The 10% rule

noora · August 03, 2009, 05:15:39 PM

I've read about the 10% rule, that you can use small amount of glass that has another COE, as long as you keep it down below 10%. I just want to make sure before experimenting with this - does it matter what COEs the glasses have, or should they be at least somewhat similar COE? Will a few dots of bullseye work on moretti glass?

And if the bead shatters due to incompatible COE, when does it do that? Can it shatter at that moment when it's just about cool enough to go into the vermiculite, before I have put it in the safety of the bucket? I don't like shattering glass, rods that shock make me jump every time...

Mary · August 03, 2009, 07:06:07 PM

Bullseye doesn't work with 104, it's too different. Also furnace glass (frit and Reichenbach colours) are usually leaded, so that helps reduce incompatibility issues.

Sometimes they shatter during cooling, sometimes a while after annealing, dots pop off etc. It will only shatter completely if it's inside rather than on top. Hope that reassures you!

noora · August 03, 2009, 09:21:34 PM

Thank you for the reply! Then it's as I suspected :-) I have loads of dichroic bullseye/compatible glass that I use for fusing, but if I want to try it for lampwork I'll have to get some bullseye rods or cut up some of the bullseye glass sheets. The lampwork rods I have are moretti. I considered buying bullseye rods instead from the start, but they're harder to come by.

Mary · August 03, 2009, 11:16:00 PM

You could use Bullseye with Reichenbach (not the 104 range of course) Gaffer or Zimmermann using the 10% rule, they are 92-96 so they are closer to Bullseye than Effetre.

Trudi · August 04, 2009, 08:18:14 AM

Noora
Off-Mandrel sell bullseye rods!

Zeldazog · August 04, 2009, 08:59:38 AM

And Warm Glass uk do too!

noora · August 04, 2009, 10:09:02 AM

Thanks for the tips. I will soon need more moretti glass too, some of the colours in the "mix pack" of moretti are running out quickly

Or would it be better to focus on just one range, so that you don't accidentally mix them?

Trudi · August 05, 2009, 11:48:21 AM

I keep my BE well labelled and keep them separate from the 104!

Veebee · October 10, 2009, 12:24:53 PM

I lust got a small rod of dichro from Off Mandrel, and I was hoping to be able to use a small amount on the inside of a bead. I have almost exclusively 104 glass, though I do have some gaffer clear. Can I make encased stringers with the dichro & gaffer, if so, how?! Then if I use that with mainly gaffer clear, but just use small amounts of 104 to colour the suface of the bead, might that work? I'll be sad if I cant plat with my teeny dichro rod

Magpie · October 10, 2009, 06:43:25 PM

I don't know about the incompatibility issues, but I know that you cannot stretch the dichro rod into stringer. the dichro coating will stretch and you'll not be able to see it. I think that's why it already comes stringer width.

Veebee · October 10, 2009, 06:46:36 PM

Gutted, but thanks Helen, I won't waste my litte rod trying that now!