Effing GD Clears!!!

[Moth]

Darleen, I buy the big fat rods of vetrofond or effetre and strip them all and pull them down to about 3-4mm encasing rods in advance. I can't do them too far in advance or they get banged up because I don't take good care of them, just shove them in a cup.

Sometimes though, I don't realize I'm out until I've got a bead ready to encase and when that happens (or if I'm using stock 5mm rods) and I come to a scummy part on the rod of clear, I just wrap a tiny wrap of clear around the very tip of the mandrel and use that round of glass to 'tweeze' off anything from the rod that I don't like. I couldn't juggle the tweezer thing either.

[eross]

I just removed some work from my kiln, a batch of Rubino and Dichroic encased in TAG clear. Well that was a mistake, it is completely yellow!!!
I remembered after the fact about doing some testing of clears with my ISGB chapter, and of course there it was, "Tag result - yellow. Now why didn't I remember that before I made these beads.

Liz

[Poet?]

Really bad poem about clear:

Work it hot or
work it cold,
keep it clean
you've oft been told.

It loves O2 and
dislikes dirt,
treat it with love and
you'll not be hurt.

Aether, Diamond, Super or Soft,
with plenty of oxy and
lots of hot
a crystal rod
turned in the fire
will enclose your bead
as you desire.

So clean your rods and
crank the Oxy,
turn in the flame
your beads will be foxy!

[claybraes]

Originally Posted by Poet?

Really bad poem about clear:

Work it hot or
work it cold,
keep it clean
you've oft been told.

It loves O2 and
dislikes dirt,
treat it with love and
you'll not be hurt.

Aether, Diamond, Super or Soft,
with plenty of oxy and
lots of hot
a crystal rod
turned in the fire
will enclose your bead
as you desire.

So clean your rods and
crank the Oxy,
turn in the flame
your beads will be foxy!

Good Grief , are you clever or what??

[Elz Beads]

Oh, honestly.... for the 7 seven years I have been torching I have read this same tune over and over again.... For heavens sake...Switch to Bullseye!!!! I used it on a hot head during my first year and I encased almost everything with clear. No problems and I don't 'clean' my rods, just take them off the shelf and shove them into the flame. It is rare (very very rare) to have scum and there are very few bubbles.... just try it!

[amazon]

Originally Posted by Elz Beads

Oh, honestly.... for the 7 seven years I have been torching I have read this same tune over and over again.... For heavens sake...Switch to Bullseye!!!! I used it on a hot head during my first year and I encased almost everything with clear. No problems and I don't 'clean' my rods, just take them off the shelf and shove them into the flame. It is rare (very very rare) to have scum and there are very few bubbles.... just try it!

Interesting. A couple of years ago I bought a few rods of BE to try and I was told that their clear wasn't very good. They sold me Schott instead.

[NorLigh]

I have too much invested in 104 glass to switch to BE right now. Also, I've melted BE on my HH and for me it takes forever.

Through process of elimination, advice from LEer's, and many hazy beads I've found two 104 clears that work for me; alas one is a secret stash of handmade glass I bought at a local bead shop. This clear works very well for me (I might be getting my hands on a bit more of this soon.)

And Precision Diamond clear. I tested it again yesterday and came up with a very clear bead.

I'm gathering up all my Moretti, Effetre and CIM to get rid of. I might keep a tiny bit for base beads. I should be receiving the new Lauscha soft clear soon and I hope it's as good as it sounds.

Thanks again for the help guys. I know it's a question that is asked all the time but after using so many different clears it starts to get confusing!

Originally Posted by Elz Beads

Oh, honestly.... for the 7 seven years I have been torching I have read this same tune over and over again.... For heavens sake...Switch to Bullseye!!!! I used it on a hot head during my first year and I encased almost everything with clear. No problems and I don't 'clean' my rods, just take them off the shelf and shove them into the flame. It is rare (very very rare) to have scum and there are very few bubbles.... just try it!

[beauxbead]

Clear Diamond from North Star Is the best 104 clear on the market and its made in the USA. Hello folks!!!!! Call Abe-Get some. Try it. Be amazed.

[Lisi]

oops, wrong thread!

[PerfectDeb]

Oh good god in heaven, now the clear threads are resurrecting! It's the zombie clear apocalypse!!

[jamie lynne]

Clear.

[Mountain Snail]

I hated Effetre clear until I simmered it in hot salt vinegar water. Before I use a clear rod I wipe with alcohol. From here on out all of my mistakes are just user error.