Reformulated Luscha-not

[simvet02]

I tried a rod of the new reformualted Luscha clear today. No change. As I heated it to use it, it would show fractures about one inch above the heated area. As I would heat up to the fracture it would fracture an inch above that. Heating it causes the same shocky spitting of glass, this time a piece into my hand.

I have a pound of this "new" glass that I'm going to have to baby to work with. I might as well use the old stuff too.

So much for trusting that they had fixed their problems. Why call it reformulated? At least it's as clear as always.

[suzanne]

I've tried some of it, and I must say I like it a lot. Yes it breaks sometimes, but this stuff can take some serious heat without scumming . I've tried some over DH glass, and the beads have not cracked yet. Also it's easier to melt then the regular old lauscha, that stuff is much stiffer and more difficult to melt.The new Lauscha melted like butter

[Chuckie]

So much for trusting that they had fixed their problems. Why call it reformulated?
They didn't reformulate it to handle better in rod form. They reformulated it so it would be more compatible with Effetre glass, specifically so encasements using the new Lauscha would have less cracking issues.

[PittsGlass]

Hmmm. I am wondering about the varied experiences. Maybe their batches aren't consistent yet?

I am still using old stuff, and can't wait to here more opinions on the new stuff.

[suzanne]

So am I, I mean I made beads with it but I'd love to hear what others think of it, and I am very very curious how my double helix and lauscha beads will hold up, I mean I never ever managed to make a DH bead with the old lauscha without major incompatibility problems

[suzanne]

btw Pam your marbles are lovely!

[simvet02]

Well, that makes more sense. Makes me wonder why they didn't fix both problems at once.

I used it to encase a big cobalt blue bead with iris yellow powder that had been melted and reduced. It looks wonderful. Super clear.

Let me think, I don't think I used it with any double helix yet....

[PittsGlass]

btw Pam your marbles are lovely!

Thank you very much:-) I am remembering today, why I switched to marbles. I am dremel cleaning a bunch of old beads for a de-stash. Don't have to clean a marble more than to get any fingerprints off;-) They also ship like a dream.

I have less compatibility issues with the old Lauscha than most. I do use a lot of silver colors with it. I think partially because of the round, hole less shape, and partially because I use a Lauscha core for the marbles and case on the "base" color. Call me cheap, it stretches the color too. :-)

I am glad to hear it is as clear as the old stuff. Change is scary with my favorite clear.

[Dasi]

I have been enjoying the soft reformulated clear. I have made some butterfly murinni with it. I have also made beads using silver glass and silver. I am having no problems with it.
This is the soft reformulated clear. If you look close you can even see the overlap seam of the silver mesh going all the way around the bead. I am having no cracking problems.
123761

I also made this bead including the murinni with the clear. The little bit of scum around the murinni is my fault. I cut it with a taurus ring saw and the saw left scum.

124961

[volkanokaren]

Try annealing the rods

Karen
Volkano Exotik

[suzanne]

Heather!!!! those are sooo pretty ( and dare I say, cute, ornate and intricate:D)

As far as the cracking of the rod part, I don't think there is anything that can be done about that ( exept annealing them like Karen said). It's just thermal shock, and there is no stuff that can be put in glass to prevent thermal shock ( now that would be a fantastic invention wouldn't it )

[PaulaD]

Hi Jan. I just saw your post. My records indicate that you bought the reformulated clear from me. Feel free to return the glass for a refund. I don't make customers keep glass that they don't like or can't work with.
I honestly think that your problem though is the way you are handling the glass. You bought 8 to 10 mm rods and may need to anneal them or preheat them. I suspect that you maybe used to working with thinner rods. The reformulated clear IS much different than the old clear as far as compatibility. It's also one of the cleanest clears available as far as scumming, etc..The Soft Clear also available from Lauscha is the same super clean formula but it melts faster for smaller torches.
As a dealer I can buy just about any clear that I want to. I decided to import a lot of the Lauscha clear after testing all of the clears myself in a most unscientific average, bead maker way (Working on a Lynx and Regalia).. Oh and I have about 100 beads with Lauscha clear and Double Helix sitting on my counter top since November with no cracks as well as some Trautman Silver colors encased with the new clear. You can see one in my Green Dali thread in the sale rack...
Good Luck with it if you keep it. Or you can return it..
eta The only color that we know of so far that the new clear doesn't like is ASK brown.
Paula

[Dasi]

I would be willing to bet that most clears do not like the ASK brown. I have given up encasing my ASK colors. ASK is great for organics that are not encased!

