Lampwork Etc.
 
Send a PM to CorriDawn!

LE Live Chat

Enter Live Chat

No users in chat


Frantz Art Glass & Supply

Beads of Courage


 

Go Back   Lampwork Etc. > Library > Tips, Techniques, and Questions

Tips, Techniques, and Questions -- Technical questions or tips

Reply
 
Thread Tools
  #1  
Old 2014-08-30, 9:44am
AlwaysLearning AlwaysLearning is offline
Member
 
Join Date: Aug 29, 2014
Location: Philadelphia suburbs
Posts: 90
Default Has anyone used copper sulfate on beads?

(Accidentally put this on the front door. Reposting)

Hi! I've just started beadmaking with a Firework touch. I'm really enjoying it. From playing with etching I have copper sulfate and was wondering whether it would react with the glass. I'm not a chemist, I'm not recommending this.

I've done a little experimenting (grinding it to a powder, rolling bead on it) and it's interesting and capricious. On ivory I get black curdling. Sometimes black curdling on orange and yellow. With white I get subtle light blues and pink.

Again, I'm not recommending this. I'm mostly concerned about the sulfur -> sulfur dioxide -> air born sulfuric acid.

I tried searching but couldn't find anything.

Thanks in advance!
Reply With Quote
  #2  
Old 2014-08-30, 3:45pm
ESC ESC is offline
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Feb 02, 2010
Posts: 3,371
Default

I haven't tried it, but from experiments with other chemical/mineral compounds, I hope you have an excellent ventilation system. Some of the most innocent sounding things turn nasty when they get volatilized by heat. Be careful.
(I tried fuming glass with EDP until I found out that those pretty colors were lead volatilizing out of the glass. Um, no, didn't do it again.)
__________________
ESC
Soft glass on a Minor/concentrator since 1996
Reply With Quote
  #3  
Old 2014-08-30, 6:26pm
AlwaysLearning AlwaysLearning is offline
Member
 
Join Date: Aug 29, 2014
Location: Philadelphia suburbs
Posts: 90
Default

Thanks for the reply. Sadly, my ventilation isn't good enough right now to do any more experimentation. Someday
Reply With Quote
  #4  
Old 2014-08-30, 6:42pm
one hot beader's Avatar
one hot beader one hot beader is offline
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Nov 01, 2006
Location: Nth NSW, Australia
Posts: 879
Default

Creating sulpher dioxide is a really BAAAADDD idea.

If you want to play with copper effects, copper leaf is inexpensive and will gove you the results you want.

Try it with opal yellow and white base glasses, lay on the leaf and really cook it in until you see the pretty blues and greens appearing.

Search on here for copper leaf to see some ideas and uses.
__________________
Nicole

Custard...it's just like hot icecream!
Reply With Quote
  #5  
Old 2014-08-30, 8:05pm
AlwaysLearning AlwaysLearning is offline
Member
 
Join Date: Aug 29, 2014
Location: Philadelphia suburbs
Posts: 90
Default

I agree about sulfur dioxide (eek). Next order I'll try to remember to get copper foil. Thanks!
Reply With Quote
  #6  
Old 2014-08-30, 8:59pm
28676bhe 28676bhe is offline
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Apr 08, 2011
Location: NC
Posts: 1,687
Default

You can buy the copper leaf at Michael's. It is the Mona Lisa brand. Works just fine. Really, really, really cook the stuff into the bead, and use just enough for one roll on the bead - don't overlap!
__________________

To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 5 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.

Barbara
Reply With Quote
  #7  
Old 2014-08-31, 3:43pm
rnmcginnis rnmcginnis is offline
Member
 
Join Date: Jul 20, 2008
Location: Port Angeles, WA
Posts: 77
Default

Copper sulfate is poisonous if swallowed. Most water soluble heavy metal compounds are toxic, even those that are essential nutrients in small doses.

