Hot Head Users...advice needed~

[miss-spider]

I bought a Hot Head to do a demo at a small upcoming outdoor show. I'll be working outside. Would love a little advice from those of you experienced on this torch, if you are willing. I'm use a minor and am finding the HH hard to use. 8-[ 8-[ There's no way to adjust the flame...or is there? What is the best size of flame to use? And where in the flame is the best place to work? I am thinking I'll take my Satake glass to use as it is so much softer.
I did a few demos last year at this show with the HH...of course the audience didn't know that I was frustrated and were very interested, especially the group of homeschool kids that attended, they were wonderful and asked lots of smart questions! But I'd like to be better on this torch this year.
Thank you!

[Dale M.]

Unfortunately the "new" breed of hot heads lack some finesse when it comes to adjustability... IF you can get it to do it, you want to turn flame up to where you find the biggest bushiest flame you can get, THEN turn it down to where inner flame takes and a well defined pencil point and the flame color is a few shades darker than the big bushy flame... Sweet spot should be about 1-1/2 inches from point of inner flame, or about 2-1/2 inches out from rim of torch head...

Dale

[miss-spider]

Thanks Dale! Will try this out tomorrow.

[j-boat]

I got some fabulous advice a few months back from a teacher (Barbara B Simon) who got her info from Karen Stavert. Hope it helps, it sure helped me!
I'll copy the email here for you....

Hi all,
I wrote to my friend Karen Stavert, aka "The Dichro Diva" http://hotglassbeads.com/ and told her all the trials and tribulations you guys were having and here is her answer:

MAPP is not very easy to get anymore ;-( They are probably using
propylene or propodene (sp?) Most fuel suppliers will tell you that
the prop fuels are the same as MAPP. Not so.

The best way I figured out to tell the appropriate temp/flame for MAPP
(any fuel, actually) is to begin with a piece of white glass (not clear)

Start with the torch relatively low (temp). Heat the glass. Check for
grey/tobacco colour.

Turn the torch up a bit and repeat until there is discolouration of the
glass. Back the torch off a bit and this should be the appropriate
temp for most of the opaque glasses. Transparents can usually
be heated a bit higher.

You may only need to do this exercise once or twice - your ear
quickly picks up the sound of the proper temp.

If there is discolouration inside the bead, it is because the torch
was too hot and the glass was being discoloured as the bead
was being made.

Working way out in the torch is too cold. The sweet spot is at the
tip of the blue flame.

Tell them to SLOW DOWN in the rotation of the glass in the flame
and it will speed up the process. This is KEY.

Each time the bead is removed from the flame (to check progress or
marver) the bead cools, slowing the process.

Hope this helps.

[jaci]

in addition to wat wonderful tips listed above, be aware that outside you will probably need a slightly bigger flame and watch out for shifting winds!!! as small as theycan be you can get some really warm air your way...
satake can drip real fast in a HH and should be worked farther up un the flame. it is really shocky too!!! i take my hh to the flea market outside whenever possible (people don't believe me) and use my 104. make small round or stable shapes too (triangle work really well!)... things pop off if you get a breeze...lol

feel free to pm me if you have more outside hh q's!
________
Zoloft attorney (http://www.classactionsettlements.org/lawsuit/zoloft/)

[miss-spider]

Thank you all for your help. I practiced for a while and feel more comfortable with the torch, I just wish I was going to be in a shady spot as the flame is so hard to see in the sun. However the demos will be very short!
I found the Satake actually quite nice to use with this torch (just my opinion) and it melts much quicker than 104 COE meaning I can show more interesting stuff in a short demo instead of just waiting for the glass to melt!

[glassbead]

I also have used a hot head to demo outside. I'm used to it, so no real problems except, as previously mentioned, the wind, except for one day when I was set up in bright sunlight. I couldn't see the flame at all with my glasses on! So I recommend some shade. It's pretty hard to do it all by feel.
One other thing I have found that is great for demos- a leaf press. Generally I think this is cheating, but it does get the oohs and ahhs, and it's quick- unless you're trying to demonstate a lot of differentv techniques.

[lavendar420]

I use a hot head outside on my semi-wind-protected balcony. I don't wear didy's because I can't see the flame if I do - I wear clear protective glasses from the hardwear store. I've been thinking about setting up a wind block also. Wind can really make things spicy!