[patienthand]

HI,

Lead glass tubing is 90 coe and is the standard glass that neon signs are made of.. look in your yellow pages for sign supplies and ask them to order a case for you. Its cheap compared to other glass.

I use mostly 18mm and 25mm for balls and that comes in 25 lb cases. You can also use 15mm for some of the blown icicle ornaments, and 10 mm for ones rolled in frit, that are smaller, and you can use the ornament caps on those. They make cute necklaces for christmas, or ornaments for a small tree.

The smaller size tubing comes in 50 lb cases, and most suppliers wont break a case. But... you can call a local neon shop and ask them for scrap, or to buy afew pounds from them. They are usually happy to see ornamental glass, and will probably give you all the scrap you can use. But DONT try any glass that is coated with phosphorous, only uncoated. technolux also makes some nice colored tubing, but it gets pricey.

The techniques I will be showing you can use the pre pulled points from glasskolben as well, thats also 90 coe, or dang close to it. Personaly I fing thier pre pulled points to be rather short, and the glass to be thin. I have had them snap in my hand a lot. But if you dont want to pull points, its an easy way to go. If you go that way, get the ones with 2 handles, not just the singles for the techniques I will teach.

But as long as the coe matches in the colored rod and the tubing, you can use any glass

Hope this helps

Candice

if you need more help let me know. One more thing. I would not try to use lead glass with a hot head. The lead glass reduces very easily and you must have a neutral flame or it turns black. But I LOVE the stuff.