Metal powders, leaf for Boro?

DMW · #1 2006-11-05, 11:19am

Hey!

I'm a newby and was wondering if there are any metal powders, leaf, etc. that can be used with Boro? And if so, should a respirator be used with these? Thanks so much for your time!

Denise

e. mort · #2 2006-11-05, 2:26pm

As far as I know, the only leaf that you can use with boro is palladium or platinum. Everything else just turns into fume. I have tried silver, gold, palladium, and copper. Silver and Gold just fumed, copper made a nasty mess on the glass, and palladium was kind of boring.

SonyaHusko · #3 2006-11-05, 6:58pm

I use silver foil on boro all the time. I just wrap it on, rub it in with my Stump shaper, then burn it off. Love the little silver "sand" it leaves behind.

e. mort · #4 2006-11-05, 8:45pm

Do you have any problems with the silver staying stuck to your piece, or get any of the fuming effect when doing this? I did manage to encase a couple of pieces of silver once but they just turned into little balls that fumed the area that they were being encased in. I didn't find it very attractive. Please post a pic so I can see what it should look like!

SonyaHusko · #5 2006-11-06, 9:55pm

I don't encase it, so far I've just used it as a surface decoration, and love it! Here's a picture...

and another...

e. mort · #6 2006-11-07, 9:48am

Thanks! Looks like I will have to try it again.

HannahRachel · #7 2006-11-07, 9:50am

Yah, what's with the palladium being so cool on soft glass and then not being cool on boro? I showed it to Brent in soft glass and it turned all peacock and pretty and then he tried it and it was REALLY boring. Then again, he encased it. Anyone try leaving it on the surface of boro?

e. mort · #8 2006-11-07, 11:38am

Yeah, I tried leaving it on the surface for a couple of pieces. It gets a really rough greyish aged pewter texture to it that seems to be pretty durable. I can see where it might work for some designs, but if you want that flash and sparkle it just doesn't do it on the outside. I tried reducing, oxidizing, and netral flames with it on the outside also. It does encase ok though, and I have found that it is re-active with some of the boro blues and greens. Encased it kind of gives a nice sparkle, but I find it a little more grey than the color you get when you encase silver with softglass. Plus it is dang expensive. I think it works out to about $2 for each sheet.

sleekbeads · #9 2006-11-07, 11:45am

$2 per sheet? Yikes!

sandree · #10 2006-11-07, 3:01pm

I have been using silver foil in these beads. They have a jet black base, blue moon frit, roll in silver foil and it just melts in/burns up, dot with clear, then encase. I think it is basically fuming the bead which looks very cool. I have a good vent hood...and sure hope that is enough... I have a respirator and I just hate wearing it cause I feel like I can't breath.

Sandy

sandree · #11 2006-11-07, 3:06pm

I also tried gold leaf on a pendant that gave sort of a cool cosmic look and another focal bead that showed some lovely glints of gold. Can't seem to find those photos though. But it is definitely worth playing around with.

Sandy

chayes · #12 2006-11-08, 4:44pm

copper powder works pretty well, as well as silver powder. I'm pretty sure for hollows, foils can be sleeved.

isellrejer · #13 2006-11-08, 5:52pm

Where do you get copper and silver powder?

Jerri

e. mort · #14 2006-11-08, 7:18pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by chayes

copper powder works pretty well, as well as silver powder. I'm pretty sure for hollows, foils can be sleeved.

Ok, I tried copper foil as well as fuming copper. The copper foil ended up looking like solidified black lava, and the fuming just made the outside of the piece look dirty. Do you have any examples that I can see so I can know when I get it right?

chayes · #15 2006-11-09, 8:21pm

Quote:

Where do you get copper and silver powder?

Dremel or a file.

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Ok, I tried copper foil as well as fuming copper. The copper foil ended up looking like solidified black lava, and the fuming just made the outside of the piece look dirty. Do you have any examples that I can see so I can know when I get it right?

I do not fume with copper(don't reccomend it either) but the powder can be encased making some interesting colors, try rolling a bead in copper powder and clearcasing it, try not to flame the copper too much.
with the foil i haven't used any but i assume you would wrap it around said object and use tubing to sleeve over it so the flame does not touch the copper. If i had some sheet i would try it. I believe there are goblet makers doing such with metal leaf.

e. mort · #16 2006-11-10, 6:31am

Thanks, I think I will try it again. Sounds almost like I need to work it like Dichro: don't let the flame hit it, get it encased quickly and don't work it too hot.

Eric