Does anyone know is there a compatibility problem between effetre and Northstar? Each time I have mixed them the bead has broke It may be that I'm not flame annealing enough but non of my other beads I have made in the same session have broke, it's soooooooooo annoying cos its always the best beads that break

how are you using them?

If your trying to encased the northstar then their dimond clear is the only one i'd use, also make sure it's 104, northstar make boro glass as well (northstar boro is my favorite ATM)

I'm just basically mixing them either to make a barrel bead or using a press maybe swirling the northstar into the effectre if that makes sense The northstar I am using is Da Vinci transparent. i have has 2 differnt breaks one going across the bead and the other going down where the mandrel has been - maybe I'm working it too much or i haven't flame annealed enough??????? Shall have yet another go later when I finish work.
Oh and I haven't forgotten about coming to see ya Caroline I have just been having a mad few weeks but once things settle down I shall be arranging a visit

Its not a glass I've used Claire, so I don't know about incompatability, although I'm always wary of mixing glasses anyway - except Effetre and Vetrofond.

I *think* I've read that if the crack is straight, its probably a thermal shock and if its crooked, its incompatability. Hopefully somebody cleverer than me will come along and confirm this - or blast me out of the water!

it's thermal shock from the sounds of it, if the bead is cracking and breaking then it is thermal shock, this happens when you let the bead get too cool while your working on it.

When i've used the northstar (also know as r4) glass in my work and i've had incompatibility the bead has stayed intact but the encasing layer has cracks in it if you get what i mean

Thanks girlies I think my problem is I'm trying to run before I can walk

lol, we all do that

Well it's done it again so have come to the conclusion these 2 glasses don't like each other

I am not sure on their compatability - but what annealing are you doing?

I have an occassional crack when I batch anneal (even with same brand glass - mainly bullseye) - but no problems annealing on the go!

Karen