striking implosions

angie4680 · #1 2006-11-03, 9:43am

I'm pretty new at this but I can't seem to get most of the attempted implosions to strike. Do I strike before I put on the backing, or when I'm totally done, in the front or back of the pendant. A lot of things are coming out just a dull blue/green. I have a neutral flame, and I'm on a cuda with tanked o2. Also can I go back now, days later, after I've annealed, and try to strike? Do I just gradually heat on the back of the flame, or will that not work at all. I can't remember all the combos I've used, but Blue Moon, Triple Passion, Silver Strike 5 all just came out blah. Thanks so much!

Angie

Cosmo · #2 2006-11-03, 11:49am

Try some Purple Luster. It's one of the easiest colors to strike. Blue Moon and Silver Strike don't really "strike". They get sort of a haze around them from the silver, but they don't really change color much when they are encased.

For Triple Passion/Amber Purple and colors like that, get them hot so they go clear, and keep them hot. Then strike them just before you put them into the kiln.

angie4680 · #3 2006-11-03, 1:26pm

Thanks Chad! When I read the literature and it says "a rainbow of colors" I thought that is what I should be getting. I'll try some P. Luster. I'm tired of making crap!

Any favorite backing for all the purple family? I need a good one to come out of that kiln!
Angie

Rose · #4 2006-11-03, 2:37pm

Angie, I'm new to boro, too. And making those implosion pendants with DAP or any of that family isn't that easy. I'm not having much luck either. I think NS Rust is pretty for a backing, tho. Try making dots instead of using frit, if that is what you are doing. That takes some practice but then you can add other colors in there. Here is a fun tutorial http://www.anakinsglasseye.com./tutorial-implosion.htm

Where in CO are you? I'm in the Springs.

Rose

e. mort · #5 2006-11-03, 2:48pm

Yep, imploding the amber purples and triple passion can be frustrating. Like Chad said, you have to keep it hot and clear util you are ready to strike. Also, while imploding them remember to keep most of the haze burnt off. I say most because I have found I like the colors better when they have just a tiny bit of haze imploded. However, I would tend to try to burn it all off to start with. Once you can control getting it to implode and strike the way you want, then you can start working with the different levels of haze and the color changes you can get. Chad, Brent, did I explain that OK?

angie4680 · #6 2006-11-03, 3:48pm

Hey thanks for the advice. But how do you strike when it's heavily encased? Do you direct the heat toward the back, which would be through the backing, or the front or both? Do you just hold on to the loop with tweezers while you strike at the end or what? I feel I'm missing something! Maybe I just haven't found the right color to implode yet. I got something out of Amber Bronze but that's about it. Rose, I 'll try the dots - that's one cool tut. That thing is huge. Eric I've been reading these posts over and over and have seen you begin boro and I'm really impressed how far you have come! Your stuff is really pretty. I've got like 1 -2 hours a night to torch and its frustrating when it was all for not. Thank for the info!
Angie

angie4680 · #7 2006-11-03, 3:49pm

Oh Rose I'm right outside of Fort Collins!

e. mort · #8 2006-11-03, 3:59pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by angie4680

Hey thanks for the advice. But how do you strike when it's heavily encased? Do you direct the heat toward the back, which would be through the backing, or the front or both? Do you just hold on to the loop with tweezers while you strike at the end or what? I feel I'm missing something! Maybe I just haven't found the right color to implode yet. I got something out of Amber Bronze but that's about it. Rose, I 'll try the dots - that's one cool tut. That thing is huge. Eric I've been reading these posts over and over and have seen you begin boro and I'm really impressed how far you have come! Your stuff is really pretty. I've got like 1 -2 hours a night to torch and its frustrating when it was all for not. Thank for the info!
Angie

I get the whole piece made, loop and all, but leave the final punty still attached, let it cool down a bit, and then bathe it in the back of the flame to strike it. Once it starts to strike I tap off the punty and flame polish the final mark off (which is hopefully very small), and this usually keeps me from overstriking it. When I first started I had much more luck with small pendants than large ones. Don't worry, you will get it! I wish I would have had the chance to take a class early on as it would have saved me a lot of frustration. (I still stink at kiln striking stuff other than the reds though.)

Eric

Rose · #9 2006-11-04, 6:26am

Can someone explain overstriking? I read that if you don't keep it hot enough it can strike while you are working it and then it is overstruck. I think I might be doing that. How can you tell if that is the issue?

Rose

angie4680 · #10 2006-11-04, 6:35am

Thanks Eric! I did that last night so we'll see if anything good comes out today! I could never really see anything striking in the back of the flame though. So I just got it back to an orange glow and threw it in the kiln. Good question Rose - I'd like to know too.
Angie

Cosmo · #11 2006-11-04, 7:37am

As for backing, I tend to back all my pendants with Black Violet. It's my favorite black (as long as you don't pull it thin). It stays black and doesn't boil or reduce.

The tutorial I did on my site - www.soleiletlune.com/tutorials - is made using Purple Luster large frit. I didn't even try to strike it, and it developed nice purples by itself. Blue Moon looks great in implosions as well, but it's not really a "striking" color.

Leanne · #12 2006-11-14, 6:06pm

blue moon implodes AWESOME for me! but I tried to use amber purple and it just looked pale and crappy yellow with a tinge of purple.....