New Glass Supplier- Pi Glass - What's it like?

[earth*monkey]

So, has anyone tried out Pi Glass yet? I know a bunch of people at the ORBS meeting a couple of weekends ago got some samples. Have you used it yet?

http://www.pi-glass.com/html/home.html

[Zooziis]

I have used it and I love it. I just placed a big order with them actually.

What I like...
Consistancy...it is a 96 COE, but it's not as stiff as Uroboros (not that I don't like Uroboros, I do, and I buy it from Kalera, who is great, but if people don't like how stiff Uroboros is, this is not as stiff).
Colors...They have some beautiful colors! Cappaccino is a fun, unpredictable, creamy light brown. I have found it to strike darker, and if you don't strike, you can get pretty variations in tone. Silly Putty and Thumb Nail are similar in the way you can strike and that you get variations. The Transilvania Red is beautiful. Doesn't burn easily, as some reds can. Raven (Black), and the two whites (Kubuki and NonFat) are nice and stable. I haven't done a lot of work with them, I can't wait to get my order so I can really test them, but they worked well at first try...
Price...At 27.50 a kilo (2.2 pounds) (if you buy a Kilo at once, $8.00 a 1/4 kilo, otherwise) It's about $12.50 a pound. Not bad at all...no I realize you can still get Moretti for less then that, but not all colors and I'm guessing unless you are intentionally frugal when you order, your order of Moretti Averages about the same when you factor in all the handl pulled colors that are $30.00...I believe the glass is less expensive then Bullseye and Urorboros too.
Compatibility...I have finally found a glass that appears to be compatible with Gaffer Hand Pulled Cane. I use that alt he time and have wanted a compatible Opaque. Uroboros is not consistantly compatible, but this seems to be. I've done some stringer tests and I've made some layered beads and so far so good.
Ease of ordering...The site is pretty easy to order from and the orders ship pretty quickly too. My sample pack was well packaged, and all rods came individually labled, making the organization of a color chart very easy. I have not recieved my large order yet, so I don't know how they do on all packing, but the sample was very good.

Drawbacks?
Colors...A LOT of Yellows and Oranges...so unless you like those two, you have a bit more then the average person would desire of them, in your sample pack. A varied by small color pallet. I look forward to seeing where they go with colors. The transparents are pretty dense...These colors are glassblowing glass in rod form, so the transparents are more intense/dense then they would be, I think, if they were designed as lampworking glass. You can encase them over white, and they are pretty, but you can't use them alone...such as BlackBerry, Atlantis, Fossil, and some others. Probably they would be good for stringer work as well.
Ordering Quantity...In order to get the best price you need to buy a kilo per color...so that is 2.2 pounds, which may be difficult for people to stock up on and still get a nice variety of colors. I wish they worked in pounds as most other sellers do, but I found a friend to split orders with so that worked.


Notes: This glass is made in China. It is made there, and my understanding is that it is a factory owned by the US importing company. I was told that one of the partners is very involved in the China operations, and my live there. This allows them to, according to the rep., assure the working conditions are good and that the people are treated well. If this is true, that is great, as it will give the employees a good alternative to some of the conditions that many of us are concerned about in that region of the world. It is still not a US made product, if that is important to you...And you may want to call and ask questions if you are interested, as this information is from memory and I am not a rep from the company.

Overall, I am pleased with the glass, I have had a lot of fun with it. I found it fun and easy to work with, and I would recommend it.

[earth*monkey]

Amy, you rock! Thanks for such a comprehensive review.

Regarding the company, the guy from PI Glass that I met at the ORBS meeting at Frantz is one of the founders of the Eugene Glass School here in Oregon. John Wiedenmann. Just a little tidbit of info there...

[Lara]

Thanks for the review. I got an unsolicited email from them last week or so and looked at the site, they have some awesome colors. Plus, they are here in Seattle, so I was going to go by the store front to look, when ever I get to SEattle, I'm a ways out.

LL

[Anne Ricketts]

I bought a sample pack at the Gathering and I really need to play with it! I only made 2 bead from the trans red and they turned out pretty! Maybe I'll play with it this weekend! My real test will be a doll. I saw that silly putty color and the other color and I thought those would be perfect flesh tones! Thanks for the tips Amy! :-D

[Zooziis]

Ann, that silly putty is pretty. It is not totally stable, if I remember correctly...Silly Putty, Cappacino and Thumbnail all have some variation in the the color after it's worked in the flame. I made "Silvered Cappacino" and it made a nice burgandy with silver specs when I applied it to a bead made of Silly Putty. I need to play more to know how that plays out, but after my show this weekend I'll have some "play time" instead of just "get beads made time" :)