labeling glass rods

lisa@lo.and.behold · #1 2011-01-04, 10:20am

Does anyone out there label every single glass rod that comes into the studio? I have a feeling that I need to, but I have no idea how to pull that off . . .At the moment, i only use COE 104, but I still mix up the close colors

, and I never know what I used on any one particular bead

. What do you do?

lil-mss-sue · #2 2011-01-04, 10:29am

Check this out

http://www.lampworketc.com/forums/sh...d.php?t=182298

Lorraine Chandler · #3 2011-01-04, 10:54am

I do. I use the little peel off avery labels and then wrap them with clear scotch tape because they come off as soon as it gets cold in the garage..LOL

I love that all of my shorts are labeled and when I am ready to use the last of the rod I just burn it off or peel it off.

Here is an example of what I put on my rods:

BE -0124
12/24/2010

or

Effetre-59100
cool color 12/12/2010

Effetre- 591000
ODD 12/12/2010

If it is an odd lot I always add ODD. It helps LE'ers to have the date purchased in case it becomes a very desirable color 'batch' or a bad lot as does happen sometimes.

I label the glass at the dining room table ( covered with newspapers because tiny slivers get everywhere) when my fav tv programs are on at night and get three things done at once....watch my shows, clean and label glass and get it ready to put into the studio..

Lorraine

GlassMigrations · #4 2011-01-04, 12:19pm

Ok, I admit it, Yes, I'm the label nerd who labels "every" glass rod as I get them. I was once asking the same question you are asking today, so you are making wonderful progress!! I really got messed up with the different clears, blacks, whites, etc that I had, especially when I started working with all the different COE's. I now have 3 of those grid metal crates devoted just to 104, one to 96, one to 90 and the last one to boro (33).

It took me a while to sort through all the unlabeled old orders but I did manage to place almost every rod with the correct label.

Here are examples of how I label my rods(I also use the Avery Return Address Labels):

E123104 E=Effetre 123=Color ID# 104=COE
V123104 V=Vetrofond 123=Color ID # 104-COE
VO123104(01/01/01) V = Vetrofond O=Odd 123=Color ID# 104=COE(01/01/01) = Batch date if I have it.
R=Reichenbach, TAG=Trautman, CIM=Creation is Messy and so on.

I do add the batch date of most of my silver glass and for odd batches, if possible. I never used to do this up until a year ago, I wish I had started that sooner. I hope this gives you some ideas.

Puddy Tat Glass · #5 2011-01-04, 12:29pm

Oh ya, I label every rod...too many that look alike, are striking colors, or look completely different from a previous batch. It does make it easy to sort all the shorts when I get ready to fuse them together. But, since I've been labeling by hand it does take quite a bit of time...so, my husband has decided to get me a little brother labeler. It sounds like it'll make the process go faster, but we'll see. They're on sale this week and I'm planning on putting in a BE order in the next few days so I'll be giving it a try pretty soon.

shawnette · #6 2011-01-04, 1:17pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by RetiredinCoquille

Oh ya, I label every rod...too many that look alike, are striking colors, or look completely different from a previous batch. It does make it easy to sort all the shorts when I get ready to fuse them together. But, since I've been labeling by hand it does take quite a bit of time...so, my husband has decided to get me a little brother labeler. It sounds like it'll make the process go faster, but we'll see. They're on sale this week and I'm planning on putting in a BE order in the next few days so I'll be giving it a try pretty soon.

It's actually faster to use the tiny return address labels. You can print a whole sheet and then just peel and stick.

cheng076 · #7 2011-01-04, 3:45pm

I also label all the rods that go into the studio. For years I used the label feature of MS Word and it worked very well. BUT since PerfectDeb was so very kind to program and give away her StashMaster program I have been slowly moving my inventory list over to that and it prints labels while tracking the inventory....great program.
ETA - the StashMaster program is an Access database program that any PC and some Macs can run even without having MS Access just download the free runtime extension.

lisa@lo.and.behold · #8 2011-01-05, 4:29pm

WQW! That StashMaster database is amazing - and way beyond my computer skills. BUT, I'd love to learn it. Thanks for all the good tips. I'm going to pay my 12 yo daughter to inventory what I have and then label as I go!

PerfectDeb · #9 2011-01-05, 11:41pm

i'm glad you like it - version 1.3 coming up with some useful changes

bshelle · #10 2011-01-06, 9:15am

Sharpies actually write on glass pretty well and doesn't rub off. I use them in a pinch, and it's easier to fuse shorts together without labels attached to them.

spixton · #11 2011-01-06, 4:06pm

Yes, and no.

I don't label stuff that is easy to tell apart. The stuff that is iffy, I mark with colored masking tape. Since each color has its own slot/section in my glass storage, I make sure one rod is marked by name/number, I select a color masking tape, put one piece on the rod that has the name/number on it and one piece on every other rod of that color.

In part this is because I'm in love with Washi masking tape. The colors are great. And since its paper, when I get to the end, it burns off cleanly. I used a different color tape for each color glass.

http://www.etsy.com/listing/62398823...pe-7mm-pack-of

Lots of other colors and patterns too. Makes it easy to figure out which striking glass I'm using . . . and where to put it back.

lisa@lo.and.behold · #12 2011-01-07, 6:31am

Love that tape!

Yellow Dog Girl · #13 2011-01-07, 9:54am

Ditto. I label every rod, even if I think they're "easy" to tell apart. I use a similar system to what Lorraine and Tanya use, except I actually write the color name, rather than number (I abbreviate of course). I do add one more bit of info - where I bought it from, next to the date. There aren't THAT many suppliers, so it's an easy add to abbreviate. I will say this last bit has come in handy when I've had to return glass, such as with the Diamond Clear issues. I also make this a TV watching task.....

