Has this ever happened to you?

[BurningScentsations]

I see this occur from time to time when working on a bead (usually a larger bead requiring lots of marvering). I will get a rough patch or chip (at least it looks like a chip) in the bead surface and no amount of heat will smooth it out. Using frit tends to do this more often than other beads, but I had it happen to me last night on a regular bead.

The more I work, the less progress I make on the problem.

Is there something I'm doing wrong? Too much heat? Working glass too long?

Any advice would be appreciated.

Thanks,

Lloyd

[Julabula]

Lloyd, I don't have an answer to your question, sorry, but can say I have that exact same problem, but mine seems to be ONLY when I am using the opaque cobalts. It comes out looking what I would term "pitted". ?!? So I'll be interested to see what answers you get on this, too.....

[luke gardner]

I am not a hundred percent positive, but it sounds like you are working the glass too long. As glass is baked in the flame it begins too lose some of its trade mark charcteristics as more and more of the fluxes that combine all the ingredients are cooked out by the flame.

[Shawn T]

Lloyd, are you referring to pitting? As Julz as mentioned? If so It happens with some colors more than others. Black is really bad about pitting, especially when working it a long period of time, and using your marver on it. Try and turn your torch down a cooler flame and ONLY use a brass marver on these colors. Graphite will cause more pitting than anything else I know of.
Frit will cause many colors to pit, transparent blues, and greens are one I know for sure, I have incorporated it into the design at times. When that wont work, reheat the whole bead till it is glowing and you will get rid of most of it.

[BurningScentsations]

Shawn and Luke,

Thanks so much for your insights. I was working the glass quite a while since it was a large Bicone that I was shaping using a graphite tool. I was also melting in a thick layer of cane into the bead which was taking a while.

Looks like I had multiple offenders causing this problem.

I will try to keep an eye on this in the future.

Thanks for your help,

Lloyd