Farblashuette (Lauscha); likes and dislikes

[frantzglass]

My post questioning the quality of Vetrofond black has resulted in lots of replies. I am planning on starting three posts, 'Vetrofond', 'Effetre' and 'Farbglashuette (Lauscha)'. These three companies want your business and everyone knows that if their glass makes beadmakers happy, they will sell more of their glass, and if these companies send us glass we do not like, beadmakers will look to other glass producers to satisfy their needs. By replying to these threads we can let the owners know what we like and what we do not like. Please post your thoughts, your ideas, your dreams, your praises and your dislikes. I am going to be your messenger.


I will be leaving for Italy on the 23rd of April and then to Germany (Lauscha) on May 5th. I will be taking these threads to the three respective companies.

Mike Frantz

[Chuckie]

Let's just say there isn't much about Lauscha that's not to like. I adore their pinks and purples. They've got a couple interesting blues to add to the color line. It's just really nice glass that doesn't burn easily.

If you want to see the pinks, check them out on this page. I want to buy some of the magenta, fuschia and strawberry transparents.
http://www.lauschalady.com/LLGlass.html

[PaulaD]

I have NEVER met a Lauscha color that I didn't like!!

Paula

[bclogan]

I don't have a lot of experience with Lauscha, but every color I've tried, I've liked. Well, with the exception of SuperNova. I STILL can't get that one to do anything for me....

[Kevan]

Love the Lauscha. Wish it didn't crack when encasing other colors that it's supposed to be compatible with.

The clear is amazing. The Eis blue..I would kill for.

[danelady]

My favorite lauscha colors are the tri colors, I'd like to see more of them!

[Kevan]

We're not going to start having to call it that, are we? Farblgookey whatever that is. Bullseye is the only one I'm absolutely sure of the pronunciation.

[crystalflipz]

The Lauscha black is far and away the best of the COE 104 blacks that I have tried. I can cook the snot out of it and it does not pit/burn/bubble like the others. I think it also gives better reactions with Raku. My only gripe is that right now it is only available in the 6-8mm size and there are times when a smaller diameter rod would be nice.
Carol

[tiggybubba]

My only complaint and its not really a complaint is about the rod size as well. I have a hard time with the 10-12 mm size. Sometimes you are not given a choice (like you are with the clear) and it can be very hard to melt a thick rod like that without it fracturing. I would love to see them do a standard 5-6 mm rod size but still give the assorted sizes of the clear. Other than supernova (cant get it to do anything either) I love every colour that they have. I really, really love the tricolours. Would love to see them in more colours.

[Gundula]

Originally Posted by Kevan

We're not going to start having to call it that, are we? Farblgookey whatever that is. Bullseye is the only one I'm absolutely sure of the pronunciation.

Farb-glas-huette means Colored Glass Hut in German, here's a link:
http://www.farbglashuette.de/
you can select German or English, it gives some company background.
Lauscha is actually the name of the town in Germany.
I'm using Bullseye because I'm a glass fuser learning to lampwork, but I would like to try Lauscha, too.
Gundula
www.glass bygundula.com

[dragon myst]

Please, would you get the colored lauscha - tri colored rods too , please !

[GinaJ]

I love the Lauscha colors, I just wish they would work on the compatibility issues, I won't buy glass that I know has a chance of cracking. Also, I would like more rod sizes.

[Emily]

Clear. I like the thicker rods. I use the regular size ones, too, but I buy some 10mm on purpose.

The secondary colors -- Effetre's colors are too primary and circusy. Lauscha has muted blues. Olive green. Purples that are bluish-purple, not blah-sick-making pinkish-purple. Lauscha COCOA. Lauscha has a grapey transparent purple that's similar to Effetre Ink Blue but a little lighter. I actually don't like the shade quite as much as Ink Blue, but it's a little more useful than I.B. because it's not as dense. I.B. is so dark that unless you put it over clear, it looks black.

Lauscha has also got a (not muted) luscious red that is absolutely mouthwatering and does not go livery.

On the down side, Lauscha copper green transparent is a gorgeous color in the rod and scums to the point where it is freaking useless.

[Kikki]

Oh, yes! The Lauscha trans red! One of the most wonderful colours ever!!!