[PaulaD]

I would be willing to bet that most clears do not like the ASK brown. I have given up encasing my ASK colors. ASK is great for organics that are not encased!


I agree! And we can't really blame Lauscha for that!
Paula

[simvet02]

Thanks for the offer Paula but I can hardly blame you. I do preheat it but even when I have it melted down and am in the middle of using it it continues to shatter up the rod. I will try annealing it. Don't know why I didn't think of that.

I will have to try their other clear on my next order. I got the thicker rods so that I could lay down a bit more at a time. My encasing is coming along but still needs work. I do so love the crystal clear look of this glass.

Again, thanks for the offer.

[PaulaD]

Hey Jan. Are you preheating in one of the rod holder things?
I preheat mine on top of my Chili Pepper...
Paula

[Ekkie]

I bought reformulated Lauscha clear from Paula and have had no problems whatsover. It is clean - no scum, melts beautifully and doesn't crack over DH glass. I love it!!

Jenn

[Reenie]

Heather that first pendant is awesome!
I've got the reformulated clear and the reformulated soft due to arrive here any day now. It's tied up in the xray room but I hope it was released today:-)
Haven't tried the soft so this is going to be fun ...if I ever get a chance to torch.
I'll share my experiences when I get it in. I ordered the 4-6mm and the 6-8mm in both soft and regular!

[these jewels rock]

Heather, those beads are gorgeous!!!

[PaulaD]

I bought reformulated Lauscha clear from Paula and have had no problems whatsover. It is clean - no scum, melts beautifully and doesn't crack over DH glass. I love it!!

Jenn

Thank You Jenn!! That's what I have been trying to tell people!](*,)
And it's reasonably priced as well!
My sea shipment will be even more inexpensive as I bought a lot of it and paid cash so that we all could get a decent price!
\\:D/

Paula

[glassdream]

Hey all-it has been a really long time since I have posted. I work at the torch 7 days a week and sell on ebay. ANYWAY.....I was looking at this thread and wanted to ask if anybody else is having problems with finished beads shattering when encased with Lauscha clear-not just cracking, these beads practically crumble in my hands when I take them off the rods. I am wondering if someone sent me a mislabeled or "bad" batch! I have NEVER had this problem before and use Lauscha clear on just about everything. I lost an entire days work yesterday-anybody else experiencing this?? Thanks-Vanessa

[PaulaD]

That happened to me once when I mixed 104 with boro clear.

Paula

[glassdream]

This stuff was labeled as Lauscha clear and was bundled and I didn't take them apart and put them in different places or anything-I always take a permanent marker and label clear rods I am using so they don't get mixed up. It is happening over DH colors as well as good 'ol Moretti colors-I don't get it! -Vanessa

[PaulaD]

Your vendor may have mixed it up. Very easy to do when there is a lot of glass coming in and going out. :grin:

Paula

[carolanne]

I am sorry this is happening to you.

It makes me panic when this happens because I have never lost a bead and I spend hours upon hours trying to make encased beads crack, because that's kind of my sacred duty. I mix Lauscha and Moretti and silver foil and encase it over and over and over trying to make cracks happen. So far I have not had any problems with cracking at all.

May I ask what your kiln program is?
How big are the beads?
Are you batch annealing? (hey it's worth a shot... We already had that happen...)
What kind of torch are you using?
Concentrator, generator or tanked oxygen?

I need to know what colours you were encasing too - colour names and if possible, numbers. Please don't be offended but there are certain colours that are known not to like being encased.

I hope we can get to the bottom of this.

