Pleated Beads - Page 2

ROC · #31 2010-01-01, 12:28pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by j2canoe

Thanks so much!

This is a quick reference I did on another forum to help someone who was having trouble with icky colors coming from Psyche and Gaia. It might help you a little to get started - but definitely take Luna's advice and visit Hayley's threads - she is one of the Master's with this glass!

So here it is just to get you started - most of the advice applies to many of the reducers - but each of the glasses has its own little quirks:

I do a lot of work with both of those glasses. You don't say if your murky brown is out of the kiln or at the torch - so I'll try to help you with both. If the murky brown is coming out of the kiln, your kiln atmosphere is probably off. Try adding about a teaspoon of activated charcoal (yep, the fish tank kind) in the bottom of your kiln before you anneal - it will burn up, but should change the atmosphere enough to keep your reduction from going away. If the murks are coming at the torch, you are over-reducing this glass. The glass MUST NOT be glowing when you reintroduce it briefly to the back of the flame. Your flame for both of these glasses needs to be almost solid propane - no oxy (cover the holes on a HH, adjust the mix on the others). Psyche will quickly reduce to purples and blues (don't blink or you'll miss it). If you take the bead out of the flame and want more reduction, subsequent passes through the BACK of the flame will tend more toward the greens and your reduction will turn more opaque until eventually you will burn off the silver and just get muck. Both of these glasses are fairly forgiving in that they will let you reheat to glowing to erase a reduction so you can re-reduce a couple of times, but more than that you will exhaust the silver and your reaction will not happen. Try to experiment so that you know when to come out of the flame. Resist the urge to re-reduce (probably the hardest part) when you have something you like until you know what the glass is going to do colorwise as sometimes more is NOT better with these glasses! I hope this helps some. I am on a HH and have a great time with these glasses. I work with the windows open in my studio and therefore am "climate controlled" - i.e. whatever the climate is, I'm controlled by it - and I find that I get different reactions depending on the ambient temps and humidity. I get the reactions I like the very best when it is warm and rainy. Also, one more tip, if you are getting reactions that you really like, and are making a set, be sure to finish the set at that session as you are not likely to get the same reactions the next day. Silver glass is beautiful, unique and can be VERY finicky Cheers! Joan The first set is solid Psyche just barely reduced (note the weather - rainy and warm) and the second is Psyche on left and Gaia on right.

Joan, great explanation. I would also recommend sticking to DH and similar reducing glass to begin with, since the TAG (Taxco, Montreux, Aquis) works a little differently. Although, it can be done. This is Taxco on Hades:

gemsinbloom · #32 2010-01-01, 1:30pm

Here here!

I have never even sat down to anything but a hothead. Yes I realize I am probably missing out on a lot but I am able to achieve much with my hothead too. Some of us just cannot bring an oxygen tank into our living arrangements.

Quote:

Originally Posted by j2canoe

Several of the posters on this page, myself included, are on HH's. I would like to point out that having a larger torch does not always correlate to producing better beads! There are many posts that can be found on this forum from those on the "big girl" torches who are clueless as to how to work these glasses and also many from HH users who have little trouble with them (and vice versa). Many factors go into working with these glasses, not least the skill of the artist involved. It is more important to understand how to work with your equipment as well as your particular strengths, skill set and the properties of the glass that you are working with IMHO. Sometimes a particular glass will work for one artist and elude another with the same set-up! I guess we all have our favorites! Personally, I have worked on both types of equipment - and, while the big torches aid in producing the heat required for some of the strikers, the HH's are ideal for many of the reducers. Striking can be achieved with some tweaks to the process and patience. Some of the glasses are kiln strikers (Pandora, Black Cherry) and it makes no difference what type of torch you have as long as you keep the bead hot until placing in the kiln. Many others strike further in the kiln (too many to mention!). I personally find the DH glasses and some of GT's and even some of the TAG (Deep Purple/Taxco/Golden Emerald) to be extremely easy to work on the HH.

theglasszone · #33 2010-01-02, 11:15am

OK Hot Head kiddies - I think it's time to resurrect this thread...just for fun and inspiration: http://www.lampworketc.com/forums/sh...ad.php?t=24873

And here's some photos of results of Silver Glasses, reduced/encased, etc., that I've done on a Hot Head:

Rembrandt - reduced/encased:

Rembrandt - no encasing/surface reduced:

DaVinci - no encasing/surface reduced:

Black Pearl - reduced/encased:

Black Pearl - no encasing/surface reduced:

Giovani - reduced/encased:

Giovani - no encasing/surface reduced:

...and the list goes on!

