Spectrum & Bullseye Clear Fusible Glass

[rainbowsoup]

Greetings. I have a small problem relating to Bullseye and Spectrum Clear Fusible Glass. I work with both brands of glass. In one of my more addled states I cut up a sheet . Now two months later, I'm trying to figure out what it is. Spectrum? Bullseye? The clear fusible glasses look the same. Is there a visual test that I can do besides test fusing? Thanks much. Paula

[charlie]

it looks different. spectrum is much smoother than be. do you have some that you know what it is? compare it to that.

[Wallace Venable]

Well, yes, if its NEW glass the Spectrum is flat and 96 COE while the Bullesye is textured and 90 COE.

The possible gotcha is that Bullseye used to sell very flat double rolled 90 which were reported produced by Spectrum under contract. (Sigh - I loved the 12 x 12 inch sheets of this glass)

[Brad Walker]

The possible gotcha is that Bullseye used to sell very flat double rolled 90 which were reported produced by Spectrum under contract. (Sigh - I loved the 12 x 12 inch sheets of this glass)

And, as if that isn't complicated enough, Bullseye also sells (or used to sell, or might sell, or something) clear that's made by Wissmach. (1110-83, and I believe it's smoother than regular BE clear.)

And, just to make it more interesting, you can also buy clear 90COE from Uroboros which is just as smooth as the old clear that Spectrum made for Bullseye. It might be (or it might not be, damned if I know) made for Uroboros by Spectrum.

If you think this is entertaining, try to figure out where a Toyota is made.

[Cynthia]

="Brad Walker...If you think this is entertaining, try to figure out where a Toyota is made.

Mine was proportedly made in Kentucky. I think that is just north of Kyoto. My VW was made in Wolfsberg...is that anywhere near Kentucky?

[Brad Walker]

...If you think this is entertaining, try to figure out where a Toyota is made.

Mine was proportedly made in Kentucky. I think that is just north of Kyoto. My VW is made in Wolfsberg...is that anywhere near Kentucky?

Well, that's where it was assembled. But I bet the parts were made somewhere else.

A few years back I wanted to buy a Honda Accord. The dealer offered me a choice of two: one was assembled in Ohio, one was assembled in Japan. They were identical and had the same warrenty, but the one made in Ohio was a "new" car and the one made in Japan (which had 17 miles on the odometer) had been imported as "used." So much for quotas.

I bought the used car for $1000 less. That about 13,000 yen.

[gone]

The two machine rolled glasses are a slightly different color. Try cutting samples of both from sheets you know and one the same size from the mystery glass. Viewed from the edge, you should be able to tell.

[PaulS]

Greetings. Is there a visual test that I can do besides test fusing? Thanks much. Paula

I can only answer as if I were you Paula and say I would do a test firing to check compatibility. The glass I make will outlive me so an extra day to check it's the correct glass is but a drop in the pond.

I drive a Honda, built in UK, goes like a rocket. They call it Stevenson's rocket.

[Marilyn Kaminski]

If you have other sheets of each, you can compare the thicknesses. I use a lot of both, and can feel the difference -- I believe it's the Spectrum that's slightly thinner, and the BE/Urob that's thicker. (but I'm not in the studio right now)

- Marilyn

[Randy W]

In issue #61 of Stained Glass News there is an article by Gil Reynolds. Part of the article tells how to identify the glass manufacturer by looking at the edge of the glass. If you're not sure of the color from the edge, stack three of four pieces together, the color will be stronger.

When viewed from the edge:

Window glass (or float) will have a dark green cast.

Bullseye tends to be light gray.

Spectrum 96 has a light yellow green hue.

Standard Spectrum is light blue.

Uroboros 90 and 96 have a yellow green color.

But still the safest way is to fuse a test piece and use polarizing film.
Hope this helps.
Randy

[Lynne Chappell]

"Spectrum 96 has a light yellow green hue.

Uroboros 90 and 96 have a yellow green color."


Yes, it's virtually impossible to be sure. And there is an inconsistency here in that the machine rolled clear with the Uroboros label is 90, the 96 has a Spectrum System 96 label on it. There were color differences between the machine rolled glass that Spectrum made for Bullseye and the glass they are still making for Uroboros, even they were both 90. And all of it that is in my rack right now looks sort of yellow (90 and 96). I don't think that the color is totally consistent over the years either. Test your glass. And in the future, label each and every piece of glass with permanent pen as you cut it.