Devardi Glass

[ineedanewusername]

hello all, so i am new to lampworking and just bought a bunch of stuff to start out making marbles. Since i didnt want to spend alot of money on a new hobby, i bought things based on price. I am using a hothead torch and bought a sampler pack of Devardi Glass. Let me tell you, even after warming the rods slowly, and after they even started to melt, they would still pop. I am going to buy a rod warmer and see if that helps, and i will keep everyone posted.

[jr23]

Slow down its cheap and soft glass.

[ROGUE]

There is boro Devardi.

Give up on the Devardi and buy some shorts from somebody. I've got a couple pounds of that Devardi junk and it's useless.

You don't need a rod warmer, spend that money on the shorts

[ineedanewusername]

like effetre(morretti) or lauscha? where do they sell shorts?

[ineedanewusername]

oh and yeah i was prewarming the rod past the end of the flame and very slowly (waving in and out and moving closer to the end of the flame over about 4 minutes) introducing into the flame, also had the hothead turned down to help with too much heat. i will say that once you get it to where the rod is warming up, only the opaque colors were still popping and not so much on the translucent colors. I know its cheap glass but like i said i didnt want to buy anything too expensive because im new to lampworking. I did order some effetre super clear rods tho and cant wait to get them to see what the difference is between those and devardi.

[istandalone24/7]

devardi is the cheapest shittiest soft glass you can buy, and even when that rod warmer is used those fat rods will still pop. there is lots of air pockets in them.

check out "messy color" aka "creation is messy" aka "CIM" glass. it's 104 coe, and very nicely priced. it's on par with moretti/effetre ime, probably the cheapest quality color you can get.
http://www.mountainglass.com/Products/MESSY-COLOR-CiM/

for your clear, use Lauscha soft. it's a bit pricey, but is damn near the best clear you can get to use on a hothead.

http://www.flamedame.com/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=64_74_142&zenid=a94f6352cae7e94175b3a77743c1eeb6

i started out with exactly the same torch and glass as you....and quickly dumped the devardi crap it was nothing but headaches and frit on a stick.

[ineedanewusername]

haha yeah i have this crazy colored pile of frit already, maybe ill just keep using it to make rainbow frit. Ill just put it in a box and blast the cold glass with a torch and it will keep popping and becoming smaller frit lol.

[ROGUE]

I'll throw down a few links, but search for "boro shorts" or "borosilicate shorts". Also look up borosticks they are cheap and difficult to use, but they are usable.


These aren't shorts but sample packs are about the same thing except labeled.
http://www.mountainglass.com/Products/BOROSILICATE-CLEAR-TUBING-AND-ROD-STARTER-KITS/

http://www.abrimagery.com/index.php/boroshorts-c-424_423_611

[ROGUE]

devardi is the cheapest shittiest soft glass you can buy, and even when that rod warmer is used those fat rods will still pop. there is lots of air pockets in them.

check out "messy color" aka "creation is messy" aka "CIM" glass. it's 104 coe, and very nicely priced. it's on par with moretti/effetre ime, probably the cheapest quality color you can get.
http://www.mountainglass.com/Products/MESSY-COLOR-CiM/

for your clear, use Lauscha soft. it's a bit pricey, but is damn near the best clear you can get to use on a hothead.

http://www.flamedame.com/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=64_74_142&zenid=a94f6352cae7e94175b3a77743c1eeb6

i started out with exactly the same torch and glass as you....and quickly dumped the devardi crap it was nothing but headaches and frit on a stick.

I don't think he's using soft glass. I'm pretty sure he's talking about Devardi COE33. But it's the same thing, it's got dirt and bubbles all through it.

[Loki Glass]

On a hothead?

[ineedanewusername]

yeah, no im using a hothead and talking about coe 104 soft glass

[ROGUE]

Oh, whoops! Then disregard everything I said. I know nothing about soft glass.

There's a lady at the local flea market that makes names out of boro on a hothead. I didn't realize it was a COE specific torch.

[istandalone24/7]

you can melt SOME boro colors on a hothead, although it takes forever and never gets soupy hot. anyone who makes something out of 33 on a hothead or the generic equivalent is doing it just to say they did lol.

[istandalone24/7]

actually, "ineedanewusername" pm me your address....i've got a shitload of 104 that i don't use, and while it may not be the exact colors you're after they will get you started w/o having the "frit on a stick" experience.
i'll send you a couple lbs on the house.

[glassdocnc]

I'm in the minority who actually likes 104 Devardi. Don't give up on it. Some of the colors are worth the extra time/effort.

[istandalone24/7]

not for a beginner they're not. having to watch out for shocking glass is something that newbie should not have to deal with.

[ineedanewusername]

it is very tempermental and if you get it to where you can work it, better get it in a kiln before it cools down too fast and cracks lol.... oh wait, i dont have a kiln yet lol

[istandalone24/7]

order some of that fiber blanket...or even vermiculite. i've had better luck with the fiber, but some people swear by vermiculite.

oh i got your pm, i'll be sending out a goody package in a couple days ;)

[dustyg]

order some of that fiber blanket...or even vermiculite. i've had better luck with the fiber, but some people swear by vermiculite.

I prefer the "annealing bubbles" from ArtCoInc.

For Devardi, it helps to pre-heat it. The curling iron warmers that some people use and Devardi sells are nice, but you can use a hot-plate if you've got one. When first introducing a rod to the flame, don't just let it sit in the flame, but wave it through there while spinning it, and slowly let your waving hone-in on the flame and sit there. It helps, also, to use a gentle flame. Smaller flames are gentler, and more reducing flames are gentler (if the reducing flame doesn't mess up the particular glass you're working with).

[ineedanewusername]

thanks all for the input, i have been practicing more with it, although i went through a small tank of mapp gas in a day lol. working on rounding marbles, pulling stringers and even twisted a cane. im diggin my progress and definately starting to feel addicted lol

[Loki Glass]

Awesome man! If you can do it with the cheaper stuff the good stuff will be way more fun :) Glad to see you're enjoying yourself.

[ineedanewusername]

So I have been working with the Devardi rods that i have and have come to the conclusion that they arent ideal on a hothead. Being a stiffer glass, they are ok for making canes however when i tried to melt some dots into a marble, they took forever to melt in. Maybe when i get a real torch (prolly a cricket to use while i wait for a lynx lol) i will be able to do these things better. Hopefully ill just move on to boro.

[istandalone24/7]

i've got a package for you....just got to get it to the mail ;)

[ineedanewusername]

thanks a bunch man, anytime, no rush. i keep running out of little propane tanks (waiting on my bbq tank hothead hose lol)

[istandalone24/7]

it's going out monday morning via ups ground. i got some frits in there too.

[ineedanewusername]

Thats awesome, im excited!!