Clear Thread...types and characteristics

Refined with Fire · #1 2010-01-15, 7:23am

HI all,

I was wondering if we could start a thread that lists the different clears out there.

I was going through my glass last night and found that I have at LEAST 5 different kinds of clear...some I KNOW about and others I don't!

Can you post the kinds of clear you use and what your thoughts are about it? and what applications you use it for???

I think it might help clear up MY confusion and might help some others too!

Moretti clear...used to use stringers for clear encasing, but moved to lausha 4mm instead. the first clear I worked with.

Moretti Super Clear..I used one rod and it looks like it had finger prints trapped in it. it also works stiff.

Vetrofond clear...I had a really bad issue with it getting little bubbles in it.

KAS clear from arrow springs...it LOOKS beautiful. i have 2lbs of it, but have heard that it may not be compatible...

New Clear from Moretti I think...don't think I have used it yet!

Richenbach clear...i like this stuff. it seems a little stiff, but works well and doesnt scum!

Lausha clear from LONG ago...i DO llike this. It was my FIRST love in the clear world. It flows well but bubbles on me sometimes!

Kugler clear from this summer's Gathering...little tiny bubbles everywhere!

Aether clear...LOVE IT...but it does "yellow" out some of the silver colors. It melts well and is soft and NOT bubbles or scum!

Precision Diamond clear...I just ordered from Frantz and will TRY it next week! I have heard some good things!!!

WHY do I have so many CLEARS and WHY am I not really happy with too many of them???

Anyone else have input about their loves and woes with CLEAR glass???

Thanks!
Teresa

Elizabeth Beads · #2 2010-01-15, 9:24am

I have found all the clears variable except, so far, Aether, and Aether does react with silver in unusual ways.

CiM also makes a clear that has its good moments.

I'd be interested in trying the KAS clear, curious how it would work with reduction frit and silver foil.

SteveWright · #3 2010-01-15, 10:11am

I'm old school and use Effetre 17-18 mm rods that I peel. Here is how I do it:

http://www.tumbleweedglass.com/videos.html

Steve

ROC · #4 2010-01-15, 10:20am

Also Vetro Crystal Clear (which is rarely in stock) that I loved until I tried Precision's Diamond Clear. Still have to try Aether, as well.

neagle · #5 2010-01-16, 10:13am

Effetre Super Clear is really good for me. I tried CIM clear stringers and they were really scummy-very disappointing.

PaulaD · #6 2010-01-16, 10:16am

The only caveat that I want to add to this thread is that every one works differently and on different equipment so results won't always be the same from person to person even with the same rod of clear.

PolychromeBeads · #7 2010-01-16, 10:21am

Quote:

Originally Posted by Refined with Fire

KAS clear from arrow springs...it LOOKS beautiful. i have 2lbs of it, but have heard that it may not be compatible...

Is this something different from the ASK they used to sell but is no longer made? I'd be interested in trying it too, if it's something new.
Aimee

bexrox · #8 2010-01-16, 1:27pm

Diamond clear was fantastic, but i'm all out. Right now I have (M?) Extra clear, the new one. I've read a comment or two that there are compatibility issues, but so far I've had none, and really like it; nicely clear and scum/bubble free. Much cheaper than the high end stuff too. Lauscha soft was a lovely glass to work with, and quite clear, but I had a few beads crack with it, so I don't use it anymore. I want to try Aether soon...

PaulaD · #9 2010-01-16, 1:58pm

Lauscha clears sometimes need to be annealed a little higher than other clears..

Chuckie · #10 2010-01-16, 2:12pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by PolychromeBeads

Is this something different from the ASK they used to sell but is no longer made? I'd be interested in trying it too, if it's something new.
Aimee

She either meant ASK or Kugler from Arrow Springs, both of which are the same thing. She and I have been discussing her stash of clear and it's one of the clears she's asked the most questions about due to concerns of compatibility issues. We don't know if she got the good batch or the bad batch.

She's on the road today, headed up to Ohio to visit her mom. It's a 10-hour drive, so she might not be on until tomorrow.

PolychromeBeads · #11 2010-01-16, 8:21pm

Thanks Char. Too bad, I was actually hoping they might have started making it again with a slightly different name!

Aimee

Chuckie · #12 2010-01-16, 10:00pm

The Arrow Springs Kugler (ASK) glass is pretty much the same as the Kugler 104 cane. Arrow Springs wanted the manufacturer of Kugler to do more compatibility testing with Effetre glass. Kugler felt as long as their glass was compatible within it's own line, they didn't need to do any further testing. Because of compatibility issues between the ASK and Effetre, Arrow Springs discontinued development of the ASK color line. Kugler then started selling it themselves. The color names are different, but it's the same glass. So yes, Kugler continued to make it under a different brand name.

