When good silver glass goes bad...

[Flamin' Francesca]

I have what I would call "mixed results" with Terra Nova 2, both dark and light. I seem to do the same thing each time -- heat the glass until almost clear, allow to cool, strike and then encase. I usually get pretty good colors if I stop there, but if I want to add a little more clear or otherwise fiddle with the shape, the bead sometimes turns a deep brown