Blue Luster in Boro - HELP!!!

CLabora · #1 2006-02-24, 4:58pm

Can anyone walk me through making an encase bead where the end result is metallic sheen using any of the blue colors that have silver (like Indigo luster and such)? Pleaseeeee!?

I work a lot with silver and soft glass and know how to bring the metalic sheen, but Boro has me stummped.

Do you first make the bead then flash in a Reducing flame * then encase and then put in the kiln? or do you first make the bead, then encase then flash in a reducing flame?

Do you have to let the bead cool down and then re-introduce into the heat to grow the crystals then flash in a reducing flame?

And when you are building the bead should the flame be agressive oxidizing or neutral?

Does a reducing flame mean just less oxygen (a notch below neutral), or A LOT less oxygen (turn oxygen mostly off)

I AM CONFUSED AND NEED HELP!!!

hotflashwanda · #2 2006-02-24, 9:01pm

Wow, Cecilia, you have alot of good questions!
Let's see, to start: if you want to reduce a silver color, you must do it BEFORE encasing, that's the only way the flame can cause the chemical reaction leading to reduction. If you want a really shiny look, don't encase after reduction.
When making your base bead, some colors require an oxidizing flame to prevent boiling or color change, and other colors are okay with a neutral flame. If you are using Glass Alchemy colors, their user manual will tell you which to use with each. You can find their complete manual on their website, www.glassalchemyarts.com.
When in doubt, use an oxidizing flame to build a base bead--it won't hurt anything and will keep the colors from burning out.
To reduce boro, you won't need to have a "propane only" flame, most colors will reduce if you turn the oxygen down and have yellow on the last half of your cones. Of course, that may depend on the kind of torch you have. There's a neat test you can do to see when your torch has a reducing and neutral flame that Glass Alchemy recommends, take a stick of Amazon Night and heat it up to red. When it cools off, if there's alot of reduction then you had a reducing flame. Put it back in the flame, turn up the oxygen and burn off the reduction on the rod. If you have a true oxidizing flame the end of the rod will look the same as the rest of the rod, with no reduction.
With the blue silver colors, you don't need to let the bead cool down and reheat after encasing to grow crystals, like you do with the purple colors. They are already well on their way if you've used a neutral or reduction flame before encasing, and the kiln will continue to develop the silver.
Hope this helps,

Anita
www.fireflybeads.com

CLabora · #3 2006-02-24, 10:42pm

Hi Anita!

Yes this helps - I think!! THANK YOU!

To tell you the truth, when I became serious about understanding about boro, I went through all the boro stuff I had purchased I found out that I had bought THREE or FOUR self paced learing kits from GA!!! I guess I really wanted to learn and must have thought that I really did not need to go through the tutorial - that by just buying the kits the knowledge would enter my head through osmosis!!

Anyway - moving forward - I have tested my flame with the Amazon night, and I seem to be mostly on the oxy side rather than the reducing (make that torch hissssssss girl!)
When I tried to get some metalic out of the indigo blue I did not get quite the results I was expecting - not much metallic - or anything exciting happening.
And was confused about reducing first and then encasing and metling the clear pretty hot - not knowing if that would get rid of the metallic, and how to make them crytals grow.

With Boro there seems to be so much to keep track of. I have the striking reds down, just seem to have trouble with the lusters, carnivals, and silvers.

Anyway, you have provided some really good pointers, which I will try tomorrow. Thanks a lot and I will post my results.

Best regards,
Cecilia

P.S. I have Lynx running on two concentrators (one which was juiced up by the crynogenics (sp?) guys)

BTW I love your beads

hotflashwanda · #4 2006-02-24, 11:36pm

Sounds like you've got everything you need, Cecilia!

I really do recommend completing the tutorial--and reading everything you can get your hands on. When I started working with boro, it was before the companies had any user manuals yet or working tips for their colors, and it was trial and error for me! My learning was so much less frustrating after the Glass Alchemy user manual was created. It really helped to make the whole boro thing predictable.
Have fun melting and experimenting,
Anita
www.fireflybeads.com

CLabora · #5 2006-02-25, 11:29pm

Thanks Anita. I did do most of the tutorial, just when I did the silver one I did not see much change in the rod. I find that the GA info is kind of criptic and hard to follow. Northstar does a better job in bringing the explanations down to normal people's level (LOL) and they do recommend color combos which I think is wise because a novice is able to get decent beads when the suggested combos are used. But I will have to say since I learned using GA colors I am kind of loyal to them.

I have great respect for people like you that took the time to find out what worked via trial an error. (Master

!!) That is the one part about Boro that I struggle with - it is hard to spend a days work to get brown beads when I was going for pink! Although pinks I can now get! It is the silver metallic finishes that elude me. Well I did not get a chance to make beads today - but tomorrow - Indigo Luster here I come!!

Will report if I am succesful. Thanks again.

Tanya · #6 2006-02-26, 6:11pm

The way I understand it is that the metallic sheen is independent from the crystal growth. Growing crystals has to do with heat rather than flame chemistry (oxidizing vs. reducing.) That is, you can encase a silver containing color, cool it, then reintroduce it to the flame to grow crystals. The crystals result in multi colors rather than a metallic sheen and will grow whether or not encased since they rely on heat only. The metallic sheen is from reducing and only works before the color is encased because the reduction effect is caused by flame touching the glass rather than just heat.