Kind regards,
Carol Anne

I am sorry if me asking these questions rubs you the wrong way, but before I investigate an issue, I have to get some basic questions out of the way. I also try to duplicate your working conditions.

[glassdream]

Thanks for responding Carol Anne-I use a JenKen that has fire brick and a bead door so they go right in the kiln and then when I am done I just turn it off. I am using a Minor with Oxycon. I last used Triton by DH and Moretti teal-but actually I think Paula is right about the glass getting mislabeled-I am doing what I have always done and never had a problem until now ](*,)-I'll have to root through my stash and see if i have more Lauscha clear to use. Thanks everyone!! Vanessa

[PaulaD]

Vanessa,
The best way to figure out if it's boro clear is to try it on a boro bead and then you will know right away. I can stick some boro in an envelope if you need it. The exact same thing happened to me and it turned out that I had boro clear and not 104 clear....
Paula

[agw]

Hey Jan. Are you preheating in one of the rod holder things?
I preheat mine on top of my Chili Pepper...
Paula

Paula,

I hope you don't mind me asking, but I'm a real newbie and am trying to learn on my own. I just bought a Chili Pepper, picked it up today actually and haven't even turned it on yet; and wondered how you do this.

Do you just lay the rods on top? Do you have a tray of some kind on top of the kiln you lay the rods on? Do you place them on the cold kiln and use them once it is heated up?

I'm looking forward to encasing and having a kiln to prevent my beads from cracking right away So far with a crock pot, every single one cracked.

I appreciate any and all help immensely!

[PaulaD]

I just lay the rods on top. Just be careful picking them up because the entire rod gets hot. You could also place them half way into the annealer and let them warm up as your annealer warms up. Your Chili Pepper should end the crock pot cracking stuff.
Hope this helps..
Paula

[glassdream]

Well, this is getting even more interesting, :shtf:and extremely frustrating to say the least.:wtf:..I tried encasing with Bullseye clear over other Bullseye and the SAME THING happened-shattered and cracked beads. The ONLY thing I changed was the filter on my oxy-con, a couple days back. Even if the flame is melting glass could there be a situation like the flame just isn't quite hot enough?? That sounds weird I know, because the glass is melting just fine so you would think there is plenty of steady heat. What I am using is most definitely not boro....I have boro clear and it takes a lot longer to melt on my torch. And, I tried an old Lauscha clear I found that I previously had excellent results with. I noticed that when I turn the oxy on after lighting the propane the guage is not staying higher that about 3-3.5 LPM now-The candle on the flame looks just like always but I also have been having problems with the flame "breathing" up and down, almost turns by itself to reduction flame and then back up. Could it be a problem with the oxycon??-Thanks--Vanessa

[suzanne]

problems with an oxicon will not shatter your beads. Do you have pictures of your beads, you might have used somethign wich is incompatible, or the beads might have cooled too much before you put them in the kiln or in a fiber blanket, this causes thermal cracks

[ejralph]

If you are just turning your kiln off when you are finished, it could be that the beads are all cooling too quickly? Maybe try ramping down on the heat. Lausha and Bullseye are both less unforgiving to quick temp drops than moretti I have found. Even with brick kilns they can lose heat at first very quickly.

Emma

[glassdream]

I have been doing exact the same things with the exact same glass for 4 years-I know the glass I am using is compatible because last week it was fine...the same stuff!! I keep Bullseye in a different place too, and I used that very same same Bullseye last week for ecasing with perfect outcome. I have used the kiln the exact same way for hundreds of beads for 4 years and never had one problem....so this is a true mystery. Hafta go to work today so tonight I am going to try again. I know it sounds like the glass is incompatible but I KNOW it's the same glass I had perfect results with last week and beyond in the past. I keep it in the same place and have picked rods from the bundles I am using now for several weeks. I am really stumped :mad: I know there is an explanation, I just wish I knew what it was LOL. Thanks to all who have offered suggestions...it's a relief to have a great group of people to to tell your catatastrophes to HAHA-I'll figure it out eventually. Vanessa

[suzanne]

