RAKU... how do you keep the color after the kiln???

Mr. Smiley · #1 2006-10-29, 12:27pm

I have been playing with Raku again... I can get some great colors out of it, but some of them seem to fade in the kiln. I don't know if this has been answered before, but how do you keep all the color? Is there a secret? Thanks...

Kevan · #2 2006-10-29, 12:29pm

Oh, I haven't had that problem. My colors seem to stay the same after they come out of the kiln.

I like your new avatar, Brent.

Shawn T · #3 2006-10-29, 12:34pm

Brent what temp is your kiln set at? This is the only factor I can think of. I have never had my Raku beads come out of the kiln lighter than they went in.

Hummmm........

Mr. Smiley · #4 2006-10-29, 1:12pm

They seem to revert back to the brown color they are right before the blues purples and greens come out. I had my kiln at 960, but I've backed it down a bit... we'll see what comes out today.

Shawn T · #5 2006-10-29, 2:19pm

You are talking about R-108 raku and not R-106 Iris Dark Brown raku correct?

The only probably I have had with Raku changing colors is with the 106 dark Raku. The Dark stuff has changed colors on me before. It doesn't always like to be reheated after I have gotten the blues and purple to come out and play.

artwhim · #6 2006-10-29, 2:59pm

Brent, I've had mine fade a bit sometimes too and have never figured out why. I tend to "pull" my colors out a bit different than what others recommend though, so maybe that is the reason. Mine don't go back brown, just a slightly less intense version of what I thought I had.

Love the avitar! Is that one of your children?
Kathy

Jude Rose · #7 2006-10-29, 3:00pm

Set your kiln a little lower. No higher than 950. If you're using all Uroboros or another 96 COE, you can even go a little lower. If you're mixing with Moretti or something else, stay at 950.

The other trick is to make absolutely sure all the orange glow is gone before you put the bead into the kiln. The color isn't really 'set' until the core is cooled off a bit.

HTH! Hope you're good, Smiley man. Haven't talked to you in ages!

Carolyn M · #8 2006-10-29, 9:04pm

I've been having the same problem. My colours have been OK, but really dark, only showing up well in bright sunlight or flash photography. Yesterday I tried a few different transparent bases, got my colours, then kept them warm in the top of the flame before putting them in the kiln, so I could do a final check on the colour. This is the result, They're OK, but I'm still not really satisfied!

cheeky monkey · #9 2006-10-30, 6:07am

oh no Carolyn....... those beads are lovely!!! Mine all turned to mud in the kiln so I am glad to have stumbled on this thread. I think my kiln is set too high.

I dreamed about redoing all my beads last night. Too bad I have to go to work!!

Mr. Smiley · #10 2006-10-30, 6:11am

Thanks for the tips guys. Jude, I miss you too. They went in cool yesterday and I had it set at 930... they still reverted back a bit. I'm using pure R-108 rod for my beads. Some of the colors were set in my larger focals... but on my spacers, they went back to organic colors... not ugly, but not intense like they were before they went in. I'll play some more. I love the stuff!

pam · #11 2006-10-30, 7:16am

Hi Brent, You might try a more oxidizing flame. Perhaps there is a bit of reduction going on when you are working on the piece. The other thing to remember is that the heat reactive colors react to heat. So, your kiln settings can definitely have an effect on the coloration while in the kiln, depending on what colors you got and what you are trying to keep and the amount of heat you used to get those colors. Keep the kiln as low as you can and anneal longer. You might check the calibration of your kiln also.
Good luck.

sleekbeads · #12 2006-10-30, 7:20am

Brent, these were annealed at 930 with a long 'soak'.
No red glow as I put them in the kiln.
These also clear covering the raku, which for me, always brings the colors out more.

good luck!

Jo

HannahRachel · #13 2006-10-30, 7:22am

Heh. Brent's playing with soft glass...

Anakin's Glass Eye · #14 2006-10-30, 9:08am

Brent,

Take a long rod of white and run a stripe of Raku stringer down the entire length of it. Put a blob of Raku on one end to mark the back side. Put it in your kiln laying front to back with the blob end in the back. Try to get that end as close to the controller thermocouple as possible. If possible suspend the rod on a rod rest so that it is not touching the kiln floor. Run your typical annealing cycle. When the kiln is cool have a look and see if the color has changed along the length of the rod. This will indicate cold/hot spots in the kiln. If the whole thing changes, your temp may be indicating low - i.e. your kiln is hotter than your indicator reads.

I'm gonna do this exact thing today with a rod of Boro to check my kiln. I've been having a hard time getting my Boro to strike correctly.

Just my $0.02. Good luck.

Brad

Mr. Smiley · #15 2006-10-30, 12:38pm

I'm off... armed with a rod of amber pruple... haven't done that test in the chili pepper. Thanks for the reminder Brad. You rock!

Kevan · #16 2006-10-30, 12:50pm

This is 950 and it looked exactly the same before and after the kiln. Pure raku.

This is the same

dragonfly designs 56 · #17 2006-10-30, 1:34pm

R You Kidding, I Cant Get Color Out Of Raku Before The Kiln, Lol.

Mr. Smiley · #18 2006-10-30, 1:50pm

Yep, all the blues, purples and greens went right out of my spacers even at 930... Hmmmp! I'm gonna etch them and make sure it isn't a thin layer of some weird kiln reduction thing covering up the beauty. I appreciate you guys being here through this sort of thing... I love how we are all willing to help.

The larger focals lost some, but not nearly all of it... does that make any sense to anybody?

Mr. Smiley · #19 2006-10-30, 6:43pm

Etching helped! Yeah baby... there's a little reduction happening in the kiln. I'll get this figured out some day. I'll post pics too... I'm very happy with the focals.

Kevan · #20 2006-10-30, 8:29pm

Let's see 'um.

Mr. Smiley · #21 2006-10-31, 6:18pm

Here's a quick shot of three I did yesterday. I think they look cool etched. I'm making some to electroform as well.

Thanks for the help all. You rock!

evilglass · #22 2006-10-31, 6:42pm

ok, those are seriously drool worthy

Slaterville · #23 2006-11-01, 5:11am

Someone please confess up, I'm on a mini cc and oxy tank and I can't get my R-108 to strike like that. What's the secret?

HannahRachel · #24 2006-11-01, 5:30am

Brent tells me that he heats the snot out of them and thats pretty much it, but I think he's doing some sort of gypsy dance, too...

sleekbeads · #25 2006-11-01, 5:50am

gypsy dance.. SNORT!

Smiley, if you EVER come in here again saying you're having problems with raku I will personally come over there and.... well..... pinch you.

Jo

Carolyn M · #26 2006-11-01, 6:37am

The only way I get good colour is HOT, HOT, HOT, folowed by rapid cooling ie press. This should leave you with dark dark brown. Introduce back into the flame, and the colours appear. I only use cane, not frit.

HannahRachel · #27 2006-11-01, 6:47am

Carolyn:
Have you had any luck at all with the frit?
Let me know...

Bluebananabeads · #28 2006-11-01, 6:50am

Here are some beads made with raku frit.

Firelilly · #29 2006-11-01, 7:01am

Oh, man, Brent! Those are like something from one of my favorite parts of the world!

Lil

Shawn T · #30 2006-11-01, 8:12am

To get Raku to pop, Yes, to need to heat the snot out of it, you will see it turn, you can even see it heat to white spots. If you than cool it quickly, touch it to something brass. A press, your brass stump shaper, works best for me. Shape your bead, it will bring out the bright pinks, purples, and blues. I don't have a problem loosing my colors, and can go back into the flame and spot heat the parts of my bead where I didn't get the brighter colors.

If you don't want to use a brass tool, you can also achieve the bright colors, by turning your oxygen way up. Play with those knobs baby, raku likes heat at first and than likes to be cooled down fast.

I love the frit, have no problem getting great color with frit, my favorite size is Number 2, the only frit size that is hardest for me to strike to bright colors is the 00, I don't seem to get great colors on a regular basis with that size.
If you have a really hard time with raku and want the purples, and pinks to come out and play start with a brown base. Like 444 0r 448, raku seems to relly like to play with this color, when your done it should look something like this bead I showed in a different thread, this week again sorry it is an older bead. So I have showed it before, but it has great colors.

Base of Brown don't remember exactly which one. Number 2 size frit, rolled out on with a brass stump shaper. Put in my kiln at 960. That's all.

If I use the rods I usually pull them as stringer, turn your propane down and leave your oxygen up. Base bead already made. Do your scroll work with the stringer, What happens is the stringer strikes some as you pull out the rod, and than strikes the rest of the way as I lay it down on my bead and melt it in. So I don't have to strike my raku again. As soon as I have melted in my scroll work my stringer has beautiful colors as my oxygen is so high. Secrets I tell you I am giving away all Of mine.......

HTH some of you who have asked questions in this thread.
Shawn Who now wants to play with Raku again it has been a while. I have at least a 1/2 kilo in all different size. Do you think I like the stuff?