here and there on devardi, but I've heard it's liable to explode in my face and since i've never even made a glass bead yet I think I'd better hold off. Probably go with moretti/vetrofond/those seem to be less pricey,
Michele

[FairyVerre]

Reichenbach melts easily or CIM - tuxedo or hades, white, clear and a couple other of your fav colors like thai orchid and saphire and creamsicle, just dont go too crazy (its hard not to, I know). 6 or 7 colors should be plenty. Start with that and remember white or black dots look good on anything.

[Damselfly]

If you order from many of the vendors, you're not required to get a full lb of any one color. Most vendors sell in 1/4 increments, and some even sell by the rod. I'd def get a selection if you're just starting out.

When I started, I got a pound of dark ivory, black and white, and then a prepackaged assortment of opaque and transparant colors. That let me know what colors I liked and would want to order again.

as to how many beads you can make with a rod of glass, it depends on how big the bead is and how many colors you put into it. Generally, I can make three beads with each rod of whatever I'm using for my base color, because I layer different colors onto it. Other colors might make more beads because I use less of it, for decoration only.

[JoeDeM]

Originally Posted by ShellyJo1969

Yeah I know, as many as you can afford! I guess that's not really a good question...let's try a new one.

How about this: How many beads could you make with one average 13" glass rod? I mean I know they come in different lengths and mm wide, but you know, medium sized?

I don't know how far a 1lb goes? Since they are often sold in 1lb lots I'd like to get educated on how far that goes...for an average size bead..yes I know beads come in all sizes...Come on work with me here people! Geez, I thought I was anal! HAha

I just don't know wheather to by 1lb or 10lbs or what?

I found some good prices here and there on devardi, but I've heard it's liable to explode in my face and since i've never even made a glass bead yet I think I'd better hold off. Probably go with moretti/vetrofond/those seem to be less pricey,
Michele

1lb doesn't go far if you want a variety of colors, and you usually get a price break, if you buy 5lbs or more. first time out I picked up 30lbs just to get the the maximum price break. I'm all about getting the best deal.

[MelanieG]

My recommendation is to start out by buying single rods or 1/4 LB bundles of any one colour until you figure out what colours you really like to use.

If I were just starting out today, I'd buy 5-10 LBS of assorted colours in quarter pound bundles, or even just a couple of different assortment packs (CiM, Effetre), 1/4# Ivory, 1/4# black and 1/4# white and then go from there.

How many beads you can make with one 13" rod depends on how big your beads are. For average beads, I think it's safe to say you could get 5-6 normal sized beads or more out of a rod. If you make giant beads like I do, you can get three or so beads out of a rod.

[KEW]

Sample sets are a great way to start out for color. Add 1-2 lbs each of white, black, and clear.

[Elizabeth Beads]

I will use most of one rod in one bead if I am making a cat, for example, and I don't make ginormous beads. I have also made 14 donut spacers from a rod of Bullseye, which is longer than the typical Effetre (which is really 1/3 of a rod, but most vendors cut them in 3rds for shipping, and that has become the standard).

I would get 5 lbs. to start out in 1/4 lb. increments. You might go with 1/2 lb. each of black, white and clear, plus 1/4 each of light and dark ivory. When you find out what you like you can order more. I typically order 1 lb, sometimes 2, if I like a color and it is on sale.

You also may find sampler packs with one rod of many colors and sometimes they are included in sales. That is a good way to try out a lot of colors. Don't forget to check the Garage Sale too, sometimes people sell off lots of 104 colors.

A final thought. If there is a Hobby Lobby near you, they carry some 15 oz. tubes of Effetre pastels, transparents and filigriana. With a 40% off coupon (frequently posted on their website), you cost will be under $10. The colors are basic, but when I got started, I bought several tubes this way and it gave me some variety to play with.

[tasminann]

Hmmm, how many beads for a rod of glass? I'll assume a standard size rod (13" more or less).

For spacers, I can make probably about 10, fairly small.

For my standard SSL or button beads, I can make 3 or 4.

(This is assuming there's no decoration on any of these.)

Get plenty of the standard colors (black, white, clear, ivory) and then 1/4 lb bundles of some other used-often colors (aqua, turquoise, coral, etc.)

Then try a vendor that lets you buy 1 rod to try out a color -- I just bought a whole bunch of CIM colors that way, to try out and see what I liked.

Glass can go faster than you expect, so get at least 10 pounds if you can, to start out. And when that box comes with your order...wheeee! It's like Christmas!

[SuzyQ]

A set of beads like this weighs one ounce. One pound of glass would make 96 of these beads.

I would buy 1/4 pound of the inexpensive glasses and one rod of the others to start and increase amounts as you learn what you love. I still have most of my original pound of petroleum green I purchased 5 years ago

[Kym]

I suppose it depends on how much you are paying for postage. I would start with at least a pound of clear, black, white, light and dark ivory. Then a couple of sample packs of a variety of colours in Effetre or vetrofond. In a week or two, what ever colours you used most of, buy a pound and the rest of the more used ones in 1/4 pound lots. Treat yourself to a 1/4 pound or so of something more 'exotic' like a Cim colour or reichenbach or even a silver glass. Until you start using even your basic colours, you won't know how they will work for you on your torch and set up so you don't want to invest in multiple pounds until you have trialed them.
It is a bit like saving in the bank, start small and work away at it until you have a 'stash'. Thats what we like, having a 'stash'. LOL
Devardi is very well priced, and if you pre warm the rods, its not so shocky.
Keep an eye on the Garage for small lots of frits and extras for decoration. That way you haven't invested a lot in something you may not like or use.

