:lol: I have heard that people have tried those cans with raku without luck (and I think you may need to be careful of what the propellant is - is it flammable?), but I am thinking that my compressor may be able to do something!

I'm bumping this so I can find it easy. Almost forget about this thread until I got my Raku cane shipment. Will try again next week.

BTW, I tried months ago, and the bead cracked, but I got beautiful colors, I forgot what I did, so I was lucky I guess. I add the legs and head quickly cause I want to keep the bead eventho it cracked. So, I guess I saw the colors when I encase it? (Not sure). And the bubbles, I meant them to be there. :D Just kidding! I'm bad at encasing too. :P

Next time I will definitely experiment and pay attention, cause I love Raku colors. Thank you Dawn! :love:

This is absoultely ADORABLE!!!!
You got wonderful colors from the raku, and I think the few little bubbles just add more charm! Have fun with your new batch of raku!!!

Dawn, That sure is cute.


Question for those in the know. I've seen mention of people using a different annealing schedule for raku. If this is key, or different from the average, would someone care to share? My things with either COE seem to go in the kiln looking pretty good but come out looking muted.

The raku I use is 96 COE and matches the glass I use, so I've been okay. I haven't heard of other schedules being used for annealing raku, so I'm curious, too.

This is an example of a bead I made with raku, silver foil, on a base of scrap dark yellow clear glass. I so love this stuff, it's GREAT! I wish the photo could get the intensity of the blues and greens. Okay, yes, I'm now going through a RAKU phase in my lampwork -- I can't seem to make beads without it now!

Jim Adlhoch
WildWares
West Hills, CA

Here is a pic of a bead I did last week with Raku 96 and it is was called Terra in the Gallery but not to be confused with Terra by DH.

http://www.heavenandearthessentials.com/psychodelic.jpg

Here is a pic of a bead I did last week with Raku 96 and it was called Terra in the Gallery but not to be confused with Terra by DH.

http://www.heavenandearthessentials.com/psychodelic.jpg

Nice work. I'm not saying there is a difference in the schedule. I've just been asking because someone mentioned it once. I've looked and can't find it if is similar to my normal schedule or not.

I did realize that the light next to my torch magnified the color more than regular light. So on the way to the kiln I check it out. It goes in looking one way and comes out more subdued. :( I'd like to avoid the muting of the colors if possible.

Hi Nancy,

I've always annealed my raku at 950-960 degrees, and it doesn't seem to matter how long they soak at this temperature either. To me they always look just about the same going in as they do when they come out. They might pale slightly, but the colors are still the same.


Here's my latest sets of raku.....

THAT is one GORGEOUS BEAD!!!
It really does look more like Terra though, because of how translucent the colors are. As bright as the colors are, it's almost like you can see through them.

"Raku phase"....:lol::lol::lol: Now THAT'S funny!!!
You will soon learn that it's much more than just a mere "phase", it's an addiction! Either that, or I've just been in my "raku phase" for 3 years now. I have NO idea what I would do if they ever stopped making it! I use it in about 99% of my beads.

Gorgeous bead by the way!!! Love that Galaxy look!!!

Dawn, Thanks. I'll check but I think that's where I'm at. I don't get it. Then I can't take pictures of them under bright light or the colors really pop but it isn't there to the naked eye. Some day I will get this. :lol:

Dawn, you take such clear & vibrant pictures. Do you mind showing us your photo set up?

Thanks Roseanne! I'm almost embarrased to show you because it doesn't look very professional, but here's my tips and a really BAD photo of my set-up.

I use a Kodak Easy Share camera (easy being the operative word here....) I use a macro setting for close-ups and get real close to the beads, like about 4 inches away. I use two really bright lights and white paper for the background. The only time I use a different background is if the beads are almost all white, and then I pull out my gray paper. I let my camera do everything on automatic settings except for the white balance, which I adjust to make the paper look as white as possible without washing out the color in the beads. I have mine set to +1.00, but this may vary from camera to camera.
After I load the picture into my computer I use Adobe Photoshop to crop the photo and adjust the contrast which keeps the beads looking nice and crisp, but makes any gray hue to the background turn absolutely white. And in the same program I resample the picture which just means that I edit the actual viewing size. If you don't have Adobe Photoshop, any photo editing program will allow you to make these changes. And most digital cameras these days come with their own little photo editing program on a disc. I really like the Kodak Easy Share because it does what I need it to do without taking a rocket scientist to figure out how to use it like some of the fancy cameras. I didn't know when I became a bead maker that I would have to become a photographer too!...LOL!
Hope these tips help and if you have any questions, please don't hesitate to ask!