I love Lauscha glass but I never seem to have any luck when making bigger beads with the opaque purple. I always getting tiny cracks in it. Other than that I have no problems.

[LadyCrow]

I hope you can get all the colors,I'd love to try the pinks,magentas,and the purples the most.Only I'd like them in a smaller diameter as well. I'm on a hothead and the fatter rods take forever to get going.

[DancingSalamander]

Yes, smaller rod sizes would be nice.

Stacia

[artwhim]

Oh, I love the Supernova! I hope they make it part of their regular line.

I have had clear that was so scratched I couldn't make anything without tons of bubbles. I know most people seem to like their clear, but after that experience, I don't use theirs.

[Heart Fire]

Although I purchase from all three companies I just love Lauscha glass. It doesn't shock when introduced to the flame, the transparents are absolutely luscious and they seem to be catering more to those of us who crave true purples and pinks. Moretti and Vetrofond have come out with some really nice pinks recently but Lauscha has some dynamite fuschias, purples, and pinks, their strawberry---very cool.

Lauscha doesn't scorch easily, has a nice viscosity, and feels stronger (not drippy) when being applied to a hot mandrel.

When you are making a living by making glass beads it is really frustrating when the pinks scorch, or when the clear burns so easily and you have to spend time skimming the surface of a bead to eliminate dark areas.

Like someone else said already, there isn't anything about Lauscha that I dislike, I think it is the best 104 glass.

Lois

[WildBird]

I would like to see a clear that is a little less stiff. I don't mind stiff for my base bead or decor, but when I encase, buttery is better.

WildBird

[lavendar420]

Likes:
3 mm clear... this is my favorite for encasing.
colors!

Dislikes:
I hate it that the clear is incompatible with silver glass
Big rods... I can't use them. Love the colors, hate watching them chunk off the rod as I heat it as slowly as humanly possible.

[Sherri*S]

I haven't use a lot of Lauscha, but everything I've used, I loved. The colors are beautiful, and I did love the tri-color rods. I also would like to see more available in the 5-6 mm range.

[lldesigns]

Love Lauscha. Smaller rods and more strawberry!

[Basement Studios]

It's funny- I use Lauscha because I can find bigger rods- I wish I could find it cheaper, that would be nice. The colors are great and it's so nice to work with off mandrel.

[evilglass]

Originally Posted by lavendar420

Likes:
3 mm clear... this is my favorite for encasing.
colors!

Dislikes:
I hate it that the clear is incompatible with silver glass
Big rods... I can't use them. Love the colors, hate watching them chunk off the rod as I heat it as slowly as humanly possible.

I've yet to have an issue with lauscha clear (the only clear I encase with) and silver glass. I've gone through nearly a pound of olympia rain (hope the new version is as good), 1/4 of gaia, 1/2 of kronos, some samples of r4 stuff, and a bit of supernova (which I'm still having issues with striking-I'll figure it out someday!).

I encase every bit of silver glass I use, at least partially, in lauscha clear. But I'm a freak, I guess, since I also batch anneal lauscha and haven't ever had a problem.

I just want one vendor to have everything, LOL, then I can order it all from one place

[Chelle's art glass]

I adore Lauscha and use quite a bit of it. Hands down...Lauscha clear is the best clear around (IMO).
I agree...it would be great to see smaller diameter rods.

[loribeads]

I would like them to make an opaque red that was more true red rather than the tomato red they currently have.

[claybraes]

I love it. wish it was abit more like 6mm 10mm is abit thick for a hot head.Colours are fab!

[beadworkstudio]

Love Lauscha! Especially Supernova and Caramello. I agree that smaller rod diameters would be really nice. I also agree with Emily--the more muted colors are much nicer than Moretti.

The only things I don't like are the inconsistent availability and the inconsistent color naming among vendors. I've ordered the same color from two vendors, thinking they were different (very frustrating!).

[The Mad Beader]

Love the clear and it has already been stated about some incompatibilities. Of course I would like more colors but I do love the glass. Hey I even learned something I didn't know about it right here! That it can take the heat and not pit and works great with raku. Tomorrow is my r & d day anyway so I am going to put it to a test.

[rainygrrl]

Love having clear in various sizes, but I don't buy much Lauscha because the larger rods are hard for me to handle.