CLabora · #7 2006-02-26, 6:42pm

OK, that MAKES sense!!! We need to get a hold of Henry at GA and talk him into putting things more simply - as you did - to convey what is doing what !
I have read over an over the materials and the details just confused the issue. And after reading your explanation it all makes better sense. Thank you!!
I have been making beads with blue colors all afternoon. I will post some pictures tomorrow.

e. mort · #8 2006-02-26, 7:41pm

I was able to get the luster out of the silver strike 3 by putting into a VERY reducing flame that deposited carbon all over the bead. I kept it where I could just see the glow through the carbons for about 20-30 seconds, and then changed it to a neutran flame, burned off the carbon, and the luster was there. Now, I haven't tried to do it again yet, so it may have just been beginners luck.

Eric

CLabora · #9 2006-02-27, 6:34pm

Well, I guess once again I confirm that any time spent learning about Boro colors is time well spent. I am pretty happy about the results I got.
I basically pulled most blue colors I had (both GA and NS) and made three basic beads:
1. No encasement
2. Rolled in clear frit and encased
3. Rolled in AP frit and encased.

I think mostly I worked in a neutral flame. Sometimes I flashed in a reducing flame and them encased, others I just stroke the color. Definitely got some very cool results. I think by far Amazon Lagoon has the most silver and gave such a variety of effects based on what I did. My next fav. is Indigo Luster, then Blue passion, then Blue Moon then Teal Carnival. Of course with the other colors I may have been having a hickup in my technique and maybe that is why I did not get a super cool bead. I am also posting a pic of other beads I did in between due to a short attention span and need for variety.

Thank you to all that provided info!

HardwoodTrailGlass · #10 2006-02-27, 6:37pm

Awesome info and beads Cecilia!
Way to go

hotflashwanda · #11 2006-02-27, 6:49pm

Wow, Cecilia!! Great beads! Looks like your learning curve just shot way up. Flame on, girl!
Anita
www.fireflybeads.com

CLabora · #12 2006-02-27, 7:02pm

Thank you for the kind words Carrie.

Anita - Do I make you proud!!

I am just such a perfectionist and have a hard time just venturing into the unknow for fear of failure. But to tell you the truth this excercize was such a success for me, one because it helped me just really get out there, and it helped me understand the glass a little better. Long ways to go but at least I have some knowledge about working blues.
Again thanks a lot for the help!

Tanya · #13 2006-02-28, 4:56am

Cecilia - those beads look great - lots of crystals!

CLabora · #14 2006-02-28, 7:54am

Hey Tanya!!!

Yes, some got some cool reduction effects and some like the last bead in the Amazon Lagoon set did some awesome crystalization (?) The bead inside looks like a southwest landscape! I wish I had been able to take better pictures, but you know how with boro sometimes is is hard to do that.
Most of the ones where I used the AP and encased, got amazing crystal growth. All I need now is TIME!! To keep it going.
When I grow up I want to write a How To Boro - Maybe a Boro for dummies!
Thank you also for taking the time and send me some pointers!!

e. mort · #15 2006-02-28, 8:01am

Hey, I could use a copy of "Boro for Dummies" now. Hurry up and get to it.

CLabora · #16 2006-02-28, 2:24pm

If I could just get a patron to financially suport me so that I can quit my job and get to the task! <sigh>
I could be the Corina of Boro! Hmmmm

Tanya · #17 2006-02-28, 7:45pm

I wish I could take better pictures of any bead! Yes, boro for dummies would be great. I'd settle for a little more time to play on the torch...

Karen Hardy · #18 2006-03-14, 6:03pm

Howdya get those great purples (the ones in the 3rd picture). I'm playing with the purple hues and I'm trying to get purples, magentas and lavenders down.
Thanks!

Karen H

Quote:

Originally Posted by CLabora

Well, I guess once again I confirm that any time spent learning about Boro colors is time well spent. I am pretty happy about the results I got.
I basically pulled most blue colors I had (both GA and NS) and made three basic beads:
1. No encasement
2. Rolled in clear frit and encased
3. Rolled in AP frit and encased.

I think mostly I worked in a neutral flame. Sometimes I flashed in a reducing flame and them encased, others I just stroke the color. Definitely got some very cool results. I think by far Amazon Lagoon has the most silver and gave such a variety of effects based on what I did. My next fav. is Indigo Luster, then Blue passion, then Blue Moon then Teal Carnival. Of course with the other colors I may have been having a hickup in my technique and maybe that is why I did not get a super cool bead. I am also posting a pic of other beads I did in between due to a short attention span and need for variety.

Thank you to all that provided info!

Tanya · #19 2006-03-15, 5:36am

Karen - I think it was the AP frit she used. I've been getting great results from some Triple Passion (kind of like DAP, I think) over any transparent yellow over any not too dark ruby. Cecilia got great purples from AP - if I'd used it over blue, by results would have been darker.

Juln · #20 2006-03-15, 2:01pm

It's relatively easy to get a dark blue sheen (under clear - which is somewhat tough to do with indigo luster and other colors) from Momka's Alaska Night.

Karen Hardy · #21 2006-03-16, 5:00pm

Okay, I stopped off at winship today and got some Alaska Night (and a whole bunch of other crap too - I've never left there without spending at least $50). They had a whole bunch of odds and 2nds on sale so I picked up some hyacynth powdered frit too. Nummy!
I picked up a copy of Shannon Hill's blown beads DVD on sale there last week, so I got some tubing too, because heaven knows I need to make things MORE confusing and challenging. Yipes.
Hopefully, I can get the tax deductions to bed early and get some torch time tonight.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Juln

It's relatively easy to get a dark blue sheen (under clear - which is somewhat tough to do with indigo luster and other colors) from Momka's Alaska Night.