As some of my products are fairly unusual, I have included this page to give you tips on how to use them. I hope this source will help you in working with the products I offer. It is worth mentioning that glass tile can had significant color variations from batch to batch. For this reason, I recommend ordering sufficient quantity to complete your project. Don't forget to add on a little extra for waste!
Eco Smalti
Dimensions: approximately 1" by 1.5" by 5/8" thick (2.5cm by 3.5cm by 1.5cm thick)
Coverage: varies widely according to how it is used.
Eco smalti is best cut with a hammer and hardie for glass (carbide hammer) and then further shaped with wheeled nippers. The beauty of this product lies in the fact that tesserae of almost any shape and size can be created. While it is not the easiest product to work with due to its "chunkiness", the rewards are fantastic if you persevere. Don't overlook the matte eco smalti, which contrast wonderfully with the shiny eco. They are still glass, but are matte in texture.
The unusual colors of eco smalti are possible as the glass is fused under pressure, rather than heat. Purples of the brillance that the eco smalti have are not possible with heat fusing. Pressure fusing also means that the colors do not necessarily all blend together, resulting in the lovely speckled eco smalti colors.
There is a limited life span on the availability of eco smalti, as Bisazza has ceased production at their factory in Spilembergo. While there may be a supply of some colors for a very long time, others may be gone already. I'll try to keep this unique product around as long as I can, but once it's gone, it's gone. For this reason, I encourage you to order your supply as soon as possible to avoid disappointment!
Dichroic Glass
Dimensions: 2" by 2" by 1/16" thick (5cm by 5cm by 1.5mm thick)
Coverage: 4 square inches (25 square cm)
For very precise cutting, a glass scorer and running pliers is the best way to cut dichroic glass. It is very important to score the glass from the back side otherwise the glass scorer could mar the dichroic coating. Alternatively, you can cut the glass down from the large tile or further shape it with wheeled nippers.
I find dichroic looks the best in artworks where it is contrasted with tile that is less shiny. It is the most luminescent glass I have found, and reflects tons of light. It also changes color when viewed at different angles. For these reasons, I find it works best as an accent, rather than being used in huge amounts.
Paua Shell Glass
Dimensions: approximately 4" by 4" by 3/16" thick (10cm by 10cm by 4mm thick)
Coverage: 16 square inches (100 square cm)
The shell laminate sheet is attached to the glass with strong resins, rather than fused to the glass like mirror or Van Gogh glass, as shell is organic and would burn at the temperatures required for fusion. This means that the two layers (the shell layer and the glass layer) remain distinct. To cut cleanly, you must first score the glass with a glass scorer. Then when breaking with running pliers, the glass will break first. Wiggle back and forth, and the shell laminate will break along the cut. For perfectly clean cuts, you can also turn the piece over and cut the laminate layer along the glass break line with a sharp knife. The glass can be further shaped with wheeled nippers, though again you may have to wiggle the cut back and forth to get the shell layer to break.
The paua shell glass consists of a glass layer over a shell laminate. This makes it much cheaper than traditional shell only tile. The glass also serves to protect the shell, and the laminate allows the shell to be dyed in the brilliant colors that I stock.
Marble Rods
Dimensions: approximately 5/8" by 3-6" by 3/8" thick (1.5cm by 7-15cm by 10mm thick)
Coverage: approximately 4.5 lbs per sq foot, approximately 10 rods per lb
Marble rods are cut with either a steel hammer and hardie, or with sidebiter (ceramic tile) nippers. Unless you keep one side of your carbide hammer strictly for marble, I don't recommend using a carbide hammer, as marble can damage it, and make it less useful for glass. To cut, simply cut the desired length off the end of the marble rod. Due to veining, marble will often cut erratically, so I recommend you order more than you think you need for your project. Marble often varies greatly in color, as it is a natural stone.
The marble has one polished surface. This can be used as the top. However, in most of my artwork, I use the riven side of the marble as the top. This adds a fantastic textural element. Keep in mind that if you've used the riven side, you cannot grout the marble. Marble also makes a fantastic contrast to shiny tile.
