Morettin Crystal Clear vs. Lauscha Clear
 

I have the opportunity to buy Moretti Crystal Clear at a 40% discount, or continue with tried and true Lauscha clear. Would you or have you switched?

If it's 40% off buy it, try it and if you don't like it, sell it.

Definitely buy it. Personally I like it.

Here's my take on all the clears....

Personally, I like the Lausha because of it's creamyness, but the Vetrofond Crystal Clear is even better quality but more expensive. However, having said that Moretti plays much better with anything that has metal in it - Kuglar clear will crack most of the time (maybe not right away, but somewhere in time it will) if you encase any metal with it (ie. silver wire, silver mesh, or even just fuming with silver) - at least that's been my experience with it - I know some people love it and that they're reformulating it (so no hate mail about that please - I'll try again once reformulated). Furthermore, if you're pulling any sort of large canes (like murini or millifiori), or even just casing latticcino, you generally cannot use Lauscha, Vetrofond, or Kuglar because they all cool two quickly on the surface and cause your canes to be thick, or you end up with "dog-bones" pulls for murini. But I definitely wouldn't use the Moretti Crystal Clear for that!! Use the regular clear as it's cheaper.

But having said all that - I would defnitely buy it to use for casing latticcinos or casing things with metal.

I think it also depends on what set up you have.
I have been having O2 concentrator problems and I have been limited to one small concentrator. I am using Moretti clear to encase, and working small while I wait on the new generator.

I could not get the lauscha hot enough to encase well or fast. I also find the moretti does not scum because again can not get hot enough.
If you do not have a super hot torch then Moretti or Vetrofond might be the way to go. Otherwise, I love lauscha when I am on a very hot torch.

I would buy it anyway......you can always use it for murrinni caps. Or base beads.
Care to share the source after you have bought??? Please??

Thanks all..

I buy just about all my Moretti at 40% off trough Merry Go Round Stained Glass (www.islaga.org/forums see business members). When we reach 100lbs, we get 40% off. I don't know how Mary (owner) feels about shipping or selling to non-ISLAGA members, but joining ISLAGA alone could save you tons of money. Her service is excellent. The glass is always clean and cut nicely.

Thanks for sharing your research on the clear, Dave. That's good to know. We have a lot of people who use Moretti non-super clear for bead bases, like bicones, after Michael Barley's class, too.

Well, I stopped by MGR yesterday to pick up a rod of super clear to see if I could live with it. Off to test for myself.

Thanks!

^^^ Don't you have to live in Indiana to join?

Heather, Lauscha Soft clear will melt fast on your concentrator set up. It even melts fast on hotheads. The other Heather--Heather Kelly-- in the UK has done some nice work with the soft clear and silver colors too. It's all on her website.