Ask me anything! - Page 10

Kalera · #**271** 2011-02-15, 9:40am

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bobeche

Kalera,
Just wanted to tell you that you inspired me to order some Amazon Bronze frit & I got to play with it today. I tried it over white, black, Citrus Grapefruit and Borostix Spring Purple, all encased. Hoping I got a winning combination somewhere in there....fingers crossed for what comes out of the kiln tomorrow....Thx for the inspiration!

OMG I bet it's going to be stunning over Citrus Grapefruit! Please post pics!

Kalera · #**272** 2011-02-15, 9:45am

Quote:

Originally Posted by erose

OK Kalera - now I have a question. I tried the Loetz Gray-Gold over Uroboros clear and it looks totally different than your beads in this post:

http://lampworketc.com/forums/showpo...&postcount=139

Mine look pretty much like gray-black frit on clear. Did you add anything? R-108/Z99? I think I can see some pink and raku tones but maybe I am dreaming.

??

Thanks,

Liz

Ohhhh

I think I forgot to mention a crucial step; I turn down my oxygen and reduce all my Loetz beads for just a couple of seconds to bring out the brilliant metal shine! This is why this thread is good for me; it makes me really think about the steps I take.

Elizabeth Beads · #**273** 2011-02-15, 10:13am

Thanks Kalera - good thing I stopped at 7 beads. Willl try it again this week - can't wait. And maybe I will mix in a pinch of R 108 and Z 99.

alcyon · #**274** 2011-02-15, 4:32pm

Many thanks for your intellectual generosity. Your capability with the boro metalic colors is amazing. I wonder how you get the maximum color (rainbow almost) out of Amazon Bronze. Do you use Aurora the same way?

Kalera · #**275** 2011-02-15, 5:16pm

Thanks! It's funny, I am pretty sure I HAVE Aurora, but I can't recall ever using it. I'm going to have to give it a try! I don't do anything special at all with the Amazon Bronze... I just work it in a pretty hot neutral flame.

effemess · #**276** 2011-02-15, 5:25pm

I can't do anything with NS aurora....... its just brown,,,,

Kalera · #**277** 2011-02-15, 5:33pm

A lot of boro colors that seem blah will pop if you use them over the right base... I would be tempted to see what happens if you put it over amber purple or yellow.

Bobeche · #**278** 2011-02-16, 5:53pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kalera

OMG I bet it's going to be stunning over Citrus Grapefruit! Please post pics!

Here ya go... it's pretty nice, but I tried your combo over Agua Azul (Except I had to sub for Peacock chameleon) and it was nicer, I think.

Kalera · #**279** 2011-02-16, 6:32pm

Oh that's PRETTY... love the treatment with the caps and chain! I do love Amazon Bronze over blues and greens, though, like you said. It just pops.

Bobeche · #**280** 2011-02-16, 6:43pm

thanks! Me, too, definitely plan to play some more with it!

MrsD · #**281** 2011-02-16, 7:33pm

I came home from dropping the kids at school this morning at 9am & planned on torching right through until about 2.30pm just before I have to pick them up. Then I looked at just one thread on here, tree hours later I have finally got to the end of this thread & all I can say is "WOW" - thank you Kalera for sharing so much of your knowledge with everyone!

I might only have 2 hours left of my original 5 or so I was going to spend torching, but it's going to be a great 2 hours with all the inspiration I've got from this thread

.

Kalera · #**282** 2011-02-16, 7:44pm

You're welcome, thank you, and I hope you have a great torch session!

2tumblingdragonz · #**283** 2011-02-16, 8:00pm

Thank you Kalera, I have learned so much from this thread!

lunesse · #**284** 2011-02-16, 9:07pm

She's so awesome in person, too, not that you'd doubt that. Grit for a tumbler? She gave me some. Issues with my kiln? Lent me a pyrometer for awhile....and gave me a great rod of bullseye blue adventurine called galaxy blue or some such, from years ago. Just because.

Kalera rocks!

Kalera · #**285** 2011-02-16, 9:58pm

Aww, thanks Carli! You're awesome with a capital A... one badass, talented chick!

glasslass2 · #**286** 2011-02-17, 10:03am

Hi Kalera
I have a question regarding tumbling. I've been to Rio's site. Does the size matter of the abrasive tumbling material? There are 6 mm, 8 mm and 10 mm pyramidal shapes. And they contain formaldahyde. Should I be concerned about that? Have no idea what the formaldahyde does.
Thanks so very much for the help.
BTW, my dh thanks you for my frit obsession now. Can't seem to stop buying, I'm so addicted. LOL!

Kalera · #**287** 2011-02-17, 10:05am

I use the stuff from Harbor Freight (There's one near my house... instant gratification!) and it's about 4mm pyramidal. I would suspect that the smaller stuff is better for beads, especially getting into the dimples and other crannies.

I have no idea what the formaldehyde does either... can they double as mothballs?

