Northstar

Northstar Glassworks INC produce boro glass rods for lampwork. They currently have 116 boro colours in their pallette. Northstar also have a small but beautiful range of silver rich glass rods that are CoE 104. These are sold under the name Precision 104

Here's the user guide - from Northstar for 104 glass (Jan 09) - www.northstarglass.com Thanks to Nancy at Northstar for sending the information and allowing me to share it with you!

Northstar Glassworks, Inc Precision 104 Soft Glass

Users Guide

Basic Striking Guide for Precision 104 Soft Glass

1. Use adequate ventilation for silver rich colors.
2. Use a neutral flame (shortest yellow candle) while making your piece.
3. To strike, remove your piece from the flame until it is no longer glowing.
4. Change to slightly reducing flame by turning propane up or oxygen down.
5. Reheat your piece until the glass is glowing again.
6. Remove your piece from the flame and watch the colors develop.
7. To further develop the colors repeat steps 4-6 until satisfied with the end result.
8. To remove part of all of these effects, reheat at the tip of an oxidizing flame.

Annealing Temperature 940-960 F (504-515°C)

SPC401 Rocio Silver Mist

We recommend you use a neutral oxidizing flame when melting in the glass in the torch when you are ready for final color development. Reduce multiple times and tease the colors out at the back of the flame, several times. The more times you do this, the better the color.

SPC402 Picasso Silver Blue

This one likes a lot of reduction heat, but don't overdo it. Just roll it around in the flame until you see the haze appear, let it cool a bit, and then go back to a neutral flame. Reduce multiple times and tease the colors out at the back of the flame several times. The more times you do this, the better the color.

SPC403 Chagall Dark Silver Blue

A light reduction is all that is needed to get these colors to develop. Turn down your oxy a bit until you get a small, bushy flame. Pass your work in and out until you get the colors you want. The colors pop almost immediately. Let it cool a bit, then go back to a neutral flame. SPC403 Chagall has deeper blues, but you can get a bright, metallic blue finish, and also have iridescent rainbow in spots, depending on how long it is worked.

SPC404 Monet Silver Amethyst

Simply reduce to get amazing colors. A light reduction is all that is needed to get these colors to pop. Turn down your oxygen a bit until you get a small, bushy flame. Pass the glass in and out until you get the desired results. The colors pop almost immediately. Let it cool a bit and then go back to a neutral flame.

SPC405 DaVinci 1 Transparent

We recommend that you use a neutral oxidizing flame when you are ready for final color development. Reduce multiple times at the back of the flame. The more frequently you do this, the better the color. Want to bring the silver to the surface? Use a more reducing ….turn up your gas (or turn down your oxygen!)

SPC406 DaVinci 2 Double Amber Purple

This color is Van Gogh’s younger twin. Work it VERY hot until it is transparent on the surface. Then cool and watch it begin to turn a dark orange or brown. Depending on if and WHEN you encase it, you will get different colors. If you encase it soon after it begins to darken, you will get blues and greens. If you let the dark brown really develop before you encase, you will get more blues and magentas. Depending on how you treat it after you encase, or not, you may get pinks, rose, lavenders and creams. But you have to get it pretty hot to begin with. Use a very neutral flame.

SPC407 Van Gogh Caramel

Work it VERY hot until it is transparent on the surface. Then cool and watch it turn a dark orange or brown. Depending on if and WHEN you encase, you will get different colors. If you encase it soon after it begins to turn dark, you will get blues and greens. If you let the dark brown really develop before you encase, you will get more blues and magentas. Depending on how you treat it after you encase, or not, you may get pinks, rose, lavenders and creams. But you have to get it pretty hot to begin with. Use a very neutral flame.

SPC408 Diamond Clear

This is the mother glass for all Precision 104 colors. Diamond Clear works well with other silver rich colors with no cracking problems. The glass is fairly bubble free. Don’t work it too hot or you will see small bubbles rise to the surface. Experiment with your flame settings to achieve the cleanest clear on the market. Heat this glass slowly in an oxidizing flame. Enjoy!

SPC409 Kandinsky Geen Exotic

This color is like Matisse Red Exotic. It has the same melting characteristics. REDUCE THE HECK OUT IF IT!! Trick: The copper color burns off easily, so you need to reduce and pull out of the flame. You can wave it around to keep it hot, but don’t burn it all off. Keep it out of the flame. Encase. Reacts well with copper green, intense black and ivory.

SPC410 Matisse Red

REDUCE THE HECK OUT IF IT!! Trick: the copper color burns off easily, so you need to reduce and pull it out of the flame. You can wave it around to keep it hot, but don’t burn the copper color off. Keep it out of the flame! Encase, and then shape it. Reacts will with copper green, intense black and ivory.

SPC411 Rembrandt

Wow! This color is a beautiful neon green with tons of silver reactions. Work this color in a neutral to oxidizing flame. After final shaping and details are complete, reduce in a soft, fluffy flame. This will bring out lots of metallic and lustrous colors. Don’t over reduce unless that is the color you are looking for. This is Abe Fleishman’s (the creator of all Precision 104 colors) favorite color because of the wild colors you can achieve.

SPC412 Sashas Silver

Work this color in a neutral to oxidizing flame. This color is really easy to get results from. Heat hot and after shaping, reduce in and out of the flame to get the desired color effect. This color will produce heavy metallic and lustrous tones.

SPC413 Garzoni Giovanna

We recommend you use a neutral oxidizing flame when melting the glass at the torch. When you are ready for final color development, reduce multiple times and tease the colors out at the back of the flame. The more frequently you repeat this, the better the color. Use a little heaver reduction flame (extra propane or natural gas) to bring the silver to the surface.

SPC414 Black Pearl

A light reduction is all that is needed to get the amazing colors to pop! Turn down your oxy slightly until you have a small, bushy flame. Pass in and out of the flame until you achieve the desired results. The colors pop almost immediately. Cool a bit, then continue in a neutral flame.

SPC415 Abes Ivy

SPC-415 Abes Ivy is a light transparent aquamarine blue color that can yield many hues including metallic blues, copper reds and sea greens. When reduced, this color can yield earthy reds and browns. Because of its high silver content it will react very quickly in the flame so be careful not to over reduce. To yield other interesting effects, try encasing Abes Ivy with SPC-408 Diamond Clear or backing it with an opaque color like Bright White or Ivory. This color can be stretched thin, so it is well suited for delicate blown work, stringer application, beads, sculptures and cane work. We recommend use of a neutral oxidizing flame when melting the color in the flame and to achieve the most vivid colors. Wave the piece in the flame to bring out the silver.