A couple of questions for HH veterans.

[playswithfire104]

I'm having a few issues and I'm not sure if they lie with my understanding of the technique, my not performing the techinque correctly, or my HH. I've got a few of them.

1. Spot heating. My whole bead heats or my spot dosn't heat enough. Am I just in the wrong part of the flame, or are HH's a little too bushy? Or none of the above. When I want to twist a spiral shape either the bead isn't hot enough to twist at all or my stringer (or tool) goes in and attaches and distortorts the whole part of the bead.

When trying to spot heat for encasing I have problems getting the clear soft enough to manipulate but not melting the base bead.

When trying to rake, either the bead is only soft enouth to pull a verry short distance or so heated the entire bead distorts.


2. Applying stringer. Every book says to keep the stringer out of the flame but close enough to make it soft. Oxymoron? That exact spot is as elusive as the Loch Ness Monster and Bigfoot. Any advice on this one? Anyone? And a related topic. Do you move the bead or the stringer. Corinna says move the bead. That is as hard as tapping your head and rubbing your belly.

I'd appreciate any advice on any of the above issues. Thanks.

[Lara]

Turn down the flame. I found that I could get more control when spot heating (which is hard because it is so bushy) and with stringer when turning down the flame.

Casing, icky. I didn't case much while on my HH. I did on small disk beads (like with twisties), but not on large beads.

I have tried moving the bead, blech. I move the stringer. In reality I think I move both, but the stinger more.

[Simply Us]

I agree with Lara turn down your flame. HH is very bushy so you can not get a pinpoint flame but you can work on the side of the flame to heat sections of the bead. I tend to move both the stringer and the bead, I can't seem to only move the stringer! And when you encase go way out at the end of the flame and be VERY patient!!! Otherwise you scum your bead.
Sandra

[cherylsart]

Nancy, I have all the same problems you do with the HH. I guess if we can get all these fine details to work on our HH's then if/when we upgrade to a Minor it will be almost too easy to do all this stuff!!!

Cheryl

[playswithfire104]

Well Cheryl I learned on a minor, at an area community college. I felt like I was out growing that. But at the time I couldn't afford a bigger torch. Heck I couldn't even afford a minor! I had a HH so you know the old saying about making do with what you have. For the last year or so I've been on a HH. I did finally purchase a used Lynx. I just need to get it all hooked up (a whole nother long story). So in the meantime I'm on my HH. I have heard over and over again that it isn't the torch it's the artist. Meaning that if you can't do someting on a HH you will only make the same mistakes quicker on a bigger/hotter torch. That along with the whole learning curve that comes with a new torch. So I'm asking questions to help me develope good habits. I have tried working out in the far part of the flame but I just don't I have the patience for that. I'm starting to think that the Lynx will help with some issues, but that some issues are "user error".

[pambead]

Nancy..you will love your lynx. Onto your problems.. Focus the flame ONLY on the dot...even if the flame is bushy jusy heat the dot and not the whole bead. You will be surprized at how much time you have before the whole thing breaks..so be patient.
Encasing..Make sure your core bead is really hard. Tap it on your marver it should soound like hard glass...your clear should be screaming hot..again just dont get your core bead really hot ever again during the processs..
With raking you may need a big more of a direct flame..but this to can be done. only heat the spot and the surrounding areea you want to rake.

Stringers should be a little easier with your torch. The bushy flame should help you get it on without melting everything. Just focuse your flame between the stringer and the bead...way up in the tip of your flame.. where it is very cool. It is different with a lynx...so I don't recommend theis when you set it up. I hope some of this helps

[x_phoenician]

Originally Posted by playswithfire104

I'm having a few issues and I'm not sure if they lie with my understanding of the technique, my not performing the techinque correctly, or my HH. I've got a few of them.

1. Spot heating. My whole bead heats or my spot dosn't heat enough. Am I just in the wrong part of the flame, or are HH's a little too bushy? Or none of the above. When I want to twist a spiral shape either the bead isn't hot enough to twist at all or my stringer (or tool) goes in and attaches and distortorts the whole part of the bead.

When trying to spot heat for encasing I have problems getting the clear soft enough to manipulate but not melting the base bead.

When trying to rake, either the bead is only soft enouth to pull a verry short distance or so heated the entire bead distorts.

I'd appreciate any advice on any of the above issues. Thanks.

Well, I can tell you how *I* do it- not sure how you're running your HH (as in full blast?). I rarely turn my HH up as hot as it will go unless doing raku. When I try to spotheat- which is hard on a HH in my opinion- it's more like "one side heat" I make sure I have heat insurance in the bead, then let it cool a little and then heat the one particular area. It just took me a lot of practice doing certain things to get a feel for how long it takes to heat it correctly. When I'm doing a tiny area I heat it and try my tool, it sometimes is too cool still so then heat just a little more. This keeps me from getting too soft an area and helps cut down on the distortion. I try to use a piece of glass for raking when I can since it's easier to break and melt off than pull a tool out and really warp my design.

As for the stringer issue- nothing constructive to add because I still have probs with that myself.

hope that helped

~Tracy