What gives this Soda lime glass its extra sparkle is lead; this makes it softer and smoother than other 104 COE glass, this creates the viscosity that is so important when mixing glass. Keeping this in mind, it also makes it less compatible with itself and other 104 COE glass. If you encase an opaque Czech color you need to keep the opaque glass to a 25% of the total mass of the bead. Or make a clear center and encase thinly with opaque glass, then encase as you normally would.
Czech Glass is not freely mixed with other 104 COE glass but it can be used with it. Some colors are very compatible and others are not. I know what you’re saying, “What colors?” Well, if I said that, then when your bead broke you would say, “Jan said it would work!” So this is where testing the glass and using it with other 104 glass is up to you. If I use another 104 COE glass and it’s in the matrix of the bead I try to keep it to the 15% rule. That is 15% of the total mass of that bead. I know, I keep repeating this on each page. I need to so you understand that you cannot freely mix this glass like you can with some other glass. If you are working on the surface of the bead you can use just about any 104 glass as long as you are not encasing it.
If you make marbles, well this is the glass for you. No rules really apply in marble making, so enjoy!
New colors will be added as they are made.