Polgarra · #14 2011-01-07, 1:13pm

I just started labeling my glass. I am like glass migrations, I clean and label it while watching tv

spixton · #15 2011-01-07, 5:21pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by lisa@lo.and.behold

Love that tape!

me too! I need to figure out more uses as I sort of (cough) overbought and now I see more beautiful colors and patterns that I don't have.

Maybe I'll mark all my glass, not just the ones that are hard to tell apart.

You can also use the same tape to mark your mandrel so in the morning you know which color of glass you used to make that beautiful/awful bead

lisa@lo.and.behold · #16 2011-01-08, 7:44pm

Oh, that is a brilliant idea, Suzan. I already started some labeling with white file folder stickers, but I could get that tape and stick a piece on the rod and the mandral so I can know what I did when it comes out of the kiln. That might actually be MORE useful than the labeling . . .

FyreByrd · #17 2011-01-08, 9:45pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by lisa@lo.and.behold

Does anyone out there label every single glass rod that comes into the studio? I have a feeling that I need to, but I have no idea how to pull that off . . .At the moment, i only use COE 104, but I still mix up the close colors

, and I never know what I used on any one particular bead

. What do you do?

yes. I use address label blanks, and as long as they go around the rod and connect, they stay fine, even in our unheated 'boom room'. Well worth the effort! Marilyn

KristyN · #18 2011-01-09, 5:52pm

Yes, Yes, Yes! I label because it is VERY frustrating to finish a black sculpture crow, and then realize you used Systems 96 black opal and Northstar Jet Black BORO! CRACCCCK...check....wah.

I put on labels on my rods when I come home with my glass. I use Avery Laser 5267 White mailing labels (they are 1/2 " x 1 3/4"). You can download the template for free online, and then just type in (then copy/paste) the Glass type, color, number and yes, sometimes date and vendor...or whtaever you want to put. I use various codes and initials that are short hand and easy to remember. Since I have the world's worst handwriting, plus would rather torch than write out hundreds of labels...it works for me.

I have found this VERY advantageous with clears too. Some same COE's should work together, but sometimes they don't....so can't mix clears. For example, I had my Uroboros clear mixed in with my GG Glass clear (same coe)...and didn't worry about it, but for me, Uroborus clear would not play well with GG Glass...WHICH I LOVE! So, it's a need to know and a need to label. (Gail Joseph with GG glass shared that some folks could swing the Uroborus clear, but most used GG Glass clear or Gaffer clear.)

Jane P · #19 2011-01-15, 8:02pm

Yep, add me to the obsessive compusive group too - lol. I label every rod. I use the return address labels too, but not Avery as those tend to come undone. I use the Staples house brand, and one lable for two rods - I cut the label in half vertically.

essiemessy · #20 2011-01-16, 11:56pm

Stash is prolly too small at the mo to worry too much about it. I do make sure I still have one rod of each colour with a label on it, tho. And everything's close at hand, so it's not too difficult to put stuff away as I go

maren · #21 2011-01-17, 5:20am

I started with unlabeled glass because that's what I got locally. I knew it was 104, but that was it. That shop closed, I got most of the 96 they had too and so far managed to keep them separate, but as colors go most of them are still unlabeled. Working with unlabeled glass lead me to ordering 3lb of the wrong color in one instance, but I'm sure I'm going to use that too.

Simply Lampwork · #22 2011-01-17, 5:54am

Yeah this is a topic everyone has to learn on their own. LOL
Learn it early. Early on if you order sample packs, they are the most important to label.
I try to keep it simple and photo copy the invoice and cut it up for the labels.
I do have a suggestion if you run across a color that you love. Go back to that vendor and buy a few pounds of that color. Different batches can vary in how they react. So if you love the color get the same batch from the same vendor.
Have fun.

flameonglass · #23 2011-01-28, 10:25pm

Nope, never have.
Most things are a mystery to me.
Why should my glass be any different?

SilverRiverJewelry · #24 2011-01-29, 7:26am

I just started to do this as my glass stash is expanding and I now have glass in four different coes's and now that we have all been so kindly gifted with the stashmaster, its easy peasy. I really can't say thank you enough for that data base!

echeveria · #25 2011-01-29, 8:33am

Yes, that database is awesome! I used to do a spreadsheet merge, but the database makes it even simpler. I love to label my rods too. It's a little sickness. I like labeling rods almost as much as melting them.

glass addict · #26 2011-02-06, 4:01pm

My labels come off, so I used scotch tape. Then the tape started peeling off! (Ugghh!!!) Does anyone have any favorite brands of clear tape to go over the labels?

Thanks,
Mary

beadgirl · #27 2011-02-06, 6:30pm

I should have put labels on my rods when I started but did not.
I have they in cubby holes sorted by brands.
Now I take nail polish and dab each rod end so I don,t mix differerent Coes.

obsessionwoman · #28 2011-02-06, 8:47pm

Yup....I label everything....I have a wall of glass with many coe's...I hand write the Avery's
return label and cover with scotch tape....I made the mistake of writing with red ink....it
grew so faint you can't read it....all have to be done over...if I could possibly do it with the computer I would...I looked at the program you are talking about but when I opened it I didn't know what to do with it.....I sure wish I had computer skills...LOL......Lenora

dclutter64 · #29 2011-03-01, 8:35pm

I label my glass also. I use to use the avery return labels but I bought a dymo label printer and it is so much easier! I use the jewelry labels and print what I need when my glass comes in.
http://global.dymo.com/ieIE/Products...riter_400.html
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...YMO-_-28111064

leia · #30 2011-03-01, 8:51pm

Yup I label every rod of mine with the color and coe using my dymo label maker. the labels dont come off on their own, i have to force them off