Glad I could help. When you get the R-108 you DO want to heat the bejeezus out of it :lol: That's how you get all the pretty colors!

Great! That's easy on a Hot Head!!! :biggrin:

FRicken&#)$(*#@ BLaaaaaaaaaaaaa
 

I cant get this Raku to do crap .
Nikki gifted me some raku , and It was Wondermus ! When I ran out .. I bought more .. Now I hate it . It wont do anything for me . just barely faint colors . The raku frit Nikki sent me was tan but had a lot of color variations in it ( before melting ) . I have read and reread this thread and just can not " get it " . Ive about driven myself nutty trying .
Can I beckon the Queen of Raku to let me send you some of what I have and see if its the Frit or me just not holding my mouth right ?
Pleaseeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee someone . Im in raku frit hell . LOL

Hi Janelyn,

Wow, that's really strange because I've never heard of a "bad batch" of raku before. I'll be happy to give it a try and see if I can get it to strike. I got the hang of raku a long time ago and now I'm in Kronos hell so I know what you're feeling right now....LOL!!!

Have you changed anything about your torch set up? What kind of torch are you using? Where did you get the frit? Do you have pictures of the beads that aren't turning out? I know....so many questions. If you still want me to test some for you, PM me and I'll give you my address.

Well I finally managed to get some color from my R-108 but I had to repeatedly heat and cool the bead to get it. And I didn't get any of the cool purples, blues, and other colors that I would really like to see. Is this the best I can hope for on a Hot head?

My question is, how do you control your ends when you heat the wazoo out of something. Obviously you lose that nice dimpled end on the bead - do you just fix it later by adding some glass to the ends?

Hi Laurie,

I really don't have an answer for that one since I've never worked on a hot head. I've heard people say they can't get the really vivid colors from raku on a HH, and then I've heard people say just the opposite. Maybe someone should start another thread on how to work Raku specifically for Hot Head users.
I feel so bad when people follow my advise and then find out later that they are on a Hot Head and it's not working for them. I probably should have noted in my very first post in this thread that I use an oxygen / propane torch. :cry:

I got some raku through a RAGK. (Whoo hoo for that by the way.) I tried it a couple times and got glowing crazed animal eye type beads. (Yuck) Then yesterday I tried it. No clue what I did. Absolutely none, but I got it to look nice. I was so excited.

Something someone posted must have helped. Thanks.

Well. I heat the wazoo out of it but not until it gets drippy. I usually melt in my raku and then let the bead cool until it's lost it's glow. Then I super heat it real quick up close to the torch, about 2 inches away, just until it gets that "white hot look to it" but not to the point where the center starts to get runny. If you're doing round beads and don't want to loose the shape, try blowing on the bead to chill it rather than marvering it or pressing it.

Got it - thanks!

I have better luck with cane than with frit (althought you can get great color from frit, it just takes longer for me.) For these beads I made a filigrana with raku cane and vetro black, base of avocado and some azure and purple accent colours. I didn't heat the beads to white hot, but certainly you need to use a lot of heat - just before you start to lose control is when I stop and press the bead, Another thing I do is blow the bead to cool rather than pressing several times. I never marver.

Thanx so much for the tips!

Robyn

I Know I'm about 6 months late to this thread, but I just found it and it is AWESOME!!!!!!! I love raku, and have managed to coax some light blues out on the edge of the dot or stringer or whatever, but now... Oh My God! Thank you a million times!
Renee

This is a great thread!
 

\\:D/ \\:D/ I would just like to sat how useful I have found this thread the advise is spot on and I cant thank Dawn enough . I am posting a pic of my first attempt at using Raku stringer and frit. I know I have got a long way to go but I was well pleased when the bead fairy stopped by this morning here in North Devon ! -Thanks Dawn:waving:

I'm so glad you're finding this helpful!
Gorgeous beads Carolyn & Manda!
=D>

Question for the Raku masters
 

Dawn,
I picked up on this thread a while back and want to thank you for all the info. I have been obsessed with raku again for the past couple weeks. I have had some great results with the encasing method and have attempted the unencased version, mostly to keep the size of the bead small. When they go into the kiln, they are amazing. They actually look like the new Kronos glass. But when they come out, they have shifted to more yellow colors, and I mean bright yellow. I am aiming for blues, greens , and purples. Any ideas?

Those beads are just gorgeous! And yes they do look almost like Kronos (although we're not going to mention the "K" word here because I can't get Kronos to work for me to save my soul!...LOL!)

Well, I'm not quite sure why your colors are shifting after they go into the kiln. Usually they may get a little more pale as they cool, but if it's blue going in, it should be blue coming out.
I can say though, that I find the really small spacer beads I do to be a little more tricky as I don't marver or press them to "chill" the color. Usually if I want blues and greens I get the raku melted in, let the bead cool just until it looses it's glow and the quickly super heat just the surface of the bead. As it cools, the greens and bluse start to appear. Sometimes I even blow on the bead a little after super heating it. Here's a few pictures where the smallest beads, the ones in the center strand, was done this way. On this set I used #0 frit.....