Kalera · #**288** 2011-02-17, 10:09am

I just looked it up and formaldehyde is a carcinogen, which is mainly a concern because it's still used widely in construction materials, furniture, and even carpeting, offgassing into our homes and making them toxic. So, you will want to keep your tumbling media in closed containers in a garage, toolshed, or other non-living-space. Or, you could just use random chunks of glass for your media, which I did for a while.

Melinda · #**289** 2011-02-17, 3:56pm

Thanks so much for spilling the beans on so many of your beautiful designs.

I want to join the list of people who would buy a recipe book. Paper or PDF, so I can drool and try out the recipes.

Kalera · #**290** 2011-02-17, 4:55pm

Thank you, Melinda!

JenniferP · #**291** 2011-02-17, 6:09pm

Hey Kalera! I have a question...how do you work that Multicolor Dark to get such beautiful colors?

Thank you!

glasslass2 · #**292** 2011-02-17, 6:12pm

Wait,what....Harbor Freight carries the stuff? I'm so all over that. One is close by me too! Thanks bunches!!!!!!

Oh, and thanks for the info about the formaldahyde. Had no idea, yikes.

Kalera · #**293** 2011-02-17, 6:35pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by JenniferP

Hey Kalera! I have a question...how do you work that Multicolor Dark to get such beautiful colors?

Thank you!

I don't do anything special with it at all! I'm on natural gas and concentrators running a Barracuda, and I just melt it... that's it.

Kalera · #**294** 2011-02-17, 6:35pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by glasslass2

Wait,what....Harbor Freight carries the stuff? I'm so all over that. One is close by me too! Thanks bunches!!!!!!

Oh, and thanks for the info about the formaldahyde. Had no idea, yikes.

Harbor Freight is addictive! You can find so much cool stuff there.

MrsD · #**295** 2011-02-17, 11:54pm

Ok I have 2 question, but they are general ones so if you don't want to answer them just let me know & I will post them in the forum rather than this thread

.

First question is - how easy is it to burn frit? I'm not talking about special frit like silver glass or anything, just normal everyday frit, opaques, transparents or a mix of both. I love using frit but sometimes after the beads have cooled I look at it & think "yuck!" because the colours look all muddy or really dark & I think it looks like I've burnt it.

Second question is - apart from obvious differences like the gauge of wire that you use when you string your beads or the fact that you want to make a bead into something like a pandora bead, what differences are there in the different mandrel sizes? I guess what I am asking is if I was just making an average everyday bead (so not a pandora BHB) does it make a difference what size mandrels I use? Is it just down to personal preference?

ETA - for the first question, I'm using a cricket, I wonder if I have my flame right or not? But then it looks right to me!

Angie09 · #**296** 2011-02-18, 6:01am

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kalera

I don't do anything special with it at all! I'm on natural gas and concentrators running a Barracuda, and I just melt it... that's it.

But do you reduce it?

turtleshelle · #**297** 2011-02-18, 8:24am

I have always wondered if Zooziies named that press after you?

Kalera · #**298** 2011-02-18, 9:05am

Quote:

Originally Posted by MrsD

Ok I have 2 question, but they are general ones so if you don't want to answer them just let me know & I will post them in the forum rather than this thread

.

First question is - how easy is it to burn frit? I'm not talking about special frit like silver glass or anything, just normal everyday frit, opaques, transparents or a mix of both. I love using frit but sometimes after the beads have cooled I look at it & think "yuck!" because the colours look all muddy or really dark & I think it looks like I've burnt it.

Second question is - apart from obvious differences like the gauge of wire that you use when you string your beads or the fact that you want to make a bead into something like a pandora bead, what differences are there in the different mandrel sizes? I guess what I am asking is if I was just making an average everyday bead (so not a pandora BHB) does it make a difference what size mandrels I use? Is it just down to personal preference?

ETA - for the first question, I'm using a cricket, I wonder if I have my flame right or not? But then it looks right to me!

My guess on the frit is that it's not getting burnt (some frits will soot up very easily in an even slightly reducing flame, but I don't think this is your problem) but that it's reacting. Many frits contain lead, copper, or silver, all of which will react by creating a muddy or dark line where it touches any glass containing sulphur, such as yellow, amber, or ivory. Try the same frit on a white or light blue base and see if you have the same problem; if you do, it's likely that your flame is on the reducing side and you need to turn down your propane or add more oxygen.

As far as I can tell, most jewelry designers prefer a smaller hole in the smaller beads they buy. Many, however, prefer a larger hole in focal beads, so they can string them on thicker/multi-stranded material.

Kalera · #**299** 2011-02-18, 9:06am

Quote:

Originally Posted by Angie09

But do you reduce it?

Nope; I just melt it in a neutral flame.

Kalera · #**300** 2011-02-18, 9:08am

Quote:

Originally Posted by turtleshelle

I have always wondered if Zooziies named that press after you?

Yes; it was a shape I had been forming by hand, which is very time-consuming, so I sent her a bead and asked her if she could make me a press. She said yes, and asked if she could market the shape. I thought that was a great idea; the only problem was that the shape didn't have a name! I even asked the math department at PSU and they weren't aware of a name for it, so she named it after me.