Which sample pack?

SilverCreek Studio · #1 2009-07-21, 10:04am

Hey folks, perhaps you can help me decide. I would like to try Boro but I am not sure which sample pack to try.
Momka?
North Star?
Glass Alchemy?

Which one is most popular?

Thanks!!!

Karen Hardy · #2 2009-07-21, 10:11am

Glass Alchemy.
I love the other glass, but GA is my favorite.

gmkcpa · #3 2009-07-21, 10:34am

The sample pack I got 2 years ago from Northstar had eighty-some-odd 20" by about 7mm rods in it, each different and clearly labeled. My GA sample pack had a lot of I think 6" rods. With Northstar's longer rods you had a better opportunity to see more of what you could do with the rod. For trying boro, you might just want to get some clear rods of different sizes and four or five 1/4 lb packs of NS color. For that matter, you can get 1/4 lb packs of any company's colored glass to try. (The 1/4 lb packs are all 20" rods.) I'd get a pound of asian blue for $10.00 and a 1/4 lb of various colors. Don't get too many silver colors or striking colors - maybe get Amber/Purple, intense blue-green, onyx, star white, forest green, yellow crayon, and a red striking color. In clear, try some 5mm, 9mm and some 12.7mm (1/2 inch) for starters.

menty666 · #4 2009-07-21, 10:39am

They're all good, and I think I got a TAG sampler from somewhere, but I can't recall where. Delphi has Origin/Borostix samplers as well.

My only complaint about samplers is that I never want to actually use the colors, but obviously that doesn't help me figure out how to work them

GA's got a few nice packs to choose from.

Paul Ewing · #5 2009-07-21, 10:43am

I like all the companies colors, but it seems that the best sales are on Northstar. If you wait around many distributors run sales of 30% to 50% off on Northstar rods. This makes it much more affordable to try new colors. Also, watch for sales on Northstar Odds. These are the same glass as regular rods, but just in off shapes. The rods may be skinny or thick or varry in thinkness or even be wavey. If you watch for sales, you can get them for $20 a pound.

teachertracey · #6 2009-07-21, 4:14pm

I agree that the sample packs from GA and Northstar are nice, but oh, I love Momka glass.

Ruth Nichols · #7 2009-07-21, 6:46pm

I have not met a single glass rod I don't like. I say... why limit to one sample pack? Try them all.

SilverCreek Studio · #8 2009-07-21, 10:36pm

Thanks for the input. I went with the NorthStar. I love the colors. Might get some of the Momka as well, but only a few select rods that have peeked my interest.

Hopefully I will be able to work it and make it look good!

Ruth I wish I could order all three, but at almost a hundred bucks per sample pack, I figure if I only get one and can't manage it, I can spend the 200 I saved buying a ton of soft glass!!!!

Thanks again!

honeybeadzdesigns · #9 2009-07-22, 7:24am

For the price of the sample packs can't you just buy a bag of shorts? That way you could try them all

Last I checked the sample from NS was around $300? GL!

menty666 · #10 2009-07-22, 7:40am

Quote:

Originally Posted by honeybeadzdesigns

For the price of the sample packs can't you just buy a bag of shorts? That way you could try them all

Last I checked the sample from NS was around $300? GL!

You could, but a lot of the time the shorts aren't marked. I have a piece of glass here I got in a bag that I love, but I have no idea what it is. It's kind of an ice blue color and it silvers slightly. I'm pretty sure I got it in a bag of NS bits, but other than that no idea.

With the sampler, they're marked.

SilverCreek Studio · #11 2009-07-22, 4:58pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by honeybeadzdesigns

For the price of the sample packs can't you just buy a bag of shorts? That way you could try them all

Last I checked the sample from NS was around $300? GL!

The sample pack from my supplier of NS is 115.00. They are half rods, so I guess they are shorts. It comes with 2 bags of frit and 1 bag of powder and an instruction book. They are all marked with a tag.

Tapping foot awaiting its arrival.....

Over the Moon · #12 2009-07-23, 3:13am

Quote:

Originally Posted by menty666

You could, but a lot of the time the shorts aren't marked. I have a piece of glass here I got in a bag that I love, but I have no idea what it is. .......With the sampler, they're marked.

Welcome to the dark side!

I've no doubt you'll be pleased with your NS pack - any of them are wonderful. I'm with Tom on this: to me, Boro already has it's peculiarities and challenges ~ I could/would never work from an unlabeled bag of shorts...