Scummy clear encasing...

[Lyssa]

Hi all! There are thousands of threads out there about this but last night I was really paying attention and have some specific thoughts.

I am practicing my encasing and am encountering this scum. It isnt the dirt scum from the side of the clear rod, it happens at the tip of the rod, after I pinch off a bit of melted tip. After pinching off the tip, I melt a gather and the tip that was the point left from pinching off, rounds out and is left with a bunch of bubbly scum. Melt, pinch off, melt gather, bubbly scum.

The only time it didnt happen was when I didnt focus the flame on the end of the rod when I melted my gather, I focused my flame about 1/4 inch up and let the tip melt from the radiant heat. Is that the secret no one is sharing or did I just get lucky that one time?

[SGA]

Thats how I melt regular clear and most CIM transparents. Work cool, focus about a half inch above the tip of the rod. I get that same scum if I use direct heat.

[flowman]

Lyssa,

I got the same thing with some white that i was using to make Dia de los Muertos candy skull beads with--it boiled like crazy and created bubbles like that until I started working it a lot further out in the flame--the less heat I used, the fewer the bubbles. Of course that meant it took forever to get anything done Trying using as little heat as possible. When encasing I've improved my results by melting as big a blob as possible, wrapping it onto the bead quickly, and then using a marver to press it arond the bead in in a hexagonal shape, ie not roll, but press repeatedly, moving around the bead, to get it as close to round as possible. That way your getting it as close to round as possible without relying on the flame to do all the melting. Good luck!
Steve

[Dragonharper]

Yup, you have boiled your glass. Try adding more oxy, the excess oxy acts to cool down the flame. Or try a smaller bushier flame.

[KJohn]

I've got a problem with my clear at the moment but at least I have managed to not boil it also. Someone gave me a good tip to not put the end into the flame. As you use it, you got a little point there that will boil easily so turn the rod so that point is on the far side and the flame hits the other side of the rod first. Does that make sense?

[istandalone24/7]

use DH Zephyer and you're issues will be nil.

[Talonst]

When you pinch off the end off the rod the tiny tip that is left is very thin - when the flame hit's it it boils immediately. If you hold the rod like a pencil with the tip pointed away from you and let the flame hit the rod above the tip the heat will kind of splash off the rod and the tip will heat more slowly.

Another fix is to start reheating the rod way out at the end of the flame - say 5 or 6 inches out allowing the whole end to warm up slowly. Once it starts glowing evenly bring it back to into the working part of the flame.

If the flame is too oxidizing or if the O2 pressure is too high you end up with a very aggressive flame that boils the glass as well.

[Lyssa]

Thanks everyone for all the great advice. I will try this weekend when I light my torch again.

Istandalone - does Zephyr not boil?

Originally Posted by istandalone24/7

use DH Zephyer and you're issues will be nil.

[istandalone24/7]

it's very VERY hard to get it to boil or scum. even the 2nds that DH sells for around $40 a lb is good stuff.

[Talonst]

By all means try the Zephyr if you like it's wonderful glass, but it's also 5x+ the cost of Effetre Super Clear which is currently around $7.00 lb.

No need for spendy glass if you can nip the problem with a shift in your technique.

The typical issues are:
• Dirty glass - finger prints and dirt on the surface get into the glass as it's melted
• Working too close to the torch face - boils the glass
• Flame is too reducing - injects carbon into the glass once it's hot causing scuz and bubbles
• Introducing the glass too quickly into an aggressive flame - boils the surface
• Not rotating the glass - one area stays in the flame too long and boils

Any thin glass is going to heat quickly and boil before the thicker glass around it.

[istandalone24/7]

^^the issue with effetre super clear, is that some rods need different style of babying then others...even within the same pound bundle.
for $40 a lb zephyer seconds, it's worth the extra money that you don't need to keep your face/toes/junk in the same position in order to get the same results.

you really do get what you pay for, and this is doubly true for some glasses it seems.

[allicat]

Pssst - the Zephyr seconds are $30 a lb; even better! The Aether is $40 for seconds.

And I swear by Zephyr.

Alli

[AmorphousDesigns]

I love the Effetre Super Clear for pretty much everything, but did spring for some Zephyr to see what everyone was raving about, and sho nuff, it's a dream to work with, melts like butter, but yeah, at that price I only use it for silver glass.