Tips for Reducing on NG?

[Heather/Ericaceae]

Hi! I hope this isn't a repeat question... I did a search and couldn't find my answer. I'm looking for tips on getting good reduction effects using a natural gas flame. I haven't had any luck with this so far. I'm noticing that I can't get the turquoise-coloured flame I used to get when I set my QT to reduce. It stays the same bright blue neutral colour no matter how low I turn the gas... the flame just gets smaller. This is GREAT for normal shaping and control, but I just got some silver plum (or at least, it's labelled silver plum.. it looks exactly like black!) and I'm dying to get that gorgeous metal shine!

Is there a way to reduce on NG? Do I just need to hold it in there longer? Please tell me I don't have to set up my old torch to get the shine!

Thanks!

-Heather

[MaryBeth]

Heather - I use a minor on natural gas with an oxy concentrator. To reduce you want to turn your gas up and your oxygen down. I have no trouble reducing. Dependent on the type of glass that is being reduced I usually just turn my gas up and roll the bead in the edge of the flame a little closer to the torch. When I have a reducing flame - the color of the flame is really yellow and it is bright.

[GinnyHampton]

Heather - I use a minor on natural gas with an oxy concentrator. To reduce you want to turn your gas up and your oxygen down. I have no trouble reducing. Dependent on the type of glass that is being reduced I usually just turn my gas up and roll the bead in the edge of the flame a little closer to the torch. When I have a reducing flame - the color of the flame is really yellow and it is bright.


Yup!! I have the same set up and can reduce just fine . . . . just turn your oxy knob down, keep the gas the same.

[loco]

With silver plum if you want the metals to come out and play use a flame with high O2. This glass works the opposite way.

[Heather/Ericaceae]

Thanks for the answers, everybody! So, the flame *should* be yellow for reducing, yellow is okay... That's good news for me! I was looking for the greenish flame. And silver plum needs high oxy to do it's thing... hmm. I'll try that tonight. Should the original rod look black? I'll post my results if I can. Thanks again! -Heather

[loco]

My dark silver plum rods look black. They do have a slight grainy texture to them though.

[Heather/Ericaceae]

Hee hee hee!!! It worked!!!! Woooooo man - that stuff is pretty! The reducing worked too. Thanks Loco, Ginny and Mary Beth! I'll post tonight... we went out to a movie last night so I didn't have any time. Capote. It was fabuloso. But I totally just wanted to melt glass. :)

-Heather