Silvered Glass tutorials

Shrimp · #1 2010-10-03, 10:09pm

I must admit that I am struggling with the silvered glasses. I burn each one up on my hot head. I do have my Cricket torch that I can now start using since the humidity level is slacking off. However, I am not sure what my problem really is. I'm thinking about getting a tutorial that focuses in depth, on "HOW NOT TO BURN YOUR SILVERED GLASS"! Anybody have any suggestions?

VivianLampwork · #2 2010-10-03, 10:13pm

I've never been able to burn it. If you get it hot enough, you can start the strike or reduction cycle over again. For instance, if you don't like the colors your getting or it's gone to poop, heat it up real hot again & start over. Does that make sense?

Shrimp · #3 2010-10-04, 6:14am

Usually by then, I have succeeded in frying the glass. I did encase a twistie made of Fire Lotus, and did not burn it. However, it remained the color of the rod...tan.

jamie lynne · #4 2010-10-04, 6:20am

I agree, you can't burn silver glass. Perhaps you have overstruck/reduced it. But I don't think you can burn it. I work HOTTTTT and have yet to burn any silver glass. If you have been working on a HH, then I suppose you could be getting that sooty look, but that shouldn't happen on your cricket if you are running the correct proportions of oxy/fuel.

VivianLampwork · #5 2010-10-04, 7:18am

I work it hot as well. It has to get drippy white hot to begin the striking. Each time you take it out, cool it & re-introduce it, the colors are different. You reach a point that it can over-strike & you have to start the whole process over by getting it drippy white hot again. Same with reducing it. You can over reduce it & then start over again.

Curly Irish Girl · #6 2010-10-04, 7:38am

If you are looking for a good info source (tutorial or words of wisdom), contact Hayley Tsang - she's the conductor of the silver glass orchestra IMHO. She just finished the SE5 tutorial/hits book - and it's a book!! 96 pages with photos from various lampworkers and the recipe they used for the look of the bead.

Hang in there...

GlassGalore · #7 2010-10-04, 7:55am

Yup , I second the suggestion to look up Hayley for tips on working silver glass. She's Da Silver Queen, IMO.

Here's my 2-cents... While it IS possible to get color from some silver glasses using a HH, it's NOT the easiest thing to accomplish.
So I'd suggest you give it a whirl on the Cricket and bet you'll be pleasantly surprised. The biggest boo-boo I was making, before
taking Hayley's class, was not letting the glass COOL enough (No Red Glow left) before flashing it back into the outer reaches of the flame
to begin the striking.

bastetsbeads · #8 2010-10-04, 12:58pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by Shrimp

Usually by then, I have succeeded in frying the glass. I did encase a twistie made of Fire Lotus, and did not burn it. However, it remained the color of the rod...tan.

SOmeone may have already answered this, but if you are trying to work Fire Lotus on a HH, it is probably never getting hot enough to start it's strike cycle. It has to get really really hot, dripping off the mandrel hot like Jamie Lynn said and I'm not sure the HH can do it.

If it stays tan even using your Criket (as my first attempts did) then it hasn't been heated up enough before cooling (or cooled enough after heating, one of the two)....

TAG Tibet might be a better fit with a HH, since it doesn't take as much heat to get it going.