And on these, I threaded the raku on using a stringer and got more colors...

Dawn,
Thanks for the input. What I am getting out does look more like your smaller beads in the first set. I am using stringer pulled from cane. What I did was make the base, decorate with stringer, melt in, super heat, blow to cool, then slowly heat in the upper part of the flame to a slight glow, blow to cool, and repeat the slight glow-cool process to develop more color. I did not let it cool really good after the supper heat, and maybe there is too much heat in the core, and that is what is causing hte further color development. Anyhow, I can see that with lots of beads in a set with lots of different color variation (like your beautiful beads) the contrast compliments rather than distracts. Thanks so much Dawn.

Joyce

I agree Joyce. I need help. I 'm on a Betta torch. I jut got it. On my hothead I tried your old advice about burning the snot outta it. Sometimes it worked really well. Now on the Betta? I get mostly the tan color. Sometimes you'll see a little line of bluish green here and there. Can you tell me the best way to work the Raku?
When I reduce it I get more metallic or just plain black...burnt ugly looking colors. If I work it high in the flame.....I get the tans. I would love to get the blues and greens. I am trying to make a long cylinder bead to go on a black pen for my boss and since he's a guy I wanted to just add the raku and swirl it for some colored effects.
Any help Dawn????
Thanks,
Irene

Hi Irene,

It sounds like your flame is too reducing. Raku likes to be worked in a neutral to oxygen rich flame. Try turning your gas down a bit and working lower in the flame. I've never tried a Beta, but on my Minor, I work my beads about 3 inches from the face of the torch and use a very neutral flame. The idea with Raku is NOT to reduce it. (Unless you're going for that metallic luster which can be pretty cool in some applications.) Raku :love: 's Oxygen!
And yes, Raku makes really good "Man Beads"!

Okay, I give up; I'm gonna post my frustration!

I'm on a hot head using propane. I've heated the snot out of it, I've blown on it, I've used graphite, brass, a butterknife dipped in water, and nothing works. I've tried different bases. I've tried stringer (straight and twisted) and several sizes of frit. I've tried it close to the torch head and far away in the flame.

All I get is tan/green, with the exception of the blue edges when the base is black, or almost nothing at all when the base is light blue.

It's a good think I like it tan/green, but I really want it to be a rainbow! When I tried it on light blue, I got it to be brown, but couldn't get it black, and encased it. When it came out of the kiln the frit had almost disappeared, it became so light.

The closest I got to black was silver, which is too much reduction. What happens if I encase the silver?

Help, before I quit raku!

Mona

I couldn't get raku to work on a HH either. I'm having much more luck since I upgraded to a Mini CC. I think it's a heat issue - the HH just doesn't get hot enough.

Hi Mona,
I'm so sorry for your frustration. It's exactly what I'm going through with the Kronos right now so I can totally relate!
But before you give up completely......I can't help you with how to do raku on a HotHead because I've never used one. But I have seen pictures of raku beads done on a hot head right here on this forum. Maybe you should start a new thread asking for "HotHead help with Raku" that might get the other HotHead users to give you some tips.

Well Dawn when you find out how to use Kronos please let me know. You helped me with Raku and now I am depending on you to solve the Kronos problem for me.lol Thanks Carmen

I'm with Monarae; tried EVERYTHING with my HH and can't get anything other than the tans and pretty pale blues, and that not consistently.

Thanks for the suggestion. I think I will start a HH Raku thread.

I can get Kronos to respond because it loves being reduced. I've reduced and then pulled twisties, and I've used stringers and dots. I have to say I'm not terribly impressed with it, but I would love to try Gaia and Double Amber Purple (I love colors!). I do the Kronos differently every time because I get confused about which type of glass needs which treatment so I generally do the following.

Apply the Kronos to the base bead and, whether melted in or not, get your bead really hot, then cover the holes on the HH and bring the bead really close to the torch head. You can see the silver come up to the surface.

Then I take it out and cool it A LOT. Then I turn up my torch and twirl in the dragon breath flame. Then I take it out again and cool it.

Next I use a clear stringer to cover the parts I want to keep the way they are. Finally I reduce again to further change the parts that aren't encased.

The more I reduce the lighter green I get.

Mona

Thanks for the info but I am on a minor and have tried reducing and get nothing.
Carmen

Whic raku should i be using
i have reichenbach cane and sand
Is that right?

I had no luck with Raku on my Hot Head and I'm still having no luck with my Mini CC. I tried the super heating and encasing when it looked black and it came out black...no color at all. Everything I've tried has failed. I think Raku just doesn't like me. Sigh.

