Switching over to Spectrum Nuggets.

[Jim Antonius]

I recently decided to make the switch over to the Spectrum Nuggets, in an effort to prolong furnace life, etc. We've been melting Sp87w/e for the past 15 yrs and so my question is this: How critical is it to get absolutely all of the SP out of the pot (300#) Prior to charging the pillows. Also, do any of you have any words of wisdom on what color bars (R, Z, or Gaffer) that work best with the pillows and which to avoid?
Thanks for any info you can share.
Antonius

[Jordan Kube]

Just get as much as you can out and charge on top of that. Your first pot might be a bit cordy.

What's wrong with the spruce?

[Wes Hunting]

I have been using the spectrum nuggets for around two years now and decided to go back to batchin it. The glass is just to stiff for me to work with. To much running back and forth to the gloryhole. When asked to soften it up a bit, I was told they would have to raise the price even more.
Its a fair glass, not a great glass,for blowing, although Lisa likes it for her hot casting quite a bit.
Given the tests Ive run we had very little problems with COE using most of the "store bought" color rod and frit except some of the usual reds and yellows.

[Pete VanderLaan]

I keep hearing that it is hard on the furnace itself, particularly in the firebrick/fireclay lower alumina sections. That is also the field noise made about Gaffer batch. I do think that the color fit is enticing but the stuff is spectacularly expensive at close to a dollar a pound after shipping.

[Wes Hunting]

I am going to change out pots on one of my furnaces when I return from from wholesale. I will let you know what I find. The pots been used for around two years melting nothing but system nuggets. I only remember shutting down for a total of two weeks. It will be interesting to find out whats going on down there.

[Pete VanderLaan]

I assume your criucible arrived. I don't expect nuggets to necessarily be hard on your EC pot Wes, it's not fireclay, it's a 90% alumina. . Do inspect the rest of the furnace though and get back to me with what you see.

[Wes Hunting]

I was referring to the bottom half of the furnace after I pull the pot. I will get back to you.
Yes the EC arrived in one piece as usual.

[Andrew Boatman]

I was using the Spectrum Nuggets in the old Denver. When we switched to the Stadelman I went back to Spruce Pine with Texas Sand.
I was in Santa Fe blowing over the Christmas break with Spectrum Studio Nuggets. I had forgotten how difficult it is.
SP is smooth. You can go into the optic mold. Heat shape blow all of that and the piece comes out smooth and pretty.
Nuggets are stiff. Go into the optic mold, heat shape and blow. On transfer the physical optic lines come back out, it gets wonky and misshapen. I am sure it is me not being skillful but there is a huge difference in the pieces I was making the week before at home with SP and the pieces I was making with the nuggets.
Nuggets are good for melting. We never have any compatibility issues.
I can get a full cook on the SP now in a day.
Andy

[Brent Hickenbotham]

yea, jordan's right, the first charge is gonna be a little cordy, but still good glass . I've seen the switch from nuggets to spruce a couple of times and the same result came about, a little cordy. as far a bar is concerned with nuggets, the only problems that I've encountered is with the kugler yellow and orange opaque. I haven't used much of R and Z, and what gaffer i've used there have been no problems.

Jim, what are you melting in?

[Jim Antonius]

Gentlemen, thanks for all of your replies, it seems that the feeling re: the nuggets are about split, from the oral and written comments I've received.
Jordan, Nothing wrong with SP, in fact I almost feel like a traitor switching over. SPB people have been very good to me over the past 15 yrs.
Pete, the main reason that I'm switching over is to attempt to prolong furnace life with lower melt temps and the charging times (less) is very appealing.
Wes. I have been getting around 16-24 mths on each pot(EC) with SP, so hopefully that would improve with the nuggets. I've been using approx. a ton every 6 weeks.
Brent, I rarely use Kugler anymore for exactly the reasons most of us indicate, poor fit. I'm using a modified HUB design (homebuilt) 325# furnace, natural gas fired.
As an aside remark, Lincoln Distributors in Phoenix is a distributor for the Nuggets so in a sense that is my ulterior motive for "trying" this new stuff, no shipping fee for me. Thanks again for your responses. Jim

[Gary Bolt]

Originally posted by Wes Hunting
I have been using the spectrum nuggets for around two years now and decided to go back to batchin it. The glass is just to stiff for me to work with. To much running back and forth to the gloryhole. When asked to soften it up a bit, I was told they would have to raise the price even more.
Its a fair glass, not a great glass,for blowing, although Lisa likes it for her hot casting quite a bit.
Given the tests Ive run we had very little problems with COE using most of the "store bought" color rod and frit except some of the usual reds and yellows.

Interesting comments. We switched from SPB to nuggets about a year or so ago for ease of charge, fuel savings and dust reduction. We had a brief adjustment period for blowing and things went fine after that. I really didn't like it for casting. I had chill problems with casting into metal and could never judge when it was ready to come out of the mold. Also, I cut and polish some of my large castings and there are visible gather lines. I'd go back to SPB in a second if I still owned a studio (I just closed my shop).

[Nick Jones]

Originally posted by Gary Bolt
Also, I cut and polish some of my large castings and there are visible gather lines.

Any idea why that happens, Gary? We use Phillips and it's always there.

[Steve Stadelman]

Most of my customers have never seen any savings from cullet, They either have to take cullet up to 2300 or 2350 to get rid of fine bubbles or wait another day.

My two cents is that batch is the way to go.

[Gary Bolt]

Originally posted by Nick Jones
Any idea why that happens, Gary? We use Phillips and it's always there.

I don't know the technical reasons for it but my gut feeling is that SPB stays homogenous for longer periods in the hot environment of the furnace. Sometimes the gather lines actually look like checks from some angles.

[Pete VanderLaan]

I would be suspicious that the time between gathers was too long.

[Steve Stadelman]

If you use a wood block between gathers you will definitely get a gather line. I learned to use a graphite paddle on large work for that reason.

[Franklin Sankar]

What is a gather line?
Franklin

[Dave Bross]

looks like the rings in the trunk of a tree, with the rings occuring at the point between each gather.

[Brent Hickenbotham]

I only used graphite blocks on ornaments and bud vases. it was messier and still left the same results. I think that everyone knows the more you touch the glass....... well you know.

[Pete VanderLaan]

Dan Fenton used to blurt out in alchoholic stupors that "Glass remembers everything you ever do to it." Boy was he right.

[Steven O'Day]

Fenton probably has a new quote now "Your body remembers everything you put in it."'I've never seen anyone drink so much cheap wine.

[Rollin Karg]

Just curious about annealing times for the Spectrum nuggets. What would your annealing cycle look like for lets say a 3" paperweight?
Thanks
Rollin

[Brent Hickenbotham]

If memory serves the annealing schedules for spectrum throughout different thicknesses isn't much different than the glass you mix yourself.