whats a good color white

lightgiver · #1 2008-10-13, 9:02am

the only white I've worked with so far is GA snow white. It seems to be a bit stiff and tough to work with, are there any other nice opaque white colors that flow more easily.

menty666 · #2 2008-10-13, 9:42am

I like the borostix white, but your mileage may vary

ginkgoglass · #3 2008-10-13, 10:59am

I like egyptian white sands. It is not pure stark white, but the palest cream, but I can't tell it apart from white though when I use it.

Cosmo · #4 2008-10-13, 11:16am

It depends on what you're doing with it. If it's not going to be thin, then Parramore white works well. If you are going to pull it thin, then Snow White.

sableglass · #5 2008-10-13, 5:58pm

star white is the best white that can be purchased at the moment.... of course my 2cents...lol thin or thick, works great and hardly any boiling.

snowwhite boils like crazy for me.

borostick white from origin works great if used in thick applications.

i only use 1st quality rods.

Cosmo · #6 2008-10-13, 8:10pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by sableglass

star white is the best white that can be purchased at the moment.... of course my 2cents...lol thin or thick, works great and hardly any boiling.

snowwhite boils like crazy for me.

borostick white from origin works great if used in thick applications.

i only use 1st quality rods.

Do you have any problem with star white going clear if heated a lot? I've used it to make tube pulls and stuff, and had it go clear where there were seals.

sableglass · #7 2008-10-13, 8:23pm

No problem with the starwhite at all. Its my 2nd favorite white next to Colormax Lavender. Its the whitest white out of all the whites out there...lol.

e. mort · #8 2008-10-14, 7:05am

Quote:

Originally Posted by sableglass

No problem with the starwhite at all. Its my 2nd favorite white next to Colormax Lavender. Its the whitest white out of all the whites out there...lol.

I have to preface my comment by saying that I had some older (+3 years) star white and I found it to be "boily" and prone to devit. I do like egyptian white sands and I use sno white as well. I prefer to use the borostix white, but the last batch I got seems a bit brittle.

Mr. Smiley · #9 2008-10-14, 7:24am

The new reformulated Star White IS awesome! I think we are finally being blessed with a lot of good choices for white. The Stag white from Paul is nice too. When used on implosions, the little blizzard bits give petals a nice soft look. Egyptian White Sands is creamier than ever and I tried some of the new batch of Sno White and it didn't boil either. It's definitely stiff, but not boil prone like the first batches. Given that all color companies try to improve on their formulas, I'd give some of the older problematic whites a new look. Abe at NS has been working wonders with their colors.

Cosmo · #10 2008-10-14, 7:25am

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mr. Smiley

The new reformulated Star White IS awesome! I think we are finally being blessed with a lot of good choices for white. The Stag white from Paul is nice too. When used on implosions, the little blizzard bits give petals a nice soft look. Egyptian White Sands is creamier than ever and I tried some of the new batch of Sno White and it didn't boil either. It's definitely stiff, but not boil prone like the first batches. Given that all color companies try to improve on their formulas, I'd give some of the older problematic whites a new look. Abe at NS has been working wonders with their colors.

It has been reformulated? Didn't know that. It's been a few years since I used it. I'll have to try some of the new stuff.

Mr. Smiley · #11 2008-10-14, 7:36am

Yep... the old stuff was pretty much worthless and I have often wondered how anybody could use it... but the new stuff is awesome. I need to order some more.

lightgiver · #12 2008-10-14, 10:25am

thanks everyone, though I'm not sure if I'm more confused. the sno white I used was from a sample kit and it boiled quite a bit, but maybe it was the old formula, I think I will try the star white next.

sableglass · #13 2008-10-14, 10:57am

ive used recent snowwhite (2months back) and had boiling issues.

The most recent batch of starwhite is awesome.

The borostick white works great too.

Mr. Smiley · #14 2008-10-14, 11:38am

I used the Sno white at GA about 6 months ago and boiling wasn't an issue, but I just made a gather and encased it with a silver color. Might have been on it's best behavior, because it didn't want to disrespect it's house. Away from the factory and it's parents, it might have behaved badly.

Firebrand Beads · #15 2008-10-20, 3:30pm

BTW "Stag white from Paul" means TAG's Stag White. It's a smoother version of our experimental Blizzard white, and it's not boily. Here is an image of Stag coilpotted for a goblet:

that's the inside

that's the outside, with Red Elvis Medium Frit.

e. mort · #16 2008-10-20, 6:07pm

Oh, I got to try some of that!!!

menty666 · #17 2008-10-20, 9:27pm

I've been wanting to try the stag white.

I have to say, I was using some of the colormax white that winship was selling and while it boiled some, it also recovered itself and comes out a nice porcelain white. We'll see what I think of it once I open the kiln tomorrow morning, but while working it wasn't bad.

Karen Hardy · #18 2008-10-20, 9:29pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mr. Smiley

I used the Sno white at GA about 6 months ago and boiling wasn't an issue, but I just made a gather and encased it with a silver color. Might have been on it's best behavior, because it didn't want to disrespect it's house. Away from the factory and it's parents, it might have behaved badly.

Karen Hardy · #19 2008-10-20, 9:30pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by sableglass

Its the whitest white out of all the whites out there...lol.

How white is it???

Karen Hardy · #20 2008-10-20, 9:36pm

You guys crack me up.

I LOVE Egyptian white - it's great for bases, and creamy smooth
but it's a little too "off white" when I really need it to be bright.
I got some of the new sno white, and I think it's much better
than the older rods I bought ages ago. I still get some boiling
but I work boro a little rough sometimes and get distracted

.

When I was in Oregon at Glass Stock, I got to sit down and talk
with Henry - he gave a long chat ALL on white glass. Probably
1/2 of what he said went over my pointy head (not his fault)
but the stuff I understood helped me to understand SO much
about the characteristics of GA whites.

Besides, Henry is a kick to listen to. He's so enthusiastic and
willing to share info. It's like sitting with a 14 year old describing
the benefits of solid metal tubing when building a potato cannon.

hestias_hearth · #21 2008-10-22, 3:55am

Parasilicate white(no bubbling) for outside use and sculptural work, Boro Stix - Bright White encased(it bubbles) for pulling stringers.

ruca · #22 2008-11-02, 7:27pm

I second on Star White & Boro Stix, I've done wig wags off rod & kind of heated the hell out of the Boro Stix (not encased) with not *too* much bubbling.. I just bought some Star White & have only used it for a few pendants but it seems less bubbley. However, I love how buttery smooth Boro Stix is, so I'll probably keep using both.

Coffeebean · #23 2008-11-16, 8:48pm

i have gotten a lot of boiling with Egyptain White Sands, but I love the color

Mr. Smiley · #24 2008-11-17, 5:28am

It all depends on the batch... I've had a few batches of EWS that boil... they were odds... and I suspect it was actually air trapped in the matrix and not really boiling.

The batch of Star White I'm working with now is butter! So smooth and creamy. I love it.

Coffeebean · #25 2008-11-20, 11:43pm

^^^ Good to know! Thank you!!!