Iridium & Murano Smalto
Dimensions: 5/8" by 5/8" by 1/8" thick (1.5cm by 1.5cm by 3mm thick)
Coverage: 324 tile per sq foot, 81 tiles = 36 square inches (225 square cm)
These tiles vary in color quite widely from tile to tile, and different lots of tile have often shown up with a large variance in color from the previous lot. For this reason, I highly recommend purchasing all you require for your project at once. The color variance makes this tile fantastic for backgrounds, as a color variety is already built in, adding visual interest to your piece. Alternatively, some artists have been known to separate the indivdual colors out, so that lovely shading and other nuances can be achieved.
These tiles cut wonderfully with wheeled nippers. They come mesh mounted, and this can be soaked off in very hot water. I find that if I wiggle the tiles against the mesh as I remove them, the glue residue that is sometimes still stuck to the back will come off.
Bisazza Le Gemme and Vitreous Tile
Dimensions: 3/4" by 3/4" by 1/8" thick (2cm by 2cm by 3mm thick)
Coverage: 225 tile per sq foot, 75 tiles = 48 square inches (300 square cm)
These tiles have a ridged back to aid with adhesion, and bevelled edges so that the tile can go smoothly around gentle curves. I find they cut best with wheeled nippers. However, when working near the bevelled edge, I find that wheeled nippers can often slip off and not produce the cut you want. The answer to this problem is to also have a pair of sidebiter type nippers (ceramic tile nippers) for when you are working with the bevelled edge. Another tip is to make your first cut on the tile perpendicular to the ridges on the back. If you cut with the ridges, the cut tends to want to slide into a ridge, which will produce an unstraight cut. Cutting against the ridges avoids this problem.
These tiles come either face mounted on brown paper, or back mounted on mesh, depending on what I have received from my supplier. To remove the tile, simply soak in hot water.
Glass Rods
Dimensions: approximately 1/4" diameter by 6" long (6mm diameter by 15cm long)
Coverage: varies according to how it is used.
Depending on their mood and my mood, I find that the glass rods cut variously well with sidebiter nipper and wheeled nippers. Simply nip off the desired length off the end of the rod. I tend to use them cut side up, producing small circles, like solid colored millefiori. Alternatively, they can be used in strips.
Occasionally, there are some glass rods that have small diameters than the measurements given above. If you must have the 1/4" diameter, please let me know and I will see what I can do.
Gold Smalti
Dimensions: 3/8" by 3/8" by 3/16" thick (1cm by 1cm by 4mm thick)
Coverage: 1lb covers 60 square inches (380 tiles), 2.5 lbs = 1 sq foot.
The most precious of all mosaic materials, even a little gold can add a fantastic, rich look to your mosaic. Gold tiles cut wonderfully with wheeled nippers. To try gold at a lower price, consider purchasing some gold spizzi, which are offcuts and "seconds" from Orsoni gold production. Many pieces look perfect, and those that aren't can give an antiqued look to your mosaic. There are often some larger pieces of gold in the spizzi, which are a nice change from the regular format.
Cinca Unglazed Porcelain
Dimensions: 1" by 1" by 1/8" thick (2.5cm by 2.5cm by 3mm thick)
Coverage: 144 tiles per sq foot, 36 tiles = 36 square inches (225 square cm)
Cinca Unglazed Porcelain is thinner and cleaner cutting than much of the unglazed porcelain available. It also is completely smooth, unlike other porcelain tiles which have a slight granite texture to them. I like to use the Cinca porcelain as a contrast to shinier tile--it looks amazing paired with dichroic glass, gold, and any of the other shiny tiles. It cuts best with sidebiter nippers, although wheeled nippers work as well. You may find that if you are cutting it with wheeled nippers, you have to rotate your wheels more often, as the Cinca will dull the cutting edge more swiftly than glass.
Stained Glass, Van Gogh, & Mirror Tile
Dimensions: approximately 3/4" by 3/4" by 1/8" thick (approximately 2cm by 2cm by 3mm thick)
Coverage: 225 tile per sq foot, 50 tiles= 32 square inches (200 square cm)
These tiles are all handcut, and thus there may be slight irregularities from tile to tile. The mirrored glass may also vary slightly in thickness, while the stained glass tile is somewhat varigated in color, and so may appear somewhat different from tile to tile. I find these tiles cut best with wheeled nippers. If you order a large quantity of handcut tile, there might be a slight delay in speed of delivery in order to process the glass into tile. If the delay is significant, you will be notified.
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