Work towards the beloved 'stash'.

Cheers
Kym

[chrissij]

Originally Posted by tasminann

Hmmm, how many beads for a rod of glass? I'll assume a standard size rod (13" more or less).

For spacers, I can make probably about 10, fairly small.

For serious?!?!!?

I can make 10 spacers outta' about 2" of one rod.

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I tend to purchase in 1/4 lb increments because I do make smallish beads, and melting glass is a hobby for me. My only regret has been not buying enough Terra.

On the white, black, clear thing that everyone says you must buy. I think I still have the majority of the first white, black, and clear I purchased, so it all depends on the person.

[tasminann]

Originally Posted by chrissij

For serious?!?!!?

I can make 10 spacers outta' about 2" of one rod.

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And your beads are darling, too! (I wish I had your coordination -- your work is lovely.)

[Kevan]

How much can you afford?

[chrissij]

Originally Posted by tasminann

And your beads are darling, too! (I wish I had your coordination -- your work is lovely.)

That's so nice of you to say!! Thank you. Your beads are beautiful.

I really like the "darling" adjective. I typically get "cute". I got "cute" the entire time I was growing up as well. (To my entire 5 feet of height.) I always wanted to be pretty, or striking, or attractive...

Nope, I'm "cute".

[tasminann]

Thank you, too! Hey, just realized your are a Floridian too -- we're just at opposite ends of the state! (I love North Florida -- you actually have seasons up there!)

[PerfectDeb]

i bought a sample pack of every moretti colour when i started - it was so much fun to unpack!

then i went back and bought white, black, intense black, ivory, clear, periwinkle, pea green, and edp in 1/4lb lots

now i'm up to buying clear by the pound

[crystalflipz]

Bill at Moretti and More often has lots of "shorts" in 1lb and 5lb increments. These are mostly broken rods of COE 104 glass packed in a box. This can be a great buy - I've gotten some rods of really difficult to get glass this way - mostly unlabeled, but if you are starting out, a great way to get a variety of colors to play with.

[Karen Hardy]

Originally Posted by KEW

Sample sets are a great way to start out for color. Add 1-2 lbs each of white, black, and clear.

What she said.
I started off with sample sets and it was the best way, I think, to
discover what colors I like and didn't like BEFORE I invested money
in the glass.

[bshelle]

I'd buy lots and lots of clear, too. It's a cheap(er) base for alot of other more expensive colors, and you can practice encasing, and all kinds of things.

When I started I bought a mini rainbow of colors in 1/4lb lots.

[Moth]

I too started out with a sample pack.

I highly recommend a sampler- BUT (why is there always a but?)- try to pick a sampler that mainly has regular glass rods. I bought my sampler 7 years ago and I still have 90% of the filigrana rods, opalino rods, alabastro rods, etc. If I had it to do over again that is the only thing I'd change. I'd get a sampler without all that stuff and get more clear, black and ivory instead.

This gives you a very good indication of what you will like, what you will hate, what you need more of and what you hope to never see again as long as you live.

I do recommend getting some of the fun special colors though- I think colors like opal yellow, copper green, edp...the reactive ones that are fun to play with are a great addition to the standard colors that are included in most samplers.

I work pretty big and can use up to 3 rods of glass in a single bead- I made a tab shaped focal last night of a girl sitting cross legged holding a pumpkin- it took a whole rod of dark transparent purple just for the base bead. And then there are the smaller florals that I can usually get 3 out of a rod.

It all depends on how you want to work.

I will always recommend the sampler because you don't know what you want to do enough to know what to buy and a sampler gives you a little taste of everything.

~~Mary

[lunamoonshadow]

What Karen & Mary Moth said are DEAD ON.
Seriously, before you spend a zillion $ on glass (and you will, trust me ) get samplers, but DON'T get the "standard ones" that have filligrana, opalino & alabastro in them...they're just nightmares for new folks .

A half pound of clear (a pound if you think you want to encase )
A half pound of white (a pound if if you're into white )
A half pound (or a quarter pound) of black
A half pound of ivory--dark or light, it's not really *that* important when you're "new" (a pound if you're in love with the way reactives look--it took me 3 years to decide I "liked" reactives--I started out doing "brights"--just started using ivory *this* year )

A CIM single rod of each sampler from Frantz (that's up to like 70 colors now!)
A Reichenback 104 single rod of each sampler (I STILL don't have one of these!) from Olympic Color Rods
A single rod sample set of opaque rods moretti
A single rod sample set of transparent rods moretti
(Howaco Glass will sell to you by the single rod so you can "pick & choose" & LEAVE OUT the alabastro/opalino/filigrano rods & only pay for the standards--she'll also charge you by *exact weight* of the rods, so you're not paying for an "assortment" & "lable" charge on the standard colors--which is a HUGE benefit when you're just starting out--saves you $$ & you avoid the rods you'll likely not use for 5 years anyway )

Save the last 1-2" of each rod as you melt it--the bit with the paper lable on it--if it's a color you want to order "more of"--then you'll know EXACTLY what you loved--(and what you hated )
~luna
(it will take you a batch of melting to try out all those colors on top of black/white/clear/ivory!)

[piedradesigns]

Great suggestions so far. Buy as much as you can afford right now, and then buy more whenever you can rationalize it—I mean whenever you need it.

[ShellyJo1969]

Originally Posted by piedradesigns

Great suggestions so far. Buy as much as you can afford right now, and then buy more whenever you can rationalize it—I mean whenever you need it.

Rationalize it....Hehe!