Bubbles in glass

[Scooch]

When using clear glass, I have gotten small bubbles in the glass. One possible sorce is from the way that I am making the gather. I am heating the glass and folding it over on itself. I tried several times not doing this and still got some of the bubbles. The faint white line in the pic of the marble is not a scratch, but a line of small bubbles in the glass.

[Scooch]

Oops. The pic did not come through. I'll try again.

[shawnette]

Lol. I guess I should have been more specific. The tiny bubbles (scum) are caused by scratches or impurities in the rod. You have to clean your glass really well and peel off any scummy areas. Soft glass clears are notoriously scummy.

[Delilah57]

Just sent you a PM. Any other way I can help please let me know. Delilah

[Scooch]

Thank you for the info. I will put it to good use.

[amyhoust]

I have this problem too. I think sometimes it is caused by crappy glass, sometimes because I heat the clear too fast.

I seem to have better luck with thicker diameter rods.

But may I ask what you PM'ed to the original poster? I still have not solved this problem for myself. I don't know how to "peel" glass either... can somebody explain this to me?

[barbbbeads]

I HATE peeling glass and have to do it everytime with Moretti/Effetre clear, even with the new clear. No matter if I use a small 6 mm rod or the 10 mm rod, I still come up with the bubbles. Drives me nearly insane. Last night I dug out one of the last remaining rods I have of Lauscha in the 6 mm size. Wrapped down on the mandrel from beginning to end without a single bubble and a long bead it is. I know people have lots of trouble encasing with Lauscha clear, but as a base, it's wonderful. And so far, no cracking with any of the other Effetre colors I used on top of it, but I used them sparingly.

[SuzyQ]

Amy, I'm not sure how other people peel their glass but I heat it into a big gather and pick off the scummy parts with tongs while I'm forming the gather. Then pull it back out a bit to make it more rod like. You are right that the fatter rods are much easier to use. I also don't waste my time using scratched up clear rods for encasing.

[amyhoust]

Amy, I'm not sure how other people peel their glass but I heat it into a big gather and pick off the scummy parts with tongs while I'm forming the gather. Then pull it back out a bit to make it more rod like. You are right that the fatter rods are much easier to use. I also don't waste my time using scratched up clear rods for encasing.

I have started doing that when I make clear stringer. But when I'm working on a bead and working the clear to encase, I don't exactly have a free hand to pull bits off. Do you do it before even starting the bead?

[steph1214]

Bigger rods of lauscha reformulated clear is best for me, although i am having some issues with some of them. If i get something yuck i just let it drip if it is a whole section but other than that i am picking with both the mandrel and the rod in one hand while i pick with the other, ugh!!! I mean, we can put people in outer space for freakin' sakes!!
steph

[amyhoust]

Yeah I wish I knew what it was about clear :/ And once you start obsessing about it, its just a downward spiral. You can't win. At least that's how its been feeling to me.

I haven't gotten my hands on any lauscha yet, I can never find anybody selling it. Let's see... my best so far has been the 8 mm vetrofond clear. Also I had one called crystal clear (was that moretti? I can't remember) that was OK but it was really expensive, and it wasn't better enough to seem worth it.

[SuzyQ]

Yup, I do it before I make the base beads.

I am partial to the big 13mm rods of Vetrofond clear. I'm told by a friend of mine that goes through a lot of clear if you are very specific when you call Frantz they will send you ones that aren't scratched. Then it is just the ends you have to pick off.

[SuzyQ]

aahhh, so this is how people peel glass...:
http://www.tumbleweedglass.com/videos.html

[steph1214]

The best place i have found to get the reformulated clear lauscha is from www.Flamedame.com !! Paula is the best and you would swear she lives down the street from you, you get it sooooo fast, the fastest from anywhere i have ever gotten products. Bridgetown glass for bullseye is a close second to that. Great customer service from Paula and the bridgetown folks!!
steph

[PaulaD]

Thanks Steph!! Amy I guess you have not been to my website! I have lots of Lauscha clear! Scooch I also really clean off my rods well before I use them and I pick off the sawed ends with tweezers. As soon as you let the glass flop onto itself you will get bubbles.
Paula

[Scooch]

After scrubbing the hell out of the rods, the amount of bubbles that I am getting is greatly reduced. Thanks for all your help.