Pi Glass now has clear & black!!!

[WhiskerWood]

I just got this email:

Thanks to all of you who stopped by our Pi Glass booth at The ISGB Gathering last month. To those of you who purchased some of our 96 COE cane, we hope you are enjoying it!

We wanted to let all of you know that our P0 CBG (color CLEAR) & P34 Raven (color BLACK) are now available to be shipped. SAMPLE PACKS (containing one cane of each color) can also be ordered.


To place an order, please contact:

Pi Glass

877-762-5370 toll-free phone

206-781-8660 fax

sales@pi-glass.com


We will continue to update you as new colors become available; or you can visit our website at www.pi-glass.com to see what is new.


It was exciting to be among such a talented group of artists. It was nice to meet you all; and as always, we appreciate your input & support.


Best regards,

Chris & Julie Yaw

Pi Glass - Sales

614-934-2232 phone

pi-glass@columbus.rr.com

[Barrie]

I saw your gorgeous stash of Pi Glass the other day Nicole!! Gorgeous stuff - gonna have to check into this stuff! Made anything with yours yet??

[Craftylady]

What is PI glass?

[Anne Ricketts]

Laurie, PI is a new brand of 96 coe glass with some gorgeous, bright colors!!! Nicole thanks for posting this, I didn't get the email!!

[Craftylady]

Thanks Anne! Can you use it with moretti?

[Anne Ricketts]

Nope! It's a 96 coe and Moretti is 104 coe so you don't want to mix them!!

[Craftylady]

I was not thinking! I had a duh moment! Thanks again Anne!

[BillBrach]

Be careful here...

This is a Chinese made cane that has been measured to be as much as 4 points away from its supposed 96 COE. I've also read that only about 60% of the colors available are actually within a tight enough COE range as to be compatible with each other.

Also, in my opinion, the colors are similar to the flood of Chinese lampwork beads flooding the US market. Personally, I'm NOT making ANY beads that look like that might have been made in China. And, if I'm going to buy a 96 COE cane, I'd prefer to support Spectrum and Uroboros, both American companies.

If you are interested, there is a big technical discussion going on right now at Craftweb. Read down a ways, as the technical stuff doesn't start until 8-10 posts down in the thread. http://talk.craftweb.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=3744
You will have to register under your REAL first and last name or they will delete your user ID !!

[Debbie]

Be careful here...

This is a Chinese made cane that has been measured to be as much as 4 points away from its supposed 96 COE. I've also read that only about 60% of the colors available are actually within a tight enough COE range as to be compatible with each other.
!

Huh, when I talked to them at the Gathering, I certainly got the impression that they were based in Seattle and produced the cane there. I bought one color from them there but haven't had a chance to play with it. I will look into that discussion you mention.

Debbie

[pearsonglass]

The difference in COE that Bill mentioned was measured by a competitor. The verdict is still out on the whole story. It looks like some in-fighting in the glass blowers world. I can say that I have made a bunch of suff with this glass and it is all surviving just fine. If you read the comments on the other board just remember that they are coming from a rival of PI.

It is an American company, they just have the glass made for them in china. This is not that uncommon. Even your lark books are printed in China. As far as the colors looking like the Chinese glass beads. That is just fine with me. Our designs and skills will differenciate the beads.
Picasso and Bob Ross could have used the exact same paint and the results would have been worlds apart.

I have also had some succesfull tries at combining Reichenbach and Kugler with the Pi in some fish sculptures that I am working on. I will post some of the results later.

Brad Pearson

[Shawn T]

I am splitting this thread and moving it to the tech area, As I find the information in it very informative. I don't want to see it lost among things being sold in the garage sale items.

[bumble_beads]

I was wondering about this glass just last night. I'm starting to want to try different kinds of glass. Starting to get bored with Effetre, Vetro and Lauscha day in day out. Can I use this with a Hot Head?

[BillBrach]

I have GENERALLY found that the lower the COE, the harder the glass is to melt with a specific torch. So, I'd suspect that the PI cane will be harder to melt on your HH.

Realize that this is just a generalization, as there are many factors that affect the meltability of a particular glass. But, on my torch, Effetre is the easiest to melt, and BE is the hardest of the soft glasses. Spectrum is also harder to melt than Effetre.

[x_phoenician]

What about Satake glass? I read on here somewhere that it was really soft. Would that be good to use with MAPP gas and an HH torch? I looked at their website and they had nice colors but seemed kind of expensive though. Has anyone here made beads with it?

~*Tracy*~

[WhiskerWood]

To be perfectly honest I am disappointed that the Pi glass is made in China…
I am not a flag waver or anything like that (heck I live in Canada now) but I have a problem with outsourcing… especially to China.
This will most likely make me not want to purchase any more of the Pi glass…
Just my 1791

[BillBrach]

Tracy,

I've heard that Satake "melts like butter". So, it would seem that it would be a good fit for you HH users.

I've also heard that it contains a lot of lead (makes it easier to melt and more importantly, much greater COE tolerance) so make SURE you use it with good ventilation.

Bill

[pearsonglass]

Bill is right about the melting point. Pi is stiffer than Morreti. It would work even slower on a hot head.
As far as the china connection. Except for Bullseye, all of our glass is made somewhere else.( Let me know if I am wrong). At least the owner of the company is a family in America. That means the profits stay here. This is not a case of North Americans losing their jobs becasuse of a Chinese factory. I am not a big fan of outsourcing either.

Brad Pearson

[x_phoenician]

Thanks for the safety precaution about the lead in Satake glass Bill. I'm doing my beads outside with a fan under the table to blow air away from me- this should be good enough?

Tracy

[BillBrach]

Brad,

Lets not forget about the Spectrum/Uroboros cane. These are American companies too !!

Personally, I have no objection to the PI cane being made in China. Its just that I don't want to make beads from Chinese cane that might cause people to be 'confused' about the origins of my beads.

Tracy,

A simple test is to use a stick of incense in the flame of your torch. If you can smell the incense, then your ventilation is inadequate.

Bill

[emeraldartistry]

I teach my beginners class on "strips" of spectrum glass on a hot head . Students do well with the 96 coe glass and it's cheap. I have not had a problem with students not being able to use it on a hot head

I have been playing with the PI- Glass and so far I like it. the Yaw's are very nice people and are in Columbus OH so we are going to try to get together with them at one of our meetings.

In the real world I sell electronics - what isn't made in the orient?

Maybe they can make the colors more consistently than the Italians!

Bridget Beck