Thank you, Dawn! Where does one buy lights like that? When you started making beads, did ya ever think that you had to learn to be a good photographer, & web designer??!!! LOL

The lights are hallogen, but they're really too hot. I turn them on long enough for a few quick pictures and then shut it back off again so my head doesn't burst into flames! :fireblob: I just use them cause my hubby had them gathering dust in his garage. You could use just two desk lamps....the gooseneck adjustable kind, and use 100 watt bulbs. Remember, you can adjust the "white balance" setting in most cameras to make the picture nice and bright no matter what lighting you use. I'll probably be switching over to desk lamps as soon as I find some I like.

Thank you Dawn, it looks like that because I used clear for the core and this has become my favorite base with Raku.

I got my raku to do something today!!! Finally, it's not khaki anymore. They're in the kiln right now I'll post a pix tomorrow.
I did just what you said. I rolled a black bead in size 1 frit (tried the stringer too, got better results with frit). Stewed the bejesus out of it. It turned black. Couldn't see the frit anylonger, encased in clear. When I started encasing I could see the colors start to pop. I got mostly blues.
Cant wait to see them tomorrow.

Donna, I can't wait either. I'm loving the success pictures. It gives me hope. :)

I don't encase any of mine. I wonder if that is part of my problem. Also the ones I turn black seem to stay black. Or part of it does. Wonder what I'm doing wrong. .....

I think one of my raku beads turned out good. I used the very fine frit. I saw lots of blues and pinks. I'll post a pic tonight. I'm at work now....shhhhh

Here's the bead I made the other day. It looks a little washed out, but I did get a lot of blues and pinks. I used the #0 size frit??? the smallest.

I didn't get enough glass to fit in my press, so I added clear over the top. So you might see what looks like a crack, it's just where the color came up between the clear. It was a practice bead, but I still like it.

Pure raku/intense black twistie.
wrapped around black base, melted in HOT...blown on, repeated until i thought i got a result.
encased.


http://www.lampworketc.com/forums/at...1&d=1195002669

I just tried again tonight, we'll see how they turn out tomorrow. I'll be praying to the Raku Goddess tonight. (that would be you, Dawn :D)

I want to see pinks and purple, please pretty please! [-o<



.

Dawn,

I do believe I've fallen in love with you! Hehe. Before, I could never get the colors I wanted out of my raku (especially the powder! It always stayed a baby shit yellow color!), but now with your tip, I am finally getting really great results.

Thanks a bunch!

That's wonderful!!! Don't forget to show us pictures!!! Lots and lots of yummy raku pictures!!!

I thought I'd show my latest big set here. I did some selective spot heating on quite a few of these beads and I just love the mottled, tie-dye kind of effect I got.

Here's what I did. I made the bead in a neutral to oxygen rich flame, decorated it and pressed it using my lentil press, but not really paying attention to color just yet. At this point it was mostly the tan color it started out to be. Then I turned my propane down REAL low so the candles on my torch were only about 3/16 of an inch long. I held the bead so close to the head of the torch that the candles almost "licked" the bead, just for a few seconds. Then I took it out of the flame and blew on it. Just as soon as that spot turned dark brown, I waved it back in the flame right up next to the torch head again, but only one slow pass through. One pass through the flame would give me purple, another pass through would turn it blue, then a third pass through would give me green. Anything more than that and I would be back to brown again and have to super heat it to start all over again. I did this to different spots on the bead and what a cool effect it made.

So get off that dang computer and go give it a try! The raku is calling you!!!:biggrin:

Thought I would show some of the "softer" side of Raku. This is raku frit on Uroboros clear. I like the pastels from Raku as much as the vibrant purples and blues.

Dawn are most of your raku beads that you made encased in clear ?

Hi Laurie,

I would say that I probably encase less than half of my raku beads. When I do encase my raku, I usually use a really thick layer and you can tell just by looking at them. It all depends on the look I'm going for. Encasing tends to make them a bit more pale, so when I encase, I usually do so right after the first chill, when the raku still looks almost black on the bead. That way when it lightens up, it ends up being a nice medium tone. If I wait to encase once I have good colors showing I end up with much more pastel colors in the beads.

Here's a good example. In these beads the raku under the clear is much more pale than the raku dots I put on the outside of the bead.





These two sets are all encased










And these two sets are not encased

Oooooo....these are pretty! I like the pastel version of raku too. It's perfect for seashells! In fact, I don't think there's anything I DON'T like about raku!