First Aquarium bead - need to change the water in the tank!

[Shrimp]

This is my first aquarium bead and it's obvious that I need to resolve some issues before my next attempt!

I managed to get some black sooties. While doing the final fire polishing, I noticed the presence of the sooties in the bead while the bead was glowing red. I washed all of the rods prior to my bead session. Had a nice blue flame on my hothead. So what happened?

I started with a base of Moretti Lt Aquamarine (034), then applied two lines of Vetrofond Pale Transparent Blue (925) along the sides of the Lt Aquamarine. Placed the seaweed stringer in the valley between the Lt Aqua and the Vet Pale T Blue. I then encased each seaweed with some Vetrofond Crystal Clear (005). Vetrofond Lt Ivory (264) was used as a base for the sand. I then heated up the bead pretty good and applied the murrinis, pressed them in, and then applied a blob of Vet Crystal Clear over each one. The entire bead was encased in the Vet Pale Trans Blue. Marvered it with the graphite marver.

Is it possible that there was some residue on my graphite marver? I also used my brass marver, which looks a bit tarnished to press the murrinis in and then the encasing over them. Or could it be a reaction from using light ivory glass for the sand. I don't think that could be the culprit because the black cloud only covers part of the ivory. My guess is that it has something to do with the Crystal Clear. Or could it be that my seaweed was dirty. Didn't think to wash it or the other murrinis before using them. I still think that I over cooked something.

It's also obvious that I don't have my issues with stress cracks resolved either!

TYIA - Aleta

[wendbill]

My first guess would be that you either had the flame turned up too high or that you were waving the bead around in the flame.

[twiggyinaz]

When working with vetro or effetre clear and a hot head, move the bead further from the head of the torch. The more oxygen and further the gunk has to travel to the bead, the less chance of soot. I also found that if it used the bottom half of the flame on the top half of my bead my clears were nicer.

[theglasszone]

Hey Aleta!!!

I think it turned out pretty good for a first try, Sista! Are those the murrini I sent? If so, they shouldn't have been dirty so I suspect I know what's up...

I know you're working on a Hot Head - but what is your gas source? I know that since I switched to Map-Pro, it's hit and miss with the clear encasing and some beads turn out "smokey" with the clear just loving to suck up the soot! Argh...the MAPP used to give me no problems.

Here's an example - this is a "Jellyfish" I made when first experimenting with Mary's Tutorial...and as you can see, the clear (it was Moretti) went quite smokey and charred:



On my next try, I used the same clear rod, but switched to a new Map-Pro canister, and this one burned far cleaner:



If you are using a Propane BBQ tank and hose, it my be your Propane isn't the cleanest, especially if you are using the "switch out" type where just do an exchange - empty for full.

De

[twiggyinaz]

De has a good point! She jogged my hothead memories!

I never used the bottom third or quarter of my propane tank, that is where all the gunk and junk settles. And every so often I turn the tank upside down and open it wide and empty out the propane completely before I refilled it.

Also, if you are using hoses from your tank to your torch rather than the direct hook up to the smaller cannister, you might want to take your hose and hang it so any of the additives from the propane can run out. I used an air compressor on mine and blew them out every so often.

[Listenup]

If you're having your tanks filled yourself, ask them to purge your tank before they fill it. Also ask them when the last time they purged theirs was. When I found a place that purged theirs each time they filled it, and routinely purged mine, I found I could actually get to the bottom of the tank and not know it. Before that, like others mentioned, I could only use the first half of the tank. If you do the tank exchange thing, they should be purging it before they fill them. If not, see if you can find an exchange that uses a different company to fill them.

[Shrimp]

Twiggy, Further out in the flame makes some sense. It is possible that I didn't get out far enough. AND I was waving the bead in and out of the flame, trying to keep it warm while picking up the murrinis. As Wendy suggested, I may have gotten too close. I'm not sure what you mean by this:

I also found that if it used the bottom half of the flame on the top half of my bead my clears were nicer.

Sounds like you are right close to the opening of the torch head.

I have in the past, had to drain my hose when some of that bottom gunk got into it. After that, it worked fine. I am working on a relatively full tank that isn't supposed to have any of the additives that create that gunk. I specifically asked that it be omitted during fill-up.

Hi Dee!!

Thank you for the compliment! Yes, I did use two of the murrinis. I'm sure one you can recognize, but the other one that you made is distorted beyond recognition. Does that yellow blob in the left image look familiar to you? It's your starfish murrini. My neice and her hubby were getting ready to catch a flight and I was being prodded to hurry up. I pulled to tight on the encasing rod and that's the result.

Now for the gas. I'm using Chemolene which is supposed to be a clean burning gas. The only murrini that could possibley be dirty would have been the seaweed stringer.

One positive thing that I can say about this experience is that the photos came out pretty darn good this time! I'm thinking that large beads on a hothead are not working out too well for me.

[Shrimp]

Thanks Kay. My current tank had been purged. I think that the next tank that I go for, will be one for the oxy/fuel setup. As I mentioned in my last post, I've had the oil omitted to prevent the smokey mess on the beads. That was done in another state. I'm not sure if Florida will omit that oil.

[twiggyinaz]

Aleta,
Sorry, I have a tendency to live in my own small world and don't always explain things well.

When I say the top half of the bead in the bottom half of the flame I mean that I rarely put the whole bead in the flame once I had the clear on. Especially when melting in encasing, the ripples and raised areas of the glass seem to soot up easier when the whole bead is bathing in the flame, and shooting the flame over the top portion of the bead seemed to give best results for me.

Why does contact with flame on part of the bead seem to work better than the whole bead in contact? I don't know, somebody might know why, but it worked for me and that was all I cared about <grin>

There is nothing worse than making a great bead, or even a not-so-great bead, but to put in a lot of work and sweat to have it ruined at the very end with soot. I hope you get it figured out.

I will be dragging my hothead out this week to get ready to do a demo. I miss it sometimes, the noise is a peculiar comfort.

[twiggyinaz]

Originally Posted by Aleta

.

One positive thing that I can say about this experience is that the photos came out pretty darn good this time! I'm thinking that large beads on a hothead are not working out too well for me.

Check out Naos' beads, she makes some honkers with some awesome colors on her hothead. She has always been my "hothead hero"

[Shrimp]

Thanks Twiggy. I'll give it a try! Amber does make really nice bigguns!