I have just about all of them I think, apart from the DH one. I use 006 for general stuff and Reichenbach for anything that the encasing is really vital on. Oh and Schott with Bullseye or Bullseye's own clear.
Is it so impossible to make a clear that isn't scummy? I've even taking to cleaning every rod with glass cleaner and I already nip the ends off. Bubbles I can live with but not scum!
I like Schott most but I don't want to use the more expensive glasses all the time.
Does anyone else hate it when the rods come bound together with black tape? It always leaves a sticky residue. Masking tape is better, or paper wrapped.
Rant, rant, rant :) I'm just sick of dirty and shocky clear, I might take up cross-stitch or quilling again....
Hehehe, that'll be the day! I know what you mean though. I have some of the latest batch of 006 which is quite good. I'm really enjoying using P&T clear now, which is very bright, and Schott clear with my bullseye, again a lovely bright clear. I still haven't found a 104 clear that I'm completely happy with either.
Lauscha is the one.
006 I've found is good most of the time, but I have to watch I don't scorch the end sometimes.
I've one rod of Lauscha clear I had as part of all that glass and frit I bought a whikle back. Even on my Minor it's a beggar to melt? I'd actually wondered if it was boro it was so hard. Isn'r scummy though.
I really get on with 006, I do nip the ends off and clean each rod too.
I prefer Lauscha clear as well but don't buy the thicker rods, it takes forever to melt them. I usually use Lauscha for encasing beads but please keep in mind that Lauscha and silverglass don't always like eachother!
My second choice is Reichenbach 104.
The best clear however is Aether, haven't tried it myself yet as it is quite expensive.
Quote from: Trudi on July 31, 2011, 06:47:21 AM
I really get on with 006, I do nip the ends off and clean each rod too.
Have to confess that I do too, but I know lots of people swear by Lauscha. I also quite like my vetrofond, but you really do have to give it a good clean and make sure the ends are nipped off and don't overheat it. :)
All the Lauscha rods I have, from the stash I bought and the new rods that came last week, are really thick. I assumed it was always thick rods.
They do tend to be quite thick - there are two Lauscha clears however, and it sounds as if you have the one that is harder to melt, rather than the Lauscha soft, I think it is?
I just got rid of a whole kilo of Vetrofond (HATE it intensely)!!! I don't have any problems with 106 though as long as you don't work it to hot, that seems to be the only time it scums (and I'm realy bad at cleaning my rods first)! :-\
I am a 106 girl too and I am crap at cleaning my rods first and as Kathy says as long as you don't over heat it is fine or maybe i am lucky!?
My very favourite clears are 96 COE, the uroboros and gaffer. Not much use with 104 though! ::)
I think I'll have to keep nipping off the scum :)
I dislike vetro clear too, but it's great under other colours to eke them out.
I like Reichenbach clear, never had a problem with it myself.
And as for tape on glass rods coming from suppliers. gah, I do a little roar, like a dinosaur when I see it on glass ;D
I whip the rubbber bands off quick too, when they perish they leave marks on the glass.
My glass stash is covered with garden dust and Molly hair. She likes scent marking them. I keep telling her she can't have them, she keeps claiming they are hers ;D
Quote from: Blue Box Studio on July 31, 2011, 09:46:30 AM
All the Lauscha rods I have, from the stash I bought and the new rods that came last week, are really thick. I assumed it was always thick rods.
They do thin rods too, but because it's all handpulled, thinner rods take more time and so cost more to buy. It also depends what the factory has at any point in time because they use the furnaces for other things too, so you kind of have to grab what they have when they have it. (I'm getting thinner rods of some colours as and when I can - olive's a priority cos people get put off by the size!)
8-10mm rods of standard clear shouldn't be a problem to melt on a Minor, though.