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Tips, Techniques, and Questions -- Technical questions or tips

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  #1  
Old 2014-10-02, 9:34pm
mrnobody mrnobody is offline
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Default Why the burnt looking glass

So I don't have a good enough camera to show anyone this but every time I hot cut my rod from the pendent I get a burnt looking ring. Anyone know why this is and how I can stop it from happening?
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  #2  
Old 2014-10-02, 10:12pm
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theglasszone theglasszone is offline
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Hi and welcome!

What type of torch are you using? And how long have you been working hot glass?

If you are working on a Hot Head, you may be bringing your glass too close to the flame near the face of the torch, causing the glass to burn. Try and keep it out a little further from the torch face...like these pictures show:




This is my Hot Head torch's "sweet spot" where the flame melts the glass perfectly without burning it. Notice the distance from the face of the torch, and how I don't have the glass actually in the strongest portion of the blue flame "cone", but instead just at the tip of the flame...



Hope this helps!

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Last edited by theglasszone; 2014-10-02 at 10:15pm.
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  #3  
Old 2014-10-03, 5:33am
mrnobody mrnobody is offline
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Great guess because I am working with a hot head torch and I have not been working with glass for very long, maybe two months.
So I will try moving further away from the head of my torch and see if that works. I thought I was working far enough but maybe not. Thanks for the advice. If you, or anyone else, has any more information please let me know.
Oh I also noticed that sometimes my clear glass will get this frosted look to it. Frosted so much that it's actually no longer transparent and it looks like a bathroom window that is frosted out. Could this also be happening due to working to close to the torch? Thanks in Advanced!
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  #4  
Old 2014-10-03, 8:36am
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theglasszone theglasszone is offline
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Hi again!

I think similarly, your "frosted glass" problem may be partially related to your distance from the torch, as I described above, but there are other things that can cause this as well...

I have had this happen to me in the past from:

a) Getting the clear glass too close to the torch face, thus burning it;
b) Tiny dust particles on the clear glass rod that "pollute" it and toast in the flame upon application;
c) Haze from the MapPro gas if fuel is running low; and
d) Tiny bubbles or "scum" on the glass rod itself, often found on the clean end of a fresh rod or freshly cut rod.

Resolutions to these problems include:

1) Monitoring the distance from the torch face to insure you're not too close;
2) Cleaning your rods with a little Windex and a clean dry towel prior to torching;
3) Insuring you have sufficient fuel in your MapPro canister prior to starting your torch session, and
4) Heating and pulling the "tip" off the glass rod prior to starting your torch session to insure that all rod ends aren't predisposed to scumming.

When I say "pulling the tip" off the glass rod, I mean you should heat the tip of the rod to glowing, and using your tweezers or similar tongs, pull just the heated tip off the end of the rod, so it ends up looking like this:



I do this with all my glass rods that I will be using during any particular torch session, if at all possible, since tiny scratches or roughness in the glass (such as you'd see in a freshly cut rod end) can sometimes cause bubbles and/or scumming.

Let us know how you're coming along, and happy torching!


~De
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  #5  
Old 2014-10-03, 8:56am
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One other thing to mention/ask. Are you using MapPro or propane, and are you using canisters or tanked gas? I use MapPro canisters with my HH. I found the propane canisters gave a very dirty flame; my light colors would all come out mucky. Folks who use propane tanks usually have better luck.

Alli
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  #6  
Old 2014-10-03, 9:49am
mrnobody mrnobody is offline
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allicat....your right, when I work with clear it always turns frosty when I'm using the blue 14oz propane tanks. So would using a bulk tank stop that?
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  #7  
Old 2014-10-03, 12:58pm
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Yep, and work out much better money wise too. Those small propane tanks I found unusable for the HH.
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Last edited by KJohn; 2014-10-11 at 5:01pm.
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  #8  
Old 2014-10-03, 2:16pm
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theglasszone theglasszone is offline
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I can't speak to the bulk tank method, as my work area was always too far from the nearest "exit" to safely have the tank outside with the hose extending inside...even with the longest hose offered! Nevertheless, I ALWAYS, ALWAYS, ALWAYS use the Yellow Canister "MapPro" purchased from Home Depo - the 1 lb. canisters - and have had wonderful success with them!

Now yes, I know it's more expensive. But for me at least - since I was doing so much murrini production work - it was very important that after creating a design for 2 1/2 to 3 1/2 hours, I didn't end up with an unusable scum coating on my clear surround so common in my murrini designs...

You may want to purchase one or two Yellow MapPro 1 lb. Canisters and just give it a try to see if that helps to solve the problem....

~De
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  #9  
Old 2014-10-03, 2:28pm
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If you do start working with the MapPro cannisters, see if you can talk your local hardware store into just ordering a case for you. If all they have to do is order it and sell it, you may be surprised at the discount they'll give you for buying it that way!
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Old 2014-10-03, 3:25pm
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And do you have the actual "HotHead" or are you using that term generically?
I have never used one of the other similar torches, but have heard they have their own problems.
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  #11  
Old 2014-10-03, 3:33pm
Cherri Cherri is offline
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I work on a hothead and Dee hit perfect.

Everyone else had great advice.

My only contribution is that if you get a spot of "burnt" you can carefully tweezer it out.. Once in a while I get the "spots" because I get to close and I usually can get them out pretty easily..

Best of luck..

Oh, I use a 20lb propane tank with my hothead..
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  #12  
Old 2014-10-03, 7:40pm
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Like De I can't run a tank without miles of hose, so I also use the MapPro canisters. As well as being a cleaner fuel, MapPro runs a little hotter than propane which suits my impatience better - it melts the glass a little quicker LOL

You can also get tanks of MapPro (which is propylene) as well as tanks of propane. But do know propylene is more expensive.

HTH!
Alli
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  #13  
Old 2014-10-04, 9:35am
mrnobody mrnobody is offline
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I usually do use the yellow MapPro gas but I noticed that the propane is way cheaper so I bought some recently and it gave me that frosted look.
In any case I made a pendent last night and took De's advice on holding my piece farther away from the torch and wouldn't you know it my lens came out very clear, so thank you. However while cooling it cracked. I need a kiln.
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  #14  
Old 2014-10-04, 12:15pm
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That frosted look can come from being too close to the torch head or not having your flame set high enough or low enough also
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Old 2014-10-11, 10:41am
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I was shocked to discover that my local Mom and Pop hardware store sold Mapp gas for less than Home Depot AND they gave me a 10% discount on top of that when I bought by the case.
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Old 2014-10-16, 5:01am
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i'm still in awe that there are milli/murrini makers using a hot head....friggin impressive!
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Old 2014-10-16, 1:18pm
LarryC LarryC is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by istandalone24/7 View Post
i'm still in awe that there are milli/murrini makers using a hot head....friggin impressive!
.....or silly. Really.
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