HELP! I can't get pink glass to stay pink
I'm working on a hothead torch, and before you suggest it's the tank I bout a brand new 30gallon tank specifically to avoid this problem. No matter how I work the glass it always turns grey, I can work it very fat out in the flame or as normal but I get the same grey ugly mess. I have experimented and found I can lay down white then use devardi's cranberry over top and I get a pink, but it's time consuming and won't work in the long run. Please help me find a way to work with pink glass on my hothead torch, thank you
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A couple of questions for you to help us understand:
1. When you say 'work far out in the flame', do you mean at the very tip of the outside cone or further? 2. Is this the first time the hot head/tank combo was used together? 3. Do any other colors turn grey like this? |
Which pink is it? The Opalino rods are especially sensitive and need to be worked cool.
Also how large is your flame? It is fairly common for people to turn their flame up more than required, so try turning it down. |
agree with this ^^ which pink? Rubino is really persnickety on the hothead, so you might want to try some of the DH pinks like lotus or rhea, or perhaps Lauscha or CIM. Pinks can take more work, and many of the darker transparents need a white base anyway.
If it's your flame chemistry or working spot, you should have this problem with other colors like white. It's a good way to check. |
Might want to check your hose too, if it's older there can be build up.
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Another thing about hoses;
Welding torch hoses are made for working with acetylene not propane. Long use of propane in this kind of hose can cause a chemical breakdown of the rubber inside the hose and can produce a gummy substance that will spit and discolor glass as well as clog the small tube and valve surfaces in two gas torches. Propane hoses have to be marked 'Type T' and are found in the bar-b-que section of the hardware stores. Also the hot head torch has a small rubber part that can get old and need to be replaced. When old and cracked it can allow propane to leak by and unburnt propane will discolor the glass. Good luck. ETA: Even a brand new tank can be contaminated by the place where it is filled if there is crap in the source tank it is fill/refilled from. |
If you're on a hothead, there probably aren't any hoses... I found working pink was next to impossible on a hothead. The "secret" is to work further out but it is all about heat control and on a hothead, good luck with that!. Pink that gets too hot does turn gray.
If you're really inexperienced, you may want to put the pink away for a while until you gain more control. That's what I did.. Good luck, Sue |
This is a very helpful answer. Thank you. It is going into my lampwork binder for helpful hints.
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