Roger
Reply With Quote
  #8  
Old 2014-09-01, 11:54am
bearyboo bearyboo is offline
Member
 
Join Date: Oct 02, 2013
Location: Lancashire, England
Posts: 31
Default

I have used this on beads. It makes a lovely blue/green colour
Reply With Quote
  #9  
Old 2014-09-01, 2:00pm
DesertDreamer's Avatar
DesertDreamer DesertDreamer is offline
Ad astra per aspera
 
Join Date: Jun 15, 2005
Location: Apache Junction AZ
Posts: 7,324
Default

As a fiber dyer, I would steer clear of copper sulphate, period. I do use it with dyeing, but only with extreme care...heavy gloves, a respirator and outdoor 'cooking.' It's an excellent mordant but I only use it rarely...run a big batch of fiber, and then leave the pot outside so the water evaporates, and mix the last inch with kitty litter for disposal. And THAT's only using it dissolved in water. I don't know chemistry that well, but basically setting it on fire strikes me as very, very bad.
__________________
Karen Sherwood

To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 5 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
Reply With Quote
  #10  
Old 2014-09-01, 8:21pm
AlwaysLearning AlwaysLearning is offline
Member
 
Join Date: Aug 29, 2014
Location: Philadelphia suburbs
Posts: 90
Default

Thank you all for the replies. I went to AC Moore, found copper leaf, it was expensive, I had a coupon and it was not. Tried it with yellow because I'm out of ivory. The bead is mostly metallic dark gray and terra cotta from the copper. No interesting patterns. Maybe I didn't cook it enough? I might have accidentally over wrapped too.
Reply With Quote
  #11  
Old 2014-09-02, 3:28am
one hot beader's Avatar
one hot beader one hot beader is offline
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Nov 01, 2006
Location: Nth NSW, Australia
Posts: 879
Default

Yep keep cooking that bead.
Wrap only once
Use OPAL yellow or white. Regular yellow may react in ways I don't know.
If you are getting metallic copper then you need to turn your propane down (or turn the torch down if you are on a hot head)
__________________
Nicole

Custard...it's just like hot icecream!
Reply With Quote
  #12  
Old 2014-09-06, 6:56am
Magicfire's Avatar
Magicfire Magicfire is offline
They see me rollin'...
 
Join Date: Aug 28, 2005
Location: Pompey's Pillar, MT
Posts: 2,033
Default

I've always been told to roll the bead in white enamel before applying the copper leaf, then cook.

I guess the enamel isn't absolutely necessary, since not everyone uses it, but I think it makes it easier to get the blue color.

I've never had that much luck with using copper leaf, though, so YMMV.
__________________

To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 5 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.


To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 5 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.

-Patti
Reply With Quote
  #13  
Old 2014-09-06, 8:03am
AlwaysLearning AlwaysLearning is offline
Member
 
Join Date: Aug 29, 2014
Location: Philadelphia suburbs
Posts: 90
Default

I've tried the copper leaf a couple times this week and man, I'm just not getting good results. Is silver leaf easier than copper? Maybe I should practice with that first.

Ordered an assortment of rods, only one ivory. Think I need to do another order soon to continue sperimenting.

Trying to ... resist temptation... to play with... copper sulfate...

On a slightly safer side, I tried embedding industrial black diamond into a bead. I think it has potential if it doesn't misbehave in the kiln (pieces that weren't fully embedded were sharp to the touch and cracked the glass).

Last edited by AlwaysLearning; 2014-09-06 at 8:06am.
Reply With Quote
  #14  
Old 2014-09-06, 8:12am
Magicfire's Avatar
Magicfire Magicfire is offline
They see me rollin'...
 
Join Date: Aug 28, 2005
Location: Pompey's Pillar, MT
Posts: 2,033
Default

Oh yes, silver leaf looks wonderful on many colors. No cooking required!
__________________

To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 5 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.


To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 5 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.

-Patti
Reply With Quote
  #15  
Old 2014-09-06, 8:18am
Magicfire's Avatar
Magicfire Magicfire is offline
They see me rollin'...
 
Join Date: Aug 28, 2005
Location: Pompey's Pillar, MT
Posts: 2,033
Default

BTW, there were lots of discussions about using copper leaf way back in the day on wetcanvas.com . Here is one that has lots of good info:

http://www.wetcanvas.com/forums/showthread.php?t=179688

Here's another good thread that talks a lot about using enamel with copper leaf:

http://www.wetcanvas.com/forums/showthread.php?t=102337

I hope it's ok to link to WC! I stopped going there in 2005 when I found LE, but there is still some good information there in the old threads.
__________________

To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 5 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.


To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 5 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.

-Patti

Last edited by Magicfire; 2014-09-06 at 8:27am.
Reply With Quote
  #16  
Old 2014-09-06, 10:26am
AlwaysLearning AlwaysLearning is offline
Member
 
Join Date: Aug 29, 2014
Location: Philadelphia suburbs
Posts: 90
Default

Thanks Patti, I'll check it out.
Reply With Quote
Reply


Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)
 
Thread Tools

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Forum Jump




All times are GMT -7. The time now is 5:14am.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.7.5
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.
Your IP: 3.239.96.229