DH Arke, Batch Variation?

[WhitneyLassini]

I bought a 1/4lb of Arke a month or so ago, to try it out, and LOVED IT! It shined up just like Triton with a gentle reduction but with lots more color variation. So of course I ordered some more, but this batch is just not getting there. I can get some shine but it's kind of a dull blue/grey, no colors and over-reduces WAY easier. My set up has not changed. Just wondering if anyone else had issues recently?

[beadgal]

I have found that with silver glass, it's always a crap shoot. It's like Forrest Gump's box of chocolates....you never know what you'll get.

[Ravenesque]

I've only bought it once, about to buy more in a bit. I'm hoping not! But I would think that it's still the same batch? Not sure how much they pull, have you emailed them?

[KJohn]

might want to check your propane too. I was at the end of a tank recently and had forgotten what a dismal difference that can make.

[WhitneyLassini]

I am on Natural Gas so no checking tanks anymore for me <Happy Dance>. I have not emailed DH as of yet. I wanted to try a few other things first, since yes, sometimes silver glass is a crap shoot.

I took some photos, maybe this will help the masses. The first photo is from my first batch of Arke. I simply turned up the gas (I typically leave my oxy alone and just adjust my gas up and down) and gently waved through the flame and BAM gorgeous color.


This next pic is from my second batch. The beads on the left were worked exactly as above. You can see they are kind of a grey color. Still pretty, just not as colorful.

For the beads on the right, I upped my gas as usual; but then I turned down the oxy to get a really bushy reducing flame, then did a few quick waves. I am starting to get some really nice teal and purple this way.

[Speedslug]

My only guess is perhaps the old flame creep is getting to you where you wind up inching closer to the torch without knowing it.

Have you tweaked you oxy levels lately?
Oxygen concentrators only get to about 94% purity at best to begin with and if you try to run them at the very maximum that they can push the purity can drop down to 80% and that's as long at the filters are all clean.
You could try backing off the oxycon to two or three ticks from the maximum and see if your silver colors come back.
Or, if you can, try hooking up a small bottle of oxygen from the welders shop and see if 98% or 99% purity makes a difference.

Oh and please come back and tell us what you figured out.

[Angie09]

Hey Phil ...

Can you explain this please...it sounds interesting and I think I'd like to try it:

"try hooking up a small bottle of oxygen from the welders shop and see if 98% or 99% purity makes a difference."

Originally Posted by Speedslug

My only guess is perhaps the old flame creep is getting to you where you wind up inching closer to the torch without knowing it.

Have you tweaked you oxy levels lately?
Oxygen concentrators only get to about 94% purity at best to begin with and if you try to run them at the very maximum that they can push the purity can drop down to 80% and that's as long at the filters are all clean.
You could try backing off the oxycon to two or three ticks from the maximum and see if your silver colors come back.
Or, if you can, try hooking up a small bottle of oxygen from the welders shop and see if 98% or 99% purity makes a difference.

Oh and please come back and tell us what you figured out.

[betsymn]

I had a batch of Dark Aurae years ago that was like that. I could get the most wonderful striations from it, but it was just that one batch.

[Mountain Snail]

I have a batch that isn't reducing nicely right now. Driving me bonkers after having such an easy batch last time.