Blech - brown beads

[LampworkbyLori]

I must be in the "poop" stage.

Whenever I try to make anything with with a red in it, like Cherry Wood for example, I usually get it to strike okay in the flame, but they ultimately come out of the kiln a medium to dark brown. I can never get the pretty pinks and purples from, say, Amber Purple.

I'm just wondering if I should try kiln striking everything next time.

I work pretty close to the candles on my Mini CC with a 6 lpm oxy con and I garage at 968. Sometimes the beads wouldn't strike so I'd bring them in closer to the flame to start them striking.

Any tips?

[Cosmo]

I wouldn't use Cherry Wood. It's a hard color to get to come out right, and even when it does, I personally don't think it's very pretty. I would use something like Garnet or Dark Elvis. You don't want to flame strike any of the reds, though. They need to be kiln struck for best results.

If you are using just a 6 LPM concentrator with a Mini CC, you aren't getting enough oxygen to work the colors well. The Mini CC is naturally a more reducing flame than other torches that size, and getting a flame big enough to melt borosilicate on that torch with just that one concentrator is probably pushing it really into reduction. I run my Knight Little Dragon (basically the same as a Mini CC) on three 5 LPM concentrators, and it does okay, but not as good as on tanked oxygen.

[LampworkbyLori]

Cosmo.. thanks for the tips! You have answered exactly what I've been wanting to know about optimal oxy on the Mini CC. I'll find a way to get more oxy. Tanked oxy is not really an option for me because I'm only about 20' away from the gas furnace.

So if I work with one of the reds you recommended (or any of the colors that should be struck in the kiln) do you just put them in the kiln once you get them shaped up and the glow has died down? While they're still kind of clear-looking?

[Leanne]

I get an ok red from pomegranite. Cherrywood and EL yellow make an awesome fuschia

[Cosmo]

Cosmo.. thanks for the tips! You have answered exactly what I've been wanting to know about optimal oxy on the Mini CC. I'll find a way to get more oxy. Tanked oxy is not really an option for me because I'm only about 20' away from the gas furnace.

So if I work with one of the reds you recommended (or any of the colors that should be struck in the kiln) do you just put them in the kiln once you get them shaped up and the glow has died down? While they're still kind of clear-looking?

Tanked oxygen is not a problem near a gas furnace. Not to be morbid or anything, but if you have a gas explosion, it's not going to matter if there is an oxygen tank there or not.

But for the reds, the ones that stay clear after heating I just put into the kiln like that. Elvis will strike back to red as it cools, so it's usually red before it goes into the kiln.

[LampworkbyLori]

Cosmo: Thanks! You're so helpful here on LE. I always appreciate your posts.

Leanne: Yes, I have some Pomegranite and I overstrike it as well, for now, but I'm hopeful! I'll have to try the CW and ELY.

[fyrsmith]

Here's another vote for Garnet. I have been melting boro since before there were any reds, and it just blows me away to watch garnet and the other self-striking reds change to a beautiful transparent red as it cools. No more dead meat colors!!!!!!!!!!!

-Don-

[LampworkbyLori]

lol .. dead meat is a great way to describe it!

[suzanne]

Lori you might want to read the article on phase seperation, this explains exactly what happends if you get poop out of your cherrywood. I found it very helpful:)

http://glassalchemyarts.com/support/user-manual-pg1.html#phase