Need help with glass selection

[docdana]

I'm really a super newbie at torching. I have a HH and have torched a total of 6-7 times, usually for a good 3-5 hours. I am still so pitiful that I only recently made a fairly round bead! Anyway, I got a "glass assortment" with my torch (this was all a gift from my Mom) and nothing was labeled so I don't even know what brand of glass it is. I am starting to run low on glass and want to continue to try torching but I'd like to know, if you were just starting out, what kind of glass would you use? Now, I know this is a difficult question b/c you're all now experienced, plus I'm sure different types of glass have their strengths and weaknesses. I do know enough to not mix different COE's but I really need your help. All you pros out there, give me your opinion please!!! As always, I thank you for your help!

Dana :?: :???: :-k

[sleekbeads]

I'm certainly not a pro but would suggest starting out with Moretti.
I'm on a HH too and cannot wait til spring to buy my new torch.
I find, really, the only glass I can use without my blood pressure flying through the roof is Moretti.
It's a soft glass so it melts faster than the others.
I have aslo used Bullseye with nice results. (bridgetown glass (kalera)) has an awesome assortment of colors.. just ordered some.
I have a lot of trouble with stringer decoration using my HH... the flame is just to bushy, but if I concentrate and take my time, I can usually get it.
lbsupplys.com or on ebay usually has a terrific assortment of Moretti...
I just bought some great colors.
Hope I have helped a little.!
Joanna

[IF-Designs]

Effetre / Vetrofond 104 COE
www.frantzartglass.com
These will work bets on your hothead.

Clear transparent
Black opaque
Ivory opaque
Dark Ivory opaque
White opaque
Pea Green opaque
Medium Red opaque
Blue Transparent
Aqua Transparent
Amber Transparent
light emerald green transparent
Yellow Opaque
Intense Black (trans/opaque if its thin its trans thick opaque)
periwinkle opaque
cobalt blue opaque

[Moth]

I would think it would be easiest to just buy another effetre sampler pack. They aren't expensive that way, you get one rod of each color and they are all labelled.

That way, once you have a bit more time under your belt, you will really be ready to order your favorites of the group and actually know what their names/item numbers are.

You can get sampler sets of just opaques, just transparents, or you can go all out with a sampler of the whole effetre line.

Don't quote me on this, but the complete effetre sampler is going to have approximately 128 rods in it, depending on where you buy it. Should run you about $100.

More than likely, you will be getting colors you might not like in that large of a selection. But at least you will know.

If you are more practical, buy a transparent sampler, and a quarter pound of black, a quarter pound of white and a pound of clear. Next payday, buy the opaque sampler pack.

Here is a link to a great eBay seller, Monique of Jo-Del Glass. This is her listing for a complete sampler assortment. (http://cgi.ebay.com/MORETTI-RODS-COMPLETE-SET-128-Tagged-Rod-13-Assortment_W0QQitemZ7379685014QQcategoryZ4770QQcmd ZViewItem)

She sells the smaller assortments too.

Frantz is great to work with, I would shop with them a lot more if they took PayPal as payment. :-\"

Good luck and have fun!
~~Mary

[sweetiedog]

I posted a similar question a few weeks ago on WC. They gave me some great advice:

http://www.wetcanvas.com/forums/showthread.php?t=321582

[Samyel]

I'm a novice too. I just went and took advantage of the Moretti Canada sale to pick up a 1/4 pound of many different colours, to play and explore. I'm sticking with the cheap stuff for the most part, but treating myself with a few tricky colours for learning purposes.

Beware of the Moretti purple. It's called EDP (evil devitrifying purple) which means that it can turn a chalky whitish colour and kind of go scummy. There are ways to make it work, but I'm just avoiding it for now. :)

In case no one has explained this yet, Moretti and Effetre are the same thing, just different names. Vetrofond has the same COE and is mixable with Moretti. I'm told Lausha is also mixable, but sometimes has colour reactions.

[GinaJ]

I agree with Mary, you should definitely get a Moretti sampler pack (all colors are nicely labeled), and maybe some extra white and black.