Refined with Fire · #13 2010-01-17, 10:59am

OK......
so you all are right...the "KAS" clear i have was actually ASK...
It is OLD...I made five very heavily encased beads with it.
2 of which cracked.

i guess i will keep it to practice soft glass figure sculpting with...
since it is ONLY compatible with ITSELF.
I am taking a soft glass figure sculpting class at Flame Tree next weekend!

i miss my torch!

teresa

mini · #14 2010-01-18, 11:10pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by Refined with Fire

OK......
so you all are right...the "KAS" clear i have was actually ASK...
It is OLD...I made five very heavily encased beads with it.
2 of which cracked.

i guess i will keep it to practice soft glass figure sculpting with...
since it is ONLY compatible with ITSELF.
I am taking a soft glass figure sculpting class at Flame Tree next weekend!

i miss my torch!

teresa

I think it's also with other Kugler colors and not just with itself, no?
where the 5 you made all the same color or did some combos change but not others?

There is also TAG Clarity just to add to the clear confusion! LOL!

I've been meaning to get some Lauscha clear, but to be honest, that this point in I'm happy with E Clear & Super clear. I just ordered some Vetrofond clear when it was on sale so I'll see how that works out.

theglasszone · #15 2010-01-19, 12:38am

I've tried just about every 104 clear (except Schott) that is currently or has been on the market. I work on a Hot Head, which seems particularly susceptible to scorching of clear; haze, darkening, bubbling etc. are the biggest hurdles with Clear on Hot Heads!

To date, the very BEST clear I've used is "Lauscha 104 Soft Clear". I sometimes spend up to 2 1/2 hours creating intricate murrini and all are encased in Clear. If this weren't such an awesome, stable clear, it would turn cloudy, hazy or problematic long before I'm finished and ready to pull my (sometimes up to 3 1/2" diam.) gathers into cane.

Here are a few up-close examples of murrini done on a Hot Head, using the Lau 104 Soft Clear (not the "reformulated" one) which took at least 2 hours in the direct flame:

Strawberry:

Rubber Duckie in a Tub:

Rose Cane:

Angel Murrini:

Koi Murrini:

Hello Kitty Murrini:

The list goes on and on...This is BY FAR my favorite clear!

De

woodywood143 · #16 2010-01-19, 6:31am

Im not sure what Im using, I am still buying glass in sample packs most of it unmarked so I can get a variety of color to play with , I too am on a HH and have had lots of problems with clear glass. Im not sure if Im over heating it or its the glass. Some of it is really stiff and I cant get it hot enought to make it flow. When I use up (still making practice beads) what I have Im going to try Lauscha 104 Soft Clear. Thanks for the tip DeAnne (and everyone else). Your clears always look like crystal to me.
Information such as this saves us Newbs alot of aggravation as well as money.

Pete

esbeads · #17 2010-01-31, 12:25pm

Just found this thread while looking for info about COE 96 clears. I want to encase over frit. Any recommendations?

mini · #18 2010-01-31, 7:24pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by esbeads

Just found this thread while looking for info about COE 96 clears. I want to encase over frit. Any recommendations?

Reichenbach clear 96, I would say.

Elizabeth Beads · #19 2010-01-31, 8:04pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by esbeads

Just found this thread while looking for info about COE 96 clears. I want to encase over frit. Any recommendations?

Uroboros clear works really well for me. Make sure to use a 96 base glass.

You also can encase 104 base beads made with frit with 104 clear, except for the orange ones which don't have the metal content that makes other frit more forgiving.

tammydownunder · #20 2010-01-31, 10:57pm

I'm happy with the gaffer clear as long as you use it cool. For 104 clear, I have had the best luck with Lauscha. This is too weird. Just as I am typing this, the post man showed up with my order of 15 lbs of Lauscha clear!

khammil · #21 2010-01-31, 11:30pm

For 96 COE: Gaffer clear is good, Uroboros clear is amazingly clear but gets a little cranky when used with a lot of high-metal glass. It's good to keep both on hand.

For 104 COE: I loved Precision Diamond Clear for a long time, but I bought a batch a while back that cracks every time I use it, even on tiny little spacers that were never cold before they went into the kiln. I'm very careful about keeping my glass warm and almost never lose anything to thermal shock, so this is definitely a weird property of the glass. A lot of other people have had cracking problems with it in the last year, too. I'm looking for a good substitute.

Things I've tried:

* Aether clear: Wonderfully soft, easy to encase with. It turns blue silver glass green-ish, which I like - it looks like a sea blue-green. It's spendy, though, and not available all the time.

* Moretti super clear: OK for encasing if you can keep it from getting too warm. It boils and makes bubbles easily.

* Vetro super clear: Shocky and stiff, but the 8-10mm is wonderful for pendant bases. It doesn't scum too badly and once you get it to melting temperature it behaves very well. If you can preheat the rods in the kiln or the back of the flame it's great.

* CIM clear: Has worked well as a pendant base and for occasional encasing, but it has a reputation for incompatibility with silver glasses.

* Lauscha soft clear: Very, very soft and has worked well for me, but its reputation for incompatibility with silver glass has scared me off.

* TAG clear: I've heard wonderful things about it and just got a few rods to try. It's quite spendy at $60/lb though.

