Satake glass

[Chemwapuwa]

Hey all

what is Satake glass i read somewhere that you dont need oxygen to work with it. is this true, if so why is it true. I am a beginner and was wondering if this is a good glass to start with, i want to make marbles, pendents and bead.

if you have any examples of work you have done with this glass i would love to see it.

thanks

[jamie lynne]

No oxy needed because it melts at a pretty low temp. I believe Satake glass is typically melted over a burner fueled by propane and an air pump. Anyway... since it melts at such a low temp, an oxy fuel torch would be overkill unless you are planning on going large scale, IMHO.

[HONEYBUNNY72_99]

Melts like butter on a hothead

[ArtcoInc]

Actually, there are 2 different types of Satake glass; Lead Crystal and Soda Lime. The Lead glass has a COE of 120, and the Soda glass has a COE of 112. As such, Satake is not compatible with any other brand of glass, so don't plan on mixing it with anything else.

Satake is made in Japan. It has a beautiful color pallet, typically identified as Japanese. The Lead clear has a stunning brilliance to it.

The glass has a lower melting and annealing temperature than your 'typical' 104 soft glass. These lower temperatures allow you to use one of the Japanese "air-burning" torches (which I sell) or a HotHead.

It doesn't 'flow' the way 104 glass does, and requires a very different working technique; you almost have to 'spread' it as if it were hot peanut butter. If you want to see how this glass moves, I carry several DVDs that show Japanese artists working with this glass.

(I also carry many Japanese books on bead making, as well as a full line of Japanese lampworking tools)

Can this glass be used to make the things you want to make? Absolutely. Is this glass suitable for a beginner? Yes, but ....

Since the techniques used with this glass are different than with 'standard' 104 glass, there will be a re-learning curve when/if you transition to 104 glass. Plus, there are not many artists in the US that have worked with this glass, so getting help from someone with experience with it will be more difficult. Lastly, there are not many glass sellers that carry it.

Malcolm

[Chemwapuwa]

Thank you guys, great info Big thanks to ART ;o)