_Next PageFirst of all, if I needed to show a client colors for a project, we wouldn't have to rummage through the glass bins. Instead, I'd show them the glass samples (either what they can get, or what I have).
Second, when I get glass at the store I usually have to guess at what the glass is, usually by looking at it's characteristics. With the sample, I can get an accurate color reference, and it's stock number.
When I decided to buy them I thought I could just get them and be done with it. Unfortunately, glass samples are not a stock item which makes sense since it needs to be updated each year. The thing I didn't know was how long it took to get the samples. Apparently, it all depends on which glass company makes the sample set. Sample sets are a low priority, so you're lucky if you get your set right after you ordered it. Even after the samples are made, the glass factory waits and ships them to your store with the rest of your store's order.
Anyway, here are the sets that I have so far, how long it took to get them, how much they weighed, how many samples there were, overall appearance, and the grade I gave each set:
Quality: I think Spectrum sample had very good quality. The glass came in an oversized box and there was plenty of room for expansion. They pack the glass in groups of about 15, wrapped with filament tape, cardboard on the ends. The free spaces have newspaper stuffed in them, and it's packed really tightly. When you open it up it looks professional.
The glass is divided up by color and by type. Baroque, Iridescent, Water Glass and Clears have their own section. The color identifiers are made of a rigid plastic, which you can quickly see while you flip through the glass. All the samples are labeled with their corresponding number, but not their "color name". However, there's enough room on the label to put the name on yourself (but write in very small print).
Cons: The cons aren't many, and it isn't anything major. Since they recently upgraded their box to a bigger size, there's a lot more space for new samples. But on the other hand, when you flip the glass forward they tilt more then you want them to, and it may be difficult to pick it up again. But that's the only bad thing I have to say about this set of samples.
Weight: 21 Pounds
Size of Sample: 2-3/4" x 4"
Color Range: Spectrum has all the colors they make in the set.
Upgradabilty: The sample set comes with a card that you mail in. This registers you for free samples of the new glass. You pay around $3.00 for shipping and handling. That's really not a bad deal. Any glass that you don't have and that isn't new, can be bought for about 30 cents per sample.
Wait Time For Me: About 1 week
Catalog: I don't know if it comes with the current sample sets, but Spectrum just released a catalog of all the colors they make. I believe it's free; drop by their site sometime and check it out.
Quality: Wissmach has been around for a very long time, and they make a lot of pretty cool colors. I always thought Wissmach was a professional company. Their sample set, well, stinks. Everything that could go wrong, went wrong. When I got it, the first thing I noticed was the size of the box. It was small, way too small.
The glass wasn't packed in anything; it was literally jammed in. There wasn't any breathing room. The front of the box tilts forward, but that's little help in trying to get the glass out because there isn't enough space to pull the glass out safely. I had to look through all the pieces with tweezers, and even then it was very difficult.
There was about 20 pieces either broken or cracked. Most of the pieces broken were located in the front of the box. Wissmach sent me free replacements but a few of the samples they sent were not actually replacements. I asked for a particular number, and since they didn't have it, they simply sent me what they thought was a good enough match because they didn't have any more of that color to give me. The problem was that I I already had that color and the purpose of a sample set is to have one of each color.
After going through all the colors, I realized how useless and unprofessional this box really is. To identify the colors, they used thin pieces of paper with the names typed on the top which easily got bent and destroyed. A stark contrast to Spectrum's plastic dividers with the colors silk-screened on them.
The samples weren't sorted by color, e.g., yellow, blue, red, etc.; they were sorted by type, e.g., opalescent, iridescent, clears, etc. How in the world did they expect me to go through the box and find the color I need? Looking through it from the top you see mostly black or dark edges. With this system you'll never find the color you need.
I had to find a new box, sort the colors out by hand, make new dividers, and now I have a pretty decent set, a set that I can go through and use. If I need to find all the blue colors I can.
Cons: Mainly what was stated above. I fell that Wissmach should do the following things to improve their sample set:
Weight: 16 Pounds
Size: 1-3/4" x 3-1/2"
Color Range: I have no idea what they based the colors on. They say that this sample set doesn't represent all the colors that they produce. They say that each batch is slightly different and that counts as a separate color. But from a sample standpoint, that isn't very good because of a sample set is to be able to see in advance what all the colors look like.
All the colors come smooth. They include all their textures in clear in the sample set. Then you're supposed to hold the clear and the color up against the light to see what the color would look like in that texture. The problem is that you don't know if that color-texture combination exists. There isn't any sheet telling you that it does.
Upgradabilty: I couldn't tell you that since all the colors aren't in the set to begin with. If a new color comes out, I don't think there's any way to get hold of it. And even if you can, there isn't a place to store it.
Wait Time For Me: About 1 month, or at least 3 Weeks.
Quality: Youghiogheny has a really nice set. The sizes are generous, and nothing was received broken. Everything was marked with labels, though not all of them were in the same location. Some of the labels were in the center of the glass or slightly hanging over the edge, but that's not terrible. The glass it self was fairly clean, with exception of the ripples, which were a little dirty. I was surprised that there weren't too many iridescence, I thought they made more.
Each box contained the list of samples it contained, two of the boxes had old lists in them. I was missing a few samples, and had a few extra left over.
The glass was packed very well. Each box contained two sets of boxes. The out box is single strength cardboard. The inside is double strength, with a double heavy duty lid folding over the top. The glass was separated by sheets of thin foam. And then wedged in by styrofoam. The glass was very secure, and nothing was received broken.
All the glass was sorted by number, more or less. The list they gave me divides up the glass colors. They give suggestions on what glass is best where. Leaves, flowers, background, etc., are the different topics. Each color they list gives a separate suggestion on what you can do with that color. I divided mine up using that format. Hopefully when I need the sample I need I can find it right away using that method.
Cons: You have to buy the samples as three sets, each of my sets cost about $15.00 a box. Though it would probably be to heavy if it was in one box. Also the sheets that listed the glass weren't currently dated. And I didn't see a way to find out if I can get new samples (updates). The boxes design allows the lid to flap open, which can make it harder to store.
Weight: Each set is about 11 pounds.
Sample Size: 3" x 6"
Color Range: There are 3 boxes to choose from:
Upgradabilty: I have no idea. Each sample gives a phone number. But it doesn't say anywhere on how to update the glass.
Wait time for me: 1 year
Catalog: I don't know of any in particular, it just comes with a sheet of paper that lists what's in the box.
I'm still waiting for the following samples (I ordered them in January of 98):
KOKOMO
ARMSTRONG
The store I ordered them through states that the glass companies don't always have the sample sets in stock and that they only make them once in a while. But I can't believe that it takes this long. Hopefully, someday I'll get them and when I do I'll post the info here.
So far I learned that it may be better to buy from a smaller store or company, or even directly from the company. A large company orders a ton of glass at one time. The glass company sends the glass ordered by the local store and sends the sample sets with the order (sample sets are not sent to the local stores by themselves). It may take months to get those samples.
7-8-99 - I gave up. I canceled the order sometime in June. Apparently i found out that it was never discontinued, they simply forgot about me. But it really doesn't matter to me, I haven't used any of the samples yet for anything.
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Started on 9-22-98