De

theglasszone · #34 2010-01-02, 11:21am

...More:

Sasha's Silver - reduced/encased:

Sasha's Silver - not encased/surface reduced:

Silver Mist - encased/reduced:

Silver Mist - not encased/surface reduced:

Red Matise - encased/reduced:

...and the band plays on!

De

Fine Folly Glassworks · #35 2010-01-02, 1:43pm

So you did these on a Hothead?! Happy Day! Hope springs eternal in the Hothead user with great examples!

j2canoe · #36 2010-01-02, 2:23pm

LOL!!! Hi De! You know I have to chuckle. Those were the EXACT beads I was thinking of when I posted mine!

I have never forgotten your DaVinci Eye-Guy!! I'm glad that you saw the thread!!!

gemsinbloom · #37 2010-01-02, 2:30pm

I am loving this thread actually. I remember in my early days of lampworking I ran across a woman at a show and I asked how she got such a gorgeous pink her in floral beads. She told me it was a special type of glass that could not be used on a hothead ( she really did not want to share any info with me)

Of course I discovered later that it was rubino and I most certainly could use it on a hothead.

simvet02 · #38 2010-01-02, 8:37pm

I was just asking hubby about the radiator fins, how I would go about getting one. He, of course, ask why so I was showing him Anouk's bead. He was wondering if they wouldn't be quite toxic from the chemicals that had been used with them.

That being the case I wonder if there is a good way to clean one up to be used.

Anyone know???

j2canoe · #39 2010-01-05, 11:16am

Bump due to all of the new silver glass and questions about HH use.

gemsinbloom · #40 2010-01-05, 12:03pm

Great idea. I can't remember where but someone was saying they could not get psyche to work on their hothead. It works like a charm and very easily. Just cover the intake holes with tinfoil or I just use my oven mitt lol

Quote:

Originally Posted by j2canoe

Bump due to all of the new silver glass and questions about HH use.

Troll Lover · #41 2010-01-05, 1:54pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by simvet02

I was just asking hubby about the radiator fins, how I would go about getting one. He, of course, ask why so I was showing him Anouk's bead. He was wondering if they wouldn't be quite toxic from the chemicals that had been used with them.

That being the case I wonder if there is a good way to clean one up to be used.

Anyone know???

Jan, now I'm confused, and I'm sorry because English is not my native language

. But I honestly have no idea what you want to do with a radiator fin and why it would be toxic?

Sorry for being such a noob...

simvet02 · #42 2010-01-05, 3:17pm

well from what I hear the some use the radiator fin as a texture plate as it has aluminum fins that you can roll the bead over to get the deep cuts for the pleated look.

Hubby was just wondering if they would be toxic when the hot glass was rolled over them. Or if and how they could be cleaned I know there are some that use them so maybe someone will enlighten us.

s38hyler · #43 2010-01-05, 7:44pm

Been sitting here thinking about it, and I think I would wash it with a good soapy water to get any remaining Anti-freeze out of it and get the oil off of it, maybe use a nylon brush and some de-greaser. I would clean it good because you never know what got on it while it was under the hood of a car/truck. The fins are alumnum, so I don't know how they would hold up to the heat, so I would give the bead a quick roll over top of it. Maybe someone knows for sure.

take care,

nancyinvermont · #44 2010-01-27, 11:06am

Quote:

Originally Posted by j2canoe

Thanks so much!

This is a quick reference I did on another forum to help someone who was having trouble with icky colors coming from Psyche and Gaia. It might help you a little to get started - but definitely take Luna's advice and visit Hayley's threads - she is one of the Master's with this glass!

