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| Boro Room -- For Boro-related tips, techniques, and questions. |
2012-05-30, 4:42pm
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too many rods in the fire
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Join Date: Feb 15, 2008
Location: Elk Grove, CA
Posts: 1,471
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best boro clear?
OK - probably a dumb a$$ question - but I will ask it nonetheless!
With soft glass, there are huge differences in clears, and some are much better than others.
Having just begun to dip my pinky toe in the boro waters, I wanted to know if there is a "best" brand of clear for boro? Or one that is easier to use, etc?
I want to put together an order of some basic boro colors that have been suggested to me by the kind folks here, but I forgot to ask about clear! Duh. 
Any help is appreciated.
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Rene'
"Contentment is not the fulfillment of what you want, but the realization of how much you already have."
Do not argue with an idiot. He will drag you down to his level and beat you with experience.
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2012-05-30, 4:53pm
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I'm kinda biz-EE
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Join Date: Aug 08, 2007
Location: Arlington, TX
Posts: 3,610
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Rene, I'm right there with you. My box o glass got here this week and if I can get caught up on orders I'll be able to play Saturday.
The feedback I got was simax was the way to go, at least starting out My general understanding tho is that all boro clear is amazingly clear and you don't have to deal with the scum problems. I'm an encaseaholic so that certainly appeals to me. I get the impression that Schott is to be avoided (?) for certain applications anyway, I'm not deep enough in to the system  to understand why so I went with the simax. Plenty of smaller diameter in simax if you're going the bead route.
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Astrid
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2012-05-30, 4:53pm
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Cave Dweller
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Join Date: Mar 29, 2012
Posts: 275
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Quote:
Originally Posted by SassyGlass9
OK - probably a dumb a$$ question - but I will ask it nonetheless!
With soft glass, there are huge differences in clears, and some are much better than others.
Having just begun to dip my pinky toe in the boro waters, I wanted to know if there is a "best" brand of clear for boro? Or one that is easier to use, etc?
I want to put together an order of some basic boro colors that have been suggested to me by the kind folks here, but I forgot to ask about clear! Duh.
Any help is appreciated. |
I would vote in the following order.
Simax
Pyrex
Kimble
Chinese
There are choices based on fuming too, some people have strong
preference as to which clear accepts the fume to their liking and
that is often metal dependent.
For the price per pound, Chinese is great to practice with.
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2012-05-30, 4:57pm
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too many rods in the fire
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Join Date: Feb 15, 2008
Location: Elk Grove, CA
Posts: 1,471
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Thanks, both of you!!! I am probably going to place a smallish order this weekend, and this information is very helpful. 
I am having fun just looking at threads here in the boro room and wondering if I will ever be able to do any of this stuff.
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Rene'
"Contentment is not the fulfillment of what you want, but the realization of how much you already have."
Do not argue with an idiot. He will drag you down to his level and beat you with experience.
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2012-05-30, 5:13pm
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Pyromaniac
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Join Date: Jun 27, 2006
Location: Out there on the interwebs
Posts: 1,784
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I have not used the chinese clear, but really the other boro clears are fairly consistent - unlike soft glass clears which range from scummy to sooty and can also be very atmosphere sensitive. The major variable is really how the clear interacts with fumed metals - and as noted above, as a result your mileage may vary.
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Chris Scala
Fortune Cookie say, "When things go wrong, don't go with them!"
Current Glass-Melting Apparatus:
GTT Lynx powered by 2 5 LPM Oxycons and
a sexy Barracuda running pure tanked Oxy
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2012-05-30, 5:30pm
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ManBearPig
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Join Date: Jun 28, 2005
Location: Roanoke, VA
Posts: 8,540
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It depends on what you're doing with it. For most stuff I like Simax. For fuming I like Kimble.
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2012-05-30, 5:51pm
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Lampworkaholic!
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Join Date: Apr 22, 2008
Location: Cornelius, NC - because weather
Posts: 5,158
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Ansley has some Simax in her Etsy shop that I think is a good price. I decided not to be greedy and buy all of it (just 6 lbs.) especially considering I have yet to actually melt any of my boro (maybe tomorrow).
http://www.etsy.com/shop/AZSDesigns?section_id=11448291
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"And all will turn to silver glass, a light on the water, grey ships pass into the west." Annie Lennox
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2012-05-30, 8:36pm
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too many rods in the fire
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Join Date: Feb 15, 2008
Location: Elk Grove, CA
Posts: 1,471
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Elizabeth Beads
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That is a great deal, Elizabeth! Thanks for posting this. I sent her a message to see how much shipping would be to CA for several pounds.
