Do any of you encase with clear Frit?
 

I still struggle for the perfect (for me) encasing. After watching a lot of videos and reading various techniques, I have figured out I need to slow down.

I have made clear shards to use which is still not perfect. I have tried powdered frit and I'm not sure on it so I thought I'd see what anyone here thinks.

Thanks for all of the info shared here on LE.

The only time I encase with clear frit is for one particular stone-like bead I used to make. It stands to reason that when you use frit, you're using small odd-shaped pieces of glass that will melt into the base glass at different levels. If a speckled appearance is what you're going for, it will work great. Glass powder still won't give that glossy, smooth eye appearance, I don't think.

The december Soda Lime Times is all about encasing this month :).....just an FYI

I use all different methods but if you don't like the glob method (big ball of glass, mash onto bead and even out) have you tried pulling out thicker glass stringer and and just putting in on in rows? Just make sure that each row overlaps the previous one to prevent bubbles. As ESK said, coverage with clear frit is spotty and you really don't get that smooth encased appearance.

I tired all kinds of things and discovered some fun things along the way. There really is not shortcut for practice.

When I used clear frit it came out looking sort of like a frosted bead.

dj

This is what a bead 'encased' in clear frit looks like.

You can't encase a bead with frit, it just won't work. I go from one side of the bead to the other in one go, making sure each time you go around you slightly over lap the previous bit.

I use all the swiping methods depending on my mood and the bead but really prefer to use 3mm Zypher ... I'm encasing challenged and this is my go to, when it's available.

I run a Minor Burner on tanked oxy and household natural gas. My flame runs a lot cooler than if I were to use propane, and encasing was a challenge until I began to preheat my clear encasing rod in my kiln. Now I can start at one end and go all around in one 'melt'; previously I had to swipe and reheat the rod way too many times.

I wish you much success, Sheri!

--Helene

I have to second the Zypher.

Melts like water without a lot of heartburn.

Thanks! I didn't realize we could get 3mm zephyr.

My best encasing has happened with noodles. (Uroborus used to make them in 104. hard to find now)
I have also flattened/stretched into paddles.

So last week I practiced encasing with some transparent stringers. Much better!

Thank you all!

I tried so many different ways including fitting large globs of glass next to each other like huge dots. Frit doesn't work because with clear the edges catch even the tiniest hint of an impurity. Essentially the has rough edges. Stringer and noodles work better. The best way is to get a fairly large glob of hot molten glass on the end of the clear rod. The bead should be cool enough that the initial glow has faded for a few seconds, so it would be like the temp it is just before it goes into the kiln. Then you have the glob at a hot glow, wait 3 seconds (1 kangaroo, 2 kangaroo, 3 kangaroo) and smoosh it all the way around the bead.

BTW, I melt off the very tip of the rod and have cleaned the clear rod in advance. Otherwise it will scum up.

My favorite clears have been classic Lauscha formula, the stiff one and now Zephyr which "melts like butter" and stays clear and beautiful.

I'm a fan of smooshing too, or laying long stripes across the bead. The encasing seems to be thinner that way, which I prefer.