* Reichebach 96 clear: bubbly and annoying.

There's also Lauscha reformulated, Lauscha classic, Effetre classic and Vetro classic, which I don't have much experience with.

Flonche · #22 2010-02-01, 8:07am

When I started on a Hot Head I also found that Lauscha soft clear was my favorite. I was aware not to use it in large quantities on silver glass (as in, no thick encasing) but it worked on everything else.
Now that I work in a very different flame (laser beam-like Cricket), I wonder if the wide radiant heat of the Hot Head was not a factor in keeping the whole atmosphere hot enough that the Lauscha was happy in it. I've had much more breakage and so I dug out my old stock of Vetrofond super clear, and, big surprise, it's absolutely perfect for what I do. I still use the Lauscha in small amounts, especially for stringer work and sparse dots.

Then I took a class with Barley recently and we used Effetre, both the regular 5 mm and the big fat 10 mm rods. The fat rods are a nice clear in my opinion and you can always pull them in thinner canes if you want. I think I'll stick to these as it is the most compatible brand on the market apparently.

The Diamond Clear I got was not good, I got micro bubbles and didn't give it another chance.

Because I live the Kugler 104 colors, I should probably get some of their clear too and see if it's at least compatible with itself... Same for Reichenbach and CIM. I haven't tried Aether and probably won't.

esbeads · #23 2010-02-01, 4:25pm

Great information everyone! Thanks! Gonna order some Gaffer and Uroboros clear..

PaulaD · #24 2010-02-03, 11:53am

If you are using Lauscha clear remember to reheat your bead before putting it into the kiln. Flonche I think your trouble may be that you went from a wider flame to a skinnier one that might not be reheating the bead entirely.
I don't know where or how the rumors start about Lauscha clear not being compatible with silver colors. Lots of people are using it. And I've posted beads with Silver glass cores and Lauscha encasements in the past.

GarlandGlass · #25 2010-02-19, 4:40pm

I've just got some of the newest 2010 batch of Vetrofond Crystal Clear 791005 (005) from Frantz. I've been waiting a long while for more to come into stock because the last batch was decent clear for a decent price. I got the 4-5mm and 8mm. The 4-5mm is completely unsaleable... the worst clear I have ever had the misfortune of using. Major micro bubbles, scumming, scratched rods and embeded bubbles in the rod. The 8mm was not as bad even though it was scratched and had a couple of small crucible chuncks in the rod. You could still use it with a little effort.

I will be asking for a refund for the 791005 4-5mm and sending it back. I'm so disapointed... we've been waiting so long! Just goes to show ya... one batch is fine the next is crap! Seems to happen with each manufacturer... doesn't matter who they are.

Silver Moon Lampwork · #26 2010-04-16, 8:28am

I think I've tried just about all of them except for the Lauscha soft clear. I like Aether for its clarity and ease of use, but I don't like the greening and yellowing. Since I'm very disappointed with all of the ones I've wasted my money on so far, I will now try the Lauscha and report back. Sorry for being so grumpy. I sure wish I had bought about 100 pounds of Diamond Clear back when it was so good. I keep looking at focals I made with the older DC and comparing them with every single focal that comes out of my kiln now and I could cry. I sure wish DC could be made again.

deirdreschaneman · #27 2010-04-16, 11:15am

Between Lauscha and Aether, all my clear needs are happily met.

BTW, aether does not etch.

Boathouse Beads · #28 2010-04-16, 8:14pm

On my Minor, I have had no problems with the New Clear from Arrowsprings, and my very favorite is Glassdaddy's Lauscha clear! Seems I always reach for it for encasing.

killerbeedz1 · #29 2010-04-16, 9:58pm

Well my favorite clear is Lauscha. I always do testing the night before when I want to use it with a silver glass combo. So far, no beads have ever cracked. Because I'm hesitant with Lauscha, my go to clear is Moretti Super Clear. It will scum and boil though. I need to work it slowly and turn my torch down to keep it from doing this. I have to do the same with Reichenbach and Gaffer too. I have CIM stringers and really hate it. I will only use them to go under another color. As for Aether, I've never tried it, but don't like the green/yellow tint it pulls from silver glass. Since I work mostly with silver glass, I wouldn't buy it. Plus I think the price of making a bead with silver glass is enough without adding more to it with a pricey clear. I kind of feel the same way about Precision. I think it's too much money, but I may purchase a little for when I make a big honking focal. I wouldn't use it for sets. The AKS clear is a nice clear. I know there people were having issues with it cracking their beads, but I have never had any beads crack when I've used it. I would rank it right up there with Lauscha for clarity. However, I always test it too before making a big set.

thornykat · #30 2010-04-17, 1:13am

Quote:

Originally Posted by SteveWright

I'm old school and use Effetre 17-18 mm rods that I peel. Here is how I do it:

http://www.tumbleweedglass.com/videos.html

Steve

Is it just the angle, or is he working REALLY close to the torch itself at some points? I thought the hottest part of the flame was a little higher than that... Are the dual-fuel torches different than the HHs?

-Kat