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Rene'
"Contentment is not the fulfillment of what you want, but the realization of how much you already have."
Do not argue with an idiot. He will drag you down to his level and beat you with experience.
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2012-06-01, 9:41am
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Wonder-wench
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Join Date: Aug 09, 2010
Location: land of milk & honey
Posts: 1,104
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what about Schott Duran? I live close enough to CR Loo to drive and avoid shipping charges, but I haven't seen much information regarding the working qualities of the Schott Duran boro clear. Anyone have any experience with this?
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Elizabeth
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2012-06-01, 11:53am
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Senior Member
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Join Date: Mar 07, 2011
Location: Northern California
Posts: 2,023
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Quote:
Originally Posted by PracticalMagicGlass
what about Schott Duran? I live close enough to CR Loo to drive and avoid shipping charges, but I haven't seen much information regarding the working qualities of the Schott Duran boro clear. Anyone have any experience with this?
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I havent used it but I have heard very mixed reviews on the melting pot. I see zero difference in clarity and ease of working with the various boro clears already mentioned. Aside from the different fuming results there are some quality differences concerning the consistency of rod and tubing that I have noticed. I find Simax to be the best and Kimble to be the worst. So far I havent had a reason to try any of the chinese thats out there. There are almost always 20%-40% off sales going on at the various retailers on cases. I havent had to pay full price for anything. Last Simax 18mm rod case I bought I got 40% off.
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2012-06-01, 1:26pm
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too many rods in the fire
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Join Date: Feb 15, 2008
Location: Elk Grove, CA
Posts: 1,471
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Quote:
Originally Posted by PracticalMagicGlass
what about Schott Duran? I live close enough to CR Loo to drive and avoid shipping charges, but I haven't seen much information regarding the working qualities of the Schott Duran boro clear. Anyone have any experience with this?
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I am fairly close to CR Loo as well - Sacramento area - so not that bad a drive. I wonder if they carry all the various boro clears in rod form, and also if their prices are comparable to the sites like ABR, etc. that often seem to have great sales.
As you mentioned, if the shipping is expensive, it might end up being cheaper to drive to the Bay area and pick up what I want. I am going to have to see what I can find on CR Loo's site.
__________________
Rene'
"Contentment is not the fulfillment of what you want, but the realization of how much you already have."
Do not argue with an idiot. He will drag you down to his level and beat you with experience.
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2012-06-01, 2:49pm
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Wonder-wench
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Join Date: Aug 09, 2010
Location: land of milk & honey
Posts: 1,104
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I called CR Loo this afternoon, they carry Northstar color rods and Schott Duran clear rods and tube (price seemed a bit high compared to other sites, even including shipping). I've been to their warehouse, it's a fun trip just to wander around and see what all they have, but don't linger in the neighborhood, it looks very sketchy. Last time I was there they had Glass Alchemy rods and various boro frits too.
I think I will wait for a big sale or free shipping before ordering more glass via the internet.
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Elizabeth
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2012-06-01, 5:10pm
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Senior Member
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Join Date: Mar 07, 2011
Location: Northern California
Posts: 2,023
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Quote:
Originally Posted by PracticalMagicGlass
I called CR Loo this afternoon, they carry Northstar color rods and Schott Duran clear rods and tube (price seemed a bit high compared to other sites, even including shipping). I've been to their warehouse, it's a fun trip just to wander around and see what all they have, but don't linger in the neighborhood, it looks very sketchy. Last time I was there they had Glass Alchemy rods and various boro frits too.
I think I will wait for a big sale or free shipping before ordering more glass via the internet.
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Shipping is generally not enough to make it worth while going to CR Loo. Try ABR Imagery. They usually have great sales.
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2012-06-01, 5:57pm
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too many rods in the fire
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Join Date: Feb 15, 2008
Location: Elk Grove, CA
Posts: 1,471
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I do love ABR - and I haven't even ordered any boro from them yet!  But I got a heck of a deal from ABR on my most recent concentrator after one of mine bit the dust. And the customer service was excellent too.
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Rene'
"Contentment is not the fulfillment of what you want, but the realization of how much you already have."
Do not argue with an idiot. He will drag you down to his level and beat you with experience.
