Devardi Glass Technical Input and Experiences

[baby firefly]

I agree with Shawnette, I was kind of confused about "dirty", I've gotten dusty rods but nothing that looked like it had been dragged through a cow lot or anything.
I'm also amazed by the different issues that many of us have. I've had bad luck with colors other people were having great success with and good luck, where others were reporting problems.....that's why this thread is so helpful...I'd like to see it stay on track too.!

[firedancer]

Very well said Shawnette! Have ya ever heard that saying (Kill em with Kindness) Thanks Shanette.
I always clean my rods, with alchohol, no matter what. I can't stand when I get a tiny spot, and have to pick it off with the tweezers. I guess I am a true Capricorn. That is why as a newbie, it is frustrating, not being where I want to be over night. PPP I think my new Devardi Glass should be here today. Geez I love the colors they have. I watch out the window, for the mail Lady. Or listen for her squeaky brakes. I swear all mail trucks, have squeaky brakes. LOL

[blong2001]

I tried the semi-opaque violet blue last night. It is gorgeous! Easy to work with and not shocky.
I will post pics when I get them clean.

[redayh]

Anybody got any tips on the semi-opaque burnt caramel?? I cannot get it to cooperate.

[Fine Folly Glassworks]

Originally Posted by shawnette

There's really no need to keep going back and forth. If someone has a not so great experience, we don't all need to chime in and imply that "Well, that's never happened to me so you must be lying." All it does is just perpetuate this completely unnecessary "battle" that really doesn't need to exist.

You can't argue if no one is arguing back, right?

You are so right. Thank you for the reality check!

I just ordered the "Rod Warmer" you listed. I can't wait to get it! Do you use it on any heat setting in particular or is there only one?

[J&M]

I keep a tall bottle (with a cap) of isopropyl Al-Key-Haul and a rag by the table. I dip the glass rods I'm gonna use in that, then wipe them real well with the rag. Spotless!

Jack

[firedancer]

Hey Everybody: I just recieved my first shipment of Devardi. They even gave me some rods of FREE GLASS. Woot. In the free glass package, there was a little dirt. Not bad. A little dust on the other, no big thing. I just dropped it all in the sink, washed with hot soap, and water, and dried it. Took no time, at all. All the other rods, were sized the same size as a effetre. So, I picked out the worst big rod of red, of the FREEBIE stuff. And a piece of White. I have a picture below with a rod of Green effertre,(for size reference) and the Devardi Red and White opaque. I made a twistie right away. I was a little afraid, about flying glass, so I did as I saw on the videos, and once, I was confident, I even turned my flame up. I think I was too cautious. Anyway, the twistie was ok, and the Glass, is so smooth and dreamy when it melts. I like that feel. Melts like butter, and I had no shocky glass at all. This rod of red was the biggest piece of the freebies, and I don't mind at all. All the other rods, are just fine. Good packaging too. No breakage on my order.

[SilverRiverJewelry]

hmmm I really need to work on my twisties. And you are right, once you get it going the word that keeps coming to my mind is creamy and smooth. Weird I know lol!

[firedancer]

More like Creamy and Dreamy. That's what I posted in the Gallery Devardi Thread. I kinda put this post here by mistake. Grrrr Sometimers Disease!

[baby firefly]

Redayh, I've found on the burnt carmel you really need to preheat the heck out of it. I used it today after I saw your post. Tried going into the flame directly, no go. Put the rod in the foreman grill for 5 minutes, no go. Put the rod back in and really got it good and warmed up and made 10 spacer beads, no problem.

Nice twistie Nell !

[SilverRiverJewelry]

Here are some pictures of the lime green. I totally love this color and the way it marbles! You can see it best on the spacers.

[firedancer]

Baby Firly:
I just worked with the burnt caramel also. LOL, I swear, we think alike. Same thing, I heated on top of my chili Pepper kiln. No go. Just took my time, got it going, and away it went. I'll show ya what I made tomorrow, when it comes out of the kiln. That is if it comes out. Ya neva Know!!!

[firedancer]

WOw, Nice reaction! I noticed some reactions today, that I was totally pleased with also. I think I am going to like this glass. Tomorrow, I want to try it in a Spree, Lentil Press.

[SilverRiverJewelry]

So far its worked in my two presses just fine. I have a graduated 3 lentil press and a pillow press. I did a couple of small test beads with the burnt caramel and I think I am going to like it lol! No time to play more til after Turkey day though.