Now I am really curious to see what is going on with your beads

[glassdream]

Thanks-me too.!!!! It's really bugging me because this is how I make the majority of my money. EEEEK! I have a coral set on ebay that I finished last week-ID is vanessahyg and those were made with CIM glass, Triton from DH and Lauscha clear and they are fine! Go figure.](*,)

[PaulaD]

I'm afraid I am clueless about what could be wrong..
Paula

[agw]

I just lay the rods on top. Just be careful picking them up because the entire rod gets hot. You could also place them half way into the annealer and let them warm up as your annealer warms up. Your Chili Pepper should end the crock pot cracking stuff.
Hope this helps..
Paula

Thanks Paula!

[ejralph]

Is it possible that your kiln is on the blink? Maybe it is reading the right temperature, but actually is not getting as hot as it did last week and so you are garaging / annealing lower than you think?

Either way, something or other has changed on you for previous safe glass to now be exploding. I think I would investigate the kiln myself.

I can't see that changing the filter on the oxycon would make a great difference. I suppose theoretically if the flame were hotter now, and how heat can affect coe of the worked glass, it could be possible that previously safe combos were now not working. Just I can't really see it somehow.

I feel for you - this must be amazingly frustrating.

Emma

[carolanne]

Well, this is getting even more interesting, :shtf:and extremely frustrating to say the least.:wtf:..I tried encasing with Bullseye clear over other Bullseye and the SAME THING happened-shattered and cracked beads. The ONLY thing I changed was the filter on my oxy-con, a couple days back. Even if the flame is melting glass could there be a situation like the flame just isn't quite hot enough?? That sounds weird I know, because the glass is melting just fine so you would think there is plenty of steady heat. What I am using is most definitely not boro....I have boro clear and it takes a lot longer to melt on my torch. And, I tried an old Lauscha clear I found that I previously had excellent results with. I noticed that when I turn the oxy on after lighting the propane the guage is not staying higher that about 3-3.5 LPM now-The candle on the flame looks just like always but I also have been having problems with the flame "breathing" up and down, almost turns by itself to reduction flame and then back up. Could it be a problem with the oxycon??-Thanks--Vanessa

:-) After reading your other post and this one, I have a feeling about something. I bet that your bead making skills are improving exponentially, and you are making bigger and bigger and more intricate beads.

Just turning your kiln off, especially if it's a smaller kiln, might very well not be enough. You might need a carefully programmed garage segment, annealing segment, slow ramp to the stress point, and then slow ramp to room temperature, depending on how fast your kiln loses heat. When your beads are no bigger than 1 centimeter in diameter, shutting the kiln off can work, but not once you make anything bigger. :-)

I can't comment on the concentrator - if the glass is melting and flowing, it's hot enough, though the variation in flame and flow would bug me for sure.
:-). Sorry. Hopefully someone else will have some info about the concentrator. :-)

Smiles,
Carol Anne

[PaulaD]

I tried all of my Lauscha rods again tonight and really, except for plain old thermal shock, I had nothing but clear beautiful glass. Really clear,beautiful glass. I do suggest that with fatter rods people try to encase with one swipe and then pick off the thermal cracked part from the rod instead of trying to reheat it. Now another brand of clear that shall stay nameless totally shattered in my hand before I could even get it into the flame.
Paula

[glassdream]

Well, gang, I said screw the other kiln, I'm buyin' a Chili Pepper!! =D>So I DID! Should be here by Monday. The last few test beads I made to check the old kiln were OK but I can't take any chances that the beads I am selling may crack later on (if they haven't already cracked before I get them clean!) The other kiln is a JenKen and relatively new but I have always hated the bead door on it and could not get many beads in at one time. The problem HAD to thermal related. The JenKen will be fine for my dichro fused pendants but I have read alot of good things from those who use the Chili Pepper. I don't have time to keep messing with the other one...I need to sell beads to pay the bills, and this kiln supposedly can hold a whole days work at once which really appealed to me. Anyway, thanks for all the input I got from everyone-I truly appreciate it. :smile:
-Vanessa