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2012-06-01, 7:03pm
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Senior Member
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Join Date: Dec 07, 2006
Location: Scappoose, OR
Posts: 1,445
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I'm a Simax lover for encasing and implosions. I've had problems with the Schott Artistic clear making reactive colors look kind of fuzzy when used in implosions (can't really think of a better way to describe it). Definitely detracted from the crisp, clear vibrancy of the Amber Purple and Blue Moon.
Rene, I've always had great customer service from ABR and their sales are always a great time to stock up. Frantz also has Northstar and Glass Alchemy boro on sale most of the time but they don't seem to have the full color selection that ABR has. Always a good place to pick up some of the "basic" colors.
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Angela Kane
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-One of a kind boro frit blends!
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2012-06-01, 9:06pm
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Senior Member
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Join Date: Mar 06, 2011
Location: SF bay area
Posts: 1,470
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Quote:
Originally Posted by PracticalMagicGlass
what about Schott Duran? I live close enough to CR Loo to drive and avoid shipping charges, but I haven't seen much information regarding the working qualities of the Schott Duran boro clear. Anyone have any experience with this?
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Elizabeth if you are going down to C and R do not buy your boro from them the best place for boro is right accross the freeway at american lab supply C and R has cut way back on the boro stock
ALS is also Schott, they also carry a great selection of color both northstar and glass alchemy last time I was there all color was $45 a pound.
I have found that for blown tubing work schott is fine but so far I am having issues with the schott smoothing out in large marbles where with simax I do not see that. Talking with Ryan at west county glass who uses Schott over simax for price reasons, we think it may be a heat issue i.e I cannot generate enough heat with my cheetah.
He has no issues what so ever with his delta,of course it could just be a matter of 25+years versus 1.5 years too lol.
of course you could also buy at west county glass in sebastopol and stop by
I am trying to work out my issues with Schott so I do not have to pay shipping, though I will be hitting Glasscraft,TAG and Frantz on the way home from the gathering
http://www.westcountyglass.com/
American Laboratory Supply Co
1033 Ohio Avenue Richmond, CA 94804
(510) 620-0220
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Morgan
Bethlehem Champion
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#C-151
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2012-06-01, 10:28pm
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Wonder-wench
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Join Date: Aug 09, 2010
Location: land of milk & honey
Posts: 1,104
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thanks for the great info Morgan. I'll have to check out the lab glass place (plus I kinda have a thing for labware, I just LOVE it).
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Elizabeth
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2012-06-02, 11:08am
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too many rods in the fire
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Join Date: Feb 15, 2008
Location: Elk Grove, CA
Posts: 1,471
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Thanks for that good info, Morgan and Angela!
I am also hoping to stop at ALL of the great glass places in the Pacific Northwest on my way to AND from the Gathering this year!  I figure I can hit some of them on the way up, and some of them on the way back.
Of course, I need to plan carefully so I still have some money to spend on the way back! bwhahahahaha!
I think I should make sure I stop by at least one boro place on the way up, in case my money is short on the return trip.
__________________
Rene'
"Contentment is not the fulfillment of what you want, but the realization of how much you already have."
Do not argue with an idiot. He will drag you down to his level and beat you with experience.
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2012-06-02, 2:09pm
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Cave Dweller
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Join Date: Mar 29, 2012
Posts: 275
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Quote:
Originally Posted by LarryC
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Good time to buy.
At 30% off it actually ships to your door cheaper than Chinese.
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2012-06-02, 2:21pm
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Senior Member
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Join Date: Mar 07, 2011
Location: Northern California
Posts: 2,023
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Role
Good time to buy.
At 30% off it actually ships to your door cheaper than Chinese.
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Yup. I have never been able to beat ABR's sales. I live within an hour of CR Loo and ALS in richmond and it has never been worth the hassle to pick up anything in person.
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2012-06-02, 6:28pm
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ManBearPig
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Join Date: Jun 28, 2005
Location: Roanoke, VA
Posts: 8,540
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Quote:
Originally Posted by PracticalMagicGlass
what about Schott Duran? I live close enough to CR Loo to drive and avoid shipping charges, but I haven't seen much information regarding the working qualities of the Schott Duran boro clear. Anyone have any experience with this?
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Schott Duran is great, top quality glass.
There is a new Schott called "artistic" something or other. When it first came on the market it was getting mixed reviews (probably more bad) due to inconsistencies. I haven't used it in a while, but I have heard that it has gotten much better.
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