[RedHotBeads]

I bought some of this glass with the "you get what you pay for" attitude and I was pleasantly surprised. Not only was my glass packed better than any I've ever received (I swear you could run over it with a car and it wouldn't break. OK, maybe not THAT heavy butyou get the idea) but there were freebies and the gorgeous colors I ordered. Of course you have to clean glass you order - that's a given. No problem there. I did have some issues with the peach being shocky, but the salmon played nice. Also the (I forget the name) ocean blue translucent was kinda shocky but not terribly so. It finally warmed up and was just fine. No problems with cracks or anything coming out of the kiln. I've used a little frit on them and those too are fine. I'd say this glass is a good find. Their customer service is great, too!
Kelly

[Elizabeth Beads]

I like some of the Devardi glass very much, some not as much. I got a lb. of SOP pink based on the Devardi website statement that: "This time, the shipment of SOP pink D92 (72) is the best quality. We had a very large batch made, allowing the factory to produce a great glass." Well, it might as well be Anise white. Preheating doesn't help, it just fractures off the rod. It did look pretty with frit when I finally got a bead made. On the bright side, I loved some of the samples, there was a lovely soft mint green and a beautiful darker marine green. Wish I knew which ones they were so I could order more if I reorder. The Cranberry was a let down, more of a red or orange red. So I'd have to say it is hit or miss. The good thing is, it's a small investment. I probably should have gotten less than a lb. without trying the colors first. Live and learn.

[baby firefly]

I'm always happy to get the freebies, even though they aren't labeled. I've had good luck figuring out which colors are which, simply by going on their website. If all else fails, send them a small piece and get the mystery solved, they have great customer service.
On the pinks, I have both and it all depends what day it is, how they behave, LOL. It's been my experience, deal with them like the burnt carmel, preheat the hell out of them and that seems to work for me. Once you get them going, both colors are just beautiful and to me anyway, well worth the patience.

[adot45]

Originally Posted by lunamoonshadow

@ Suzy....thinking about the last batch of opal yellow I had--it was TOTAL "frit on a stick"!
(and dying to see what you made!!!)

"frit on a stick"
LOL, that is so funny. I am really enjoying all the information here and am soaking it up as fast as I can, you are all great. I'm using Devardi and a HH and have had very good results. Thanks

[firedancer]

There are always colors we will never order again. I will never order Vetrofond Honey Crunch ever. So this brand of glass, we just have to find what we like and do not like. I personally adore the different pallette of colors to work with.

[evvybuns]

Originally Posted by erose

I like some of the Devardi glass very much, some not as much. I got a lb. of SOP pink based on the Devardi website statement that: "This time, the shipment of SOP pink D92 (72) is the best quality. We had a very large batch made, allowing the factory to produce a great glass." Well, it might as well be Anise white. Preheating doesn't help, it just fractures off the rod. It did look pretty with frit when I finally got a bead made. On the bright side, I loved some of the samples, there was a lovely soft mint green and a beautiful darker marine green. Wish I knew which ones they were so I could order more if I reorder.

Elizabeth, you probably received the semi-opaque Marine Green. I ordered a quarter pound and will reorder it in the future. Such a nice, mellow color. Almost seems like a jade to me.

I got both the opaque and semi-opaque pinks, even after my prior experience with the SO pink. There was no improvement as far as shockiness.

[Fine Folly Glassworks]

Hi Everyone,

I hope you all had a great Thanksgiving!

I got to play and make a few florals and a few Foo-foo beads with stringers and fine-pulled goldstone that Baby Firefly sent to me as a sweet gift! She does such wonderful color-combos!

I love that I can do fine scroll-work with the Devardi goldstone! It can be pulled thinner than a pencil lead and it's stiff enough to hold up in my Hothead flame! The Foo-foo beads are about a nickle in size.

The pink is so nice now, no problems at all since I preheat and introduce it slow, and the soft lilac and blue is a pretty backdrop for the Freesias! They are my favorite flowers.

Happy Day you all!

[Fine Folly Glassworks]

I have also been playing with Dragonfly Glassworx 96 COE Frits!

This is Devardi's new (improved) Pink with the Dragonfly Glassworx "Outer Banks" Frit blend. I got no shocking at all with this new pink, but I preheated well and then introduced it slow. Really nice to work with and exciting to see the possibilities with their great Frit color combos.

[Elizabeth Beads]

Would anyone like my lb. of SOP Pink? I would love to trade it for some of the other Devardi colors. With so many lovely pinks to choose from, I am not going to wrestle with this one which reminds me of Effetre Light Pink Alabastro. I would also trade some of my Cranberry since it reminds me of Effetre Striking Red when I was hoping for something more like CiM Cranberry or even CiM Simply Berry.

This is not to say I don't like some of the other colors quite a lot. I'd love to have another chance to love more of the Devardi colors. I really liked my samples of Marine Green, Mint Green, Saffron, Butterscotch, Transparent Aqua and Transparent Dark Rose.



Liz

[Fine Folly Glassworks]

Originally Posted by erose

Would anyone like my lb. of SOP Pink?
Liz

Hi Liz,

Please PM me, I will buy it if another doesn't exchange colors with you! So sorry you had such a bad time with it. I love the new pink I just got this time.

[Iwannabead]

I got my order of Devardi, it was fine, nothing broken and did my usual cleaning that I always do. Then I put the rods in the kiln to pre-heat them, got distracted by the phone and forgot about it. Went back to grab my rods and seemed to forget that rods in a kiln get hot. Anyway, upshot is as soon as my hand heals, in about a week, I'll try the glass.

But one of the rods, I couldn't see what colour it was, a very dark transparent I think, was covered in a white film when I took them out of the kiln. I had 9 rods in it and none of the others had this one them. I was able to rub most of it off but there is still a bit of film? over it. Any idea what this could be and should I still use this rod?

I loved the colours I received, especially the oranges and yellows.

iwannabead

[lunamoonshadow]

Originally Posted by firedancer

There are always colors we will never order again. I will never order Vetrofond Honey Crunch ever. So this brand of glass, we just have to find what we like and do not like. I personally adore the different pallette of colors to work with.

oooh, now see, I'd order honey crunch forever....(my addy is in raogk if anyone wants to send homeless lonely honey crunch to a good home )....I adore the stuff, even if it is a bit "frittish"

Originally Posted by Iwannabead

I got my order of Devardi, it was fine, nothing broken and did my usual cleaning that I always do. Then I put the rods in the kiln to pre-heat them, got distracted by the phone and forgot about it. Went back to grab my rods and seemed to forget that rods in a kiln get hot. Anyway, upshot is as soon as my hand heals, in about a week, I'll try the glass.

But one of the rods, I couldn't see what colour it was, a very dark transparent I think, was covered in a white film when I took them out of the kiln. I had 9 rods in it and none of the others had this one them. I was able to rub most of it off but there is still a bit of film? over it. Any idea what this could be and should I still use this rod?

I loved the colours I received, especially the oranges and yellows.

iwannabead

I had that happen when I over-warmed (ok, waaay overheated--they got warmed to "pre-warming boro" temp) a batch of assorted fat rods of ~96 COE mystery vintage glass from Phoenix Art Glass. The studio specialists said it *might* be lead (so be very careful, wash it off with water, don't breathe it! & wash your hands afterwards!!) or it might be other ingredients of the glass leaching out. You've got two choices with that rod--either throw it out (that's with I did--it wasn't worth it for a couple single rods ), or melt it knowing that the rod that did that *may* be missing some of its "ingredients" because they've come to the surface I figured I could either make spacers with it, or toss it--I tossed it--figured it was *maybe* $1 worth of glass & just not worth the "will it break?" & "what is left on the surface that I'm absorbing into my skin while I work?" questions. And....I've learned if I'm sharing Pipyr's rod warmer, I really shouldn't leave my glass in there for 12 hours (really, what a freakin' dumb move on MY part )
But hey, live & learn! (and like I said, mine was ~96 COE "mystery vintage" glass....so we really *didn't* have any idea what the heck might be coming to the surface from baking it at boro temps for that long!!)

[baby firefly]

Kristina, really pretty beads !!! Glad you are enjoying your goodies.

[Fine Folly Glassworks]

Is anyone working with the Metallic Black? I seem to be blistering it on my Hothead. Any counsel with using it?

[SilverRiverJewelry]

Haven't got ahold of any of that yet but would be interested in hearing if any one else has had any luck with it?

[shawnette]

I've used it a couple of times. Made some spacers and pulled it into stringer with no problems. Mine is from the mose recent shipment.