effetre/moretti glass problem

shasta · Post by **shasta** » Thu Jan 08, 2004 10:08 pm

hiya...

i work with effetre/moretti glass sheets and certains colours, not all, have like a film layer? on one side. when that side is sandwiched with another layer and fused, it looks, how do i describe it, like there's streaks. if that side is up, it burns off fine. i try to make sure the correct side is up before firing but sometimes its hard to tell. i clean the glass with rubbing alcohol first and have tried different ways to clean it but nothing takes it off. could it be devit on the sheet glass from the factory? has anyone had this problem?

thanks,
shasta.

charlie holden · Post by **charlie holden** » Fri Jan 09, 2004 12:56 pm

Very few people here use that kind of glass. Don't know what to suggest.

Brock · Post by **Brock** » Fri Jan 09, 2004 1:09 pm

It's so expensive, why do you use it? Are you combining it with torch work?

shasta · Post by **shasta** » Fri Jan 09, 2004 1:21 pm

i use it so i can work with millefiori. its not that great to work with. often the sheet glass is so wonky you can barely cut a straight edge. and each colour is a different thickness. those italians don't believe in uniformity at all. they do it how they want, when they want and how they want.

Brock · Post by **Brock** » Fri Jan 09, 2004 1:24 pm

Yeah, but they make great cars. And wine. And clothes. And food. Brock

dee · Post by **dee** » Fri Jan 09, 2004 1:27 pm

Brock wrote:Yeah, but they make great cars. And wine. And clothes. And food. Brock

don't they tho'? we have a great itialian restuarant here in alabama of all places owned and operated by a family originally from the rome area of italy

) one of our favorite places

D

shasta · Post by **shasta** » Fri Jan 09, 2004 1:41 pm

and shoes!

Brock · Post by **Brock** » Fri Jan 09, 2004 1:54 pm

And furniture. And design, in general. Brock

lissa · Post by **lissa** » Fri Jan 09, 2004 2:58 pm

Shasta, we do some fusing with Effetre and have not seen this problem. We use Effetre when we incorporate murrine we make into fused pieces, but the murrine are complex and detailed which is why we use Effetre for them...can't beat that color palette! However, when I use millie in fusing I make my own from BE rods. This gives you a unique product, is much cheaper, and gives you the reliability of BE for fusing. And it's fun! A cheap torch could pay for itself pretty quickly depending on how much you fuse. Sorry I can't help on the streaks, maybe you could pre-fire with the streaked side up, as you said all's well when streaked side up, then cap on a second run. The inconsistency of the Effetre glass can be vexing, but sometimes it results in some outstanding colors. Maybe it's all that Moretti beer they drink as they work.

lissa

shasta · Post by **shasta** » Fri Jan 09, 2004 3:08 pm

lissa... do you think even a low tech person, such as myself could learn to make their own. do yours have as much detail as effetre's? can you explain in 4 sentences or less how to or would it take a book. you must compose a design somehow with stringers and then heat up with a torch and stretch to reduce the size? is this the general idea?

tanks. i would give my first born up to be free of the chains of moretti.

lissa · Post by **lissa** » Fri Jan 09, 2004 3:20 pm

Shasta, I wouldn't recommend the stringer technique for millie, but yes you can easily make murrine similar and better than Effetre's with rods and a torch. Here's a link to a little demo on our site. Once you get the hang of 'painting' the glass on, you can make it as complex and fun as you want. Happens to be letters on our site but you can do whatever you fancy with that technique.

http://www.glasskitchen.com/make.htm

Let me know if that helps.

lissa.

shasta · Post by **shasta** » Fri Jan 09, 2004 3:53 pm

thanks lissa, that's great! except its not for me. i've got shaky hands and can't do that kind of precise stuff. thanks anyways.

Diane Trepanier · Post by **Diane Trepanier** » Fri Jan 09, 2004 11:00 pm

Shasta,

I was just reading in the latest issue of Ornament magazine about a fuser in hawaii using moretti rods fused into sheet.

Clear moretti rods are known to have some scum sometimes. She soaks her rods in Drano for 24 hrs and then stores them in full strength vinegar to keep them clean.

I'm trying an experiment using this technique on some pieces (BE) that I cut on a wet saw. I have soaked them in drano and are now in vinegar. Haven't had time to fuse yet, but I'm hoping that I get a better fire polish. I am not doing alot of scrubbing on them.