About us
We started MELT 45 in 2018 to secure the supply of casting glass to New Zealand and Australia, ensuring that the medium remains accessible for local artists.
With 50 years of casting knowledge between us, we're here to help with any questions you might have about working with our products, to make sure you choose the glass that’s right for your project.
Why Gaffer Glass
Gaffer glass, especially the lead crystal variety, is favoured for casting due to its excellent flow characteristics and brilliance. Its high refractive index, a result of the lead content, creates a sparkling effect, making it ideal for intricate and detailed pieces. Additionally, Gaffer's dedication to quality control ensures a consistent and reliable material for artists.
Testimonials
In 2019 I diversified my practice to include glass casting and have always found Emma to be helpful and very quick to give detailed responses to my messages regarding colour availability. When production moved from the States to Germany several years ago, she and David displayed great equanimity whilst Reichenbach got up to speed with manufacturing Gaffer glass
During this time they were keen to provide a consistent and steady supply of casting crystal to the glass community and introduced the readily available 15% lead crystal into their range. It is a really nice glass to work with and I preferentially use it for some of my pieces due to its lightness and ability to easily take a fine polish.
David always dispatches the orders promptly and packs them well – little extra touches like labelling the wrapped billets and also writing the colour on the outside of each box makes all the difference on arrival.
Emma and David at Melt45 are really great to work with. When enquiring about the availability of the different types and colours of glass that they have in stock they are quick to reply. The ordering is smooth and the glass arrives in a couple of days. When gaffer decided to move off shore I thought it might be going to get too difficult and considered giving up but have definitely changed my mind.
Not only do Melt45 deliver exceptional service and incredible casting glass but offer knowledge, care & support which is a rare find (even to a complete novice like myself) and wholeheartedly recommend them to any glass artist/studio looking for premium casting glass.
How to order
Choose your preferred colour(s) from the shop page.
Email us with the following information:
- Your name (and business name if applicable).
- Your email address for invoicing.
- Your postal address for delivery.
- Your phone number.
- Colours: code, name and quantity of blocks (minimum purchase is one block per colour.)
Gaffer glass is roughly 1.7 kilograms per block and Reichenbach glass roughly is 1.3 kilograms per block. Each order is weighed and charged by the gram.
Clicking the order button confirms you have read and accepted the terms and conditions set out in our FAQ page.
Quality and Compatibility
As glass artists, we use Gaffer and Reichenbach glass because their commitment to quality control ensures consistency and reliability for artists, reducing issues during the casting process.
Our glass is compatible with glass consisting of the same lead content. Our Gaffer casting glass has a 45% lead content, making it compatible with glass with a 45% lead content. Our Reichenbach casting glass has a 15% lead content, making it compatible with glass with a 15% lead content. Striking colours can be mixed, though we don’t recommend doing this without testing first.
Coefficient of Expansion (COE) is not a guaranteed measure of compatibility. MELT 45 is not responsible for flaws, breakage, cracking, or any losses that may occur due to compatibility issues between glass types. We strongly recommend that you conduct thorough testing with your specific processes on each new batch/melt before you begin production.