The glasma alternative

[Bill Glasner]

Bill Glasner here, glass worker since 1973. Back in 2004, I began looking for a better glass for my work and I found it - Glasma formula 705 from Sweden. Long story but I became the North American distributor for this light barium batch in 2005 - Studio Glass Batch LLC. I'm jumping in now because it seems that Glasma has gotten some undeserved bad rap which it's time to respond to. This batch was specifically formulated for studio and school use and quickly became the batch of choice in Northern Europe and Britain. It is completely pelletized and dried, compatible with colored glasses, easy to melt at relatively low temperatures, sold at a reasonable price, and warehoused for quick shipment. Given the uncertainties of the cullet market and as an alternative to domestic batch, Please check out www.studioglassbatch.com or just give a call 585-924-9579. I can put you in touch with many satisfied customers for testimonials.

[Anders Rydstedt]

Ive used the pellets and am a big fan on all levels; dust, ease of melting, glass homogeneity, glass clarity and raw cost. If you're making transparent objects it makes a huge difference. It does blow a little differently but it is well worth getting used to. And now its safe to torch, aka doesn't burn.

[Sam Stang]

I am guessing that the underserved bad rap comes from people who haven't actually used Glasma batch and have something else that they are trying to promote. I have posted on Glasma earlier.
I was contacted recently by someone who wants to try Glasma in an electric moly furnace, which I have no experience using. I would be very interested to hear from anyone who melts this batch with electric. Also, this person said that he had heard that Glasma was corrosive to crucibles with high alumina content. Not sure what pots he was talking about. I have been using pots from Engineered Ceramics and am getting 3 years life from a crucible due to the low melt temps that I am using. I melted Glasma in Laclede Christy fomlac pots for years as well but switched because of size. Laclede didn't make the perfect size for me and Engineered did.
I am really surprised more people haven't switched to Glasma. It seems to me to be the ideal glass. It is an extremely consistent product that gives great results. I have had nothing but perfect melts in the 14 years that I have been using it. No cords and the only stones come from my ancient furnace.

[Pete VanderLaan]

I think GLASMA is a beautiful glass. I think it requires operator experience to melt it or it does form tiny stones melted too hot. That at least has been my experience and I've been at it for a while. Price is sorta kinda an issue but I tend to think all batch prices to be in flux right now. I continue to expect to see the sole supplier cullet to go up substantially. Spruce Pine continues to be the least expensive alternative on the market today. I continue to make my own glasses as I have for almost fifty years.

Also Sam, I think you meant undeserved, not underserved but I could be wrong.

[Rich Arentzen]

We switched to Glasma over a year ago and have never looked back. We melt a slightly different formula than the 705 which serves our purposes better. The workability of the SP was a tad more forgiving, however, to know that your key raw material is backed by a Glass Insitute is reassuring. (No Sick Glass here Corning Batch Co.) The pelletization is perfect. The service that Bill Glasner gives can't be beaten. I visited the factory last winter and was very impressed with the facility and the staff, especially the generosity of knowledge shared by Kenneth Svennson the president.

[Eben Horton]

Originally Posted by Rich Arentzen

We switched to Glasma over a year ago and have never looked back. We melt a slightly different formula than the 705 which serves our purposes better. The workability of the SP was a tad more forgiving, however, to know that your key raw material is backed by a Glass Insitute is reassuring. (No Sick Glass here Corning Batch Co.) The pelletization is perfect. The service that Bill Glasner gives can't be beaten. I visited the factory last winter and was very impressed with the facility and the staff, especially the generosity of knowledge shared by Kenneth Svennson the president.

Why do you use a different version ?

[Pete VanderLaan]

What does that mean: "No Sick Glass Here, Corning Glass Company"?

Where did that come from?

[Sam Stang]

Yes, I meant undeserved and I should have caught that.
The price difference is not really that significant. $.88 verses $.70 for SPB 87 ER (the batch that I used to use). What you get for that 18 cents/lb is a much better looking glass by any measure, great energy savings, much longer crucible/furnace life and a lot less silica dust to deal with. I do like blowing Spruce and I feel like I am a slightly better glassblower with it, but I feel as though I can make anything with Glasma that I could make with Spruce.
As per the spectrum 2.0 being a clone of SP87… it sure didn’t behave like it in my experience but I guess that’s a moot point now.
And Pete, would you consider moving this discussion back to the general hot glass discussion? I feel that many people won’t find this in the current location.

[Pete VanderLaan]

It's being watched. If bill want to remove his ad at the beginning, I'd consider that, but it's an ad, nothing more. You could always start a new thread in general discussion without the sales pitch beginning. I tend to frown on threads where the poster has one post total and wants to hawk a product. It is certainly true that I can be testy but I have seen more than my share of self promotions on craftweb based in dubious science.