Thanks for the tips on the Kronos, Mona! The next time I feel like I'm in the "zone", I'll refer back to them and give it another try. What really kills me is I can do one really great beads and then everything turns to crap after that. I can spend a whole day making one awful bead right after another, trying to get one to match the very first one. Maybe I should buy a HotHead just for the silvered glass!...LOL!

I've used stringer pulled from can and frit in the beads I've shown in this thread.
The real name for Raku is Reichenbach Opaque Iris Orange, #R-108.
"Raku" is a nickname that was started by Val Cox.

If you're encasing it and still getting black, it sounds like you're reducing it. Remember, raku LOVES a very neutral, to oxygen rich flame. To get the vivid colors, don't reduce it at all. Heat it in an oxygen rich flame until you see that white hot glow and chill it to turn it black, then encase it. If you see any metallic deposits on the surface of the raku while you're heating it, there's too much gas and not enough oxygen in your flame. Readjust your flame until you can heat the bead without seeing those little black metallic patches flare up on the surface.
Hope this helps, and don't give up! Now that you have your Mini CC, you're on your way to glorious colors!!! It just may take a little more practice with the new torch until it clicks.

Thanks Ann! I hope you found some helpful tips and some fun things to try in this thread.
Raku is my most favorite glass of all. I love threading it, raking it, scrolling it, swirling it, chilling it, encasing it.....well, you get the picture....I better stop before I start to sound like Bubba from the movie Forrest Gump...LOL!!!

Just thought I'd pop another picture in here for the sake of inspiration....

This is solid raku, with just a hint of intense black threading.

:-({|= and I STILL can't do it.......

I have really good bright blues and purples if I use a base of red-brown moretti and dip my carbon paddle into water between each roll. Oh, yeah, and the bead has to be HOT! I'll post a photo later...

Okay, I'm starting to get some color now that I increased the oxygen. Still not getting dark, rich colors and no purple yet. But definitely better than before. I'm actually more excited about my encasing!!! I'm finally getting an even coat of clear all the way around.



The photo looks purple but it's actually blue.

Ok, I need help too. Here's my pics - I hope someone can help? I'm going to try again this weekend so I hope I can post better pics next week.

All are raku on ivory, top left is just raku on ivory cooked to death, the top right is reduced, bottom is encased. I got some blue off of that but not much.

Laurie,
Those are lovely. I personally am forever after the purples you got in your second one from the right. I never can figure out how I get them...which means I don't always get what I hope for. Your encasing is beautiful.


Joyce

Thanks Joyce. I've been messing with Raku for months with no luck until Dawn explained that it prefers an oxidizing flame. Now I'm starting to get some color. Of course after all the messing around I'm out of frit!!! Back to the store...

If you reduce it it brings out the metallic finish and you don't get the colors. You want to use a neutral or a oxy rich flame, not reduce it.

http://i117.photobucket.com/albums/o...akutwisty3.jpg

Kevan those are gorgeous!!! I'm still not getting the full range of colors like that. Do you do multiple heatings and coolings? Do you marver or blow? How close to the flame do you hold the bead? Do you let the glass get runny hot? Do you use so much oxy that it hisses? As you can tell I'm still learning!

Okay, I followed the directions, and got it to turn black before I encased it. I still didn't get any color, but it is a nicely shaped 2" bead.

I keep trying and trying but still no colours oh-hum

Raku
 

I will just tell you what I do.

I find it pops more on black but I am only still learning

I use raku as a stringer, either alone or with black


After I apply it to a base black bead, I heat it in a neutral or oxy rich flame about 1" to 1" and 1/2 from the torch end, to runny hot, almost white hot. (If you watch, you can see the change in the raku when it gets hot enough. It starts to form some lines and flares a bit)

I then chill it on a brass doorstop that I have frozen is a shallow container of water. I keep this in the freezer until I want to use it. perhaps other metal would be OK but I use brass.

I roll it on the chilled brass until it looks black, then bring it back to the flame to warm (especially if I want to press it) and to encase it in clear. I find encasing brings out the colour more.

If you get it hot enough and then chilled enough, I can almost guarantee you will see at least a lot of blue. some green and purple, occasionally maroon,

I use a nortel minor burner on an OGSI-15. You won't see the best colour until it cools in the annealing kiln a bit and when it is completely cool, you should see heaps of colour.

Hope this helps

Kym

when i hold it an inch away from the torch end i see like what appears to be a skin forming and growing. not in depth i mean in width. flat to the surface id this the flare you mention? i always think thats soot!
So i need really cold metal. like freezing?
I thought if i got water onto a bead i thought it might crack!! or do you just apply the raku to the cold brass and not the wetness.
Many thanks for your help i shall have another attempt and post my results.
x

I get good color just by using an oxygen rich flame. I don't chill it. The stringers work best for me along with the size #2 frit or stringers that I make from #4 chunk.

Paula

When you say oxy rich, do you mean you use an oxygen bottle or an oxycon?

either one is fine, she just means to turn up your oxy on your torch.