White Japanese 104 glass from Arrow Springs

[barbaracollins]

I just received mine. I want to know what others do with it and think about it.

I was told that it works best encasing it and pulling stringers to use.

Also, work it really cool.

What do you think?

[ArtcoInc]

Since most colors (including white) tend to spread, creating a sharp white line in stringer and Lattachino is difficult. The Dense White 104 glass from Japan is made specifically so as to not spread.

There are a couple of different formulations of this Dense White glass. If they are fulfilling a large order, Japan will make up one formulation in their large furnace, and make hand-pulled rods. This is what Arrow Springs is selling.

For smaller batches, they make up a slightly different formulation, and make the glass in their crucible kilns. The glass made in these smaller batches are sold as chunks, and you need to preheat the chunks in your kiln, and pull your own rods and stringers. This is what I will be carrying. I have a small quantity on hand, with more on order. I am expecting feedback from some users as to how they like the glass.

Due to the dense colorants used, it is best to work the glass on the cool side. And yes, it is best used as a cased stringer, or for making your own Lattachino.

Malcolm

[dogmaw]

Cased stringer is great with this glass! Do be careful with the propane though. I've found it prone to reduction.

[barbaracollins]

Thank you for your information. I will play with it this weekend and see what happens.

[glassactcc]

Well, I just got mine too. I plan to make stamen cane with it, and also try it for my white base for flowers. I'll come back and show and tell. Malcolm, how much is the glass you will be selling???

[flamebeads]

They (AS) also warned that it devits!!!

[glassactcc]

Yup. it devits and spreads. I tried it for the base of my encased flowers and it didn't work out. I did use it for twisties for pleats and it worked fine for that. I guess for encased canes, it's fine.

[barbaracollins]

AS said that the Japanese encase it, pull a stringer, and use it that way!

[dogmaw]

Yep, definitely encase it if you want to use it as a stringer. White is really a spreader!

[lavendar420]

So what's the benefit of this white over other 104 whites?

[lunamoonshadow]

I haven't seen it, but it sounds like it's "whiter" than other 104 whites--sort of like the "white-white" professional cake-baking people put in frosting to make it brighter? (that stuff loaded with zinc-oxide & if you get it on your carpet, it's pretty much permanant). Painters use similar stuff too. It would make the white less translucent when thinned down to a small amount, so other colors wouldn't show through it as much, &/or the white would also stay "brilliantly white".
Not sure if I'm correct, but that's what I'm reading into the posts above, based on what I know of *other* things made with extra colorants to make them "denser colored" so they can be worked thinner & keep their colors bright/true.