So here it is just to get you started - most of the advice applies to many of the reducers - but each of the glasses has its own little quirks:

I do a lot of work with both of those glasses. You don't say if your murky brown is out of the kiln or at the torch - so I'll try to help you with both. If the murky brown is coming out of the kiln, your kiln atmosphere is probably off. Try adding about a teaspoon of activated charcoal (yep, the fish tank kind) in the bottom of your kiln before you anneal - it will burn up, but should change the atmosphere enough to keep your reduction from going away. If the murks are coming at the torch, you are over-reducing this glass. The glass MUST NOT be glowing when you reintroduce it briefly to the back of the flame. Your flame for both of these glasses needs to be almost solid propane - no oxy (cover the holes on a HH, adjust the mix on the others). Psyche will quickly reduce to purples and blues (don't blink or you'll miss it). If you take the bead out of the flame and want more reduction, subsequent passes through the BACK of the flame will tend more toward the greens and your reduction will turn more opaque until eventually you will burn off the silver and just get muck. Both of these glasses are fairly forgiving in that they will let you reheat to glowing to erase a reduction so you can re-reduce a couple of times, but more than that you will exhaust the silver and your reaction will not happen. Try to experiment so that you know when to come out of the flame. Resist the urge to re-reduce (probably the hardest part) when you have something you like until you know what the glass is going to do colorwise as sometimes more is NOT better with these glasses! I hope this helps some. I am on a HH and have a great time with these glasses. I work with the windows open in my studio and therefore am "climate controlled" - i.e. whatever the climate is, I'm controlled by it - and I find that I get different reactions depending on the ambient temps and humidity. I get the reactions I like the very best when it is warm and rainy. Also, one more tip, if you are getting reactions that you really like, and are making a set, be sure to finish the set at that session as you are not likely to get the same reactions the next day. Silver glass is beautiful, unique and can be VERY finicky Cheers! Joan The first set is solid Psyche just barely reduced (note the weather - rainy and warm) and the second is Psyche on left and Gaia on right.

Joan, I LOVE your explanations in this thread. I am going to try your suggestions with the Ekho you sent me. I use a minor burner, but obviously I wasn't using nearly a propane flame when reducing. Can't wait to try again. Everybody's suggestions in this thread are just wonderful!! Thanks so much for all your sharing.

Nancy

essiemessy · #45 2011-02-26, 6:10pm

Hmmmm Radiator fins, eh?
When my computer died a few weeks back, I salvaged the heat sink, and the fan fins. Heat sink is a goldy colour, some kind of alloy, and I'm pretty sure the fan fins are just aluminium. I've cleaned them up and will take them out to the shed to have a go at tomorrow.
I'll also give the twisty method a go, too.
Yay! So glad I stumbled across these threads

essiemessy · #46 2011-03-08, 4:56pm

Ok, so I haven't done the fan fin thing yet, but I did try the twistie thing. Taking me all day to find that thread (layering on a paddle-twistie), so I'll quit while I'm ahead

Here's what I ended up with. First one..

Twistie was wonky, and (BUGGERIT!!!!!!) I used dubious-origin clear stringer on the outside wraps over my good clear, and it sooted! And I couldn't get it to the edges properly after all that. Bugger.
Apart from those issues tho, I'm pretty happy with the result.
I think I'll name her 'Seismograph'

2xMI · #47 2011-03-08, 6:29pm

Even with the soot that's a lovely bead!

Mimi

essiemessy · #48 2011-03-08, 6:41pm

Yay, Thanks, Mimi!

PerfectDeb · #49 2011-03-08, 6:53pm

bloody goddamn good i reckon !

essiemessy · #50 2011-03-08, 7:09pm

Yep, I'm pretty happy with it anyway. I'll not use a similar coloured transparent for the base next time, tho. That prolly detracted from the 3 colours I've actually got in the twistie. I've got a bit left, so I'll try it on some clear, or opaque.

glassactcc · #51 2011-03-08, 7:11pm

That bead is realllllly pretttty!!!

alb6094 · #52 2011-03-08, 8:31pm

I love that bead and thanks for bumping this up, I'd never read it before and it answered some questions I've been struggling with as well.

essiemessy · #53 2011-03-09, 4:09pm

Thanks for the compliments

I did some more yesterday. Couldn't do the pics as well as yesterday's, but it's a nicer effect on clear:

Wonky application, but I love how the 'pleats' radiate