Liquid Stringer vs. Glassline

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smallbitz
Posts: 154
Joined: Sat Jun 27, 2009 8:44 am
Location: Florida

Liquid Stringer vs. Glassline

Post by smallbitz »

I can't seem to find any info on the difference between liquid stringer and glassline paint. Can someone please enlighten me? Many thanks!
Kevin Midgley
Posts: 773
Joined: Mon Mar 10, 2003 11:36 am
Location: Tofino, British Columbia, Canada

Re: Liquid Stringer vs. Glassline

Post by Kevin Midgley »

Make your own liquid stringer with powdered/frit glass or buy glassline paint.
If you want artistic permanence/ no COE problems guaranteed, you would mix your own using the coe of glass you work with.
ALL paints work on the principle that if the layer is thin enough there won't be compatibility problems.
They have been designed with fluxing agents that allow them to work on glass.
I don't know any specifics about glassline paints you would have to ask the makers.

All I know about them is their bottles in my experience tend to over time, for lack of a better term, coagulate and require incredible amounts of vibration to make them somewhat liquid again after adding water. I like the glassline for the convenience of being pre-mixed but they are a giant pain to use as a result of the above.
A heavy duty back thumper/massager is helpful to own in such circumstances.
This sort of device:
http://www.amazon.com/HoMedics-Homedics ... 079&sr=1-3

The bottles are a little small to go into the commercial paint shaker machine at your local house paint store. I've thought about it but not tried to take an empty paint can filled with glassline bottles to them to shake up. I'd hate to think of a bottle or bottles wearing thin in the can and leaking everywhere during the shaking.

Liquid stringer you make yourself could be applied thickly creating a raised line which is helpful if you are working with powders and frits so that they don't just roll all over the place.
Take a course from Richard LaLonde in Washington State if you want to learn from the master of liquid stringer. http://richardlalonde.com/

You also failed to ask in this question about 'real stained glass paint' which is another learning curve.......
smallbitz
Posts: 154
Joined: Sat Jun 27, 2009 8:44 am
Location: Florida

Re: Liquid Stringer vs. Glassline

Post by smallbitz »

Kevin,
Thanks for your wonderful explanation/comparison. If I do go with the glassline (and get that massage thingy) it could always be useful after hours of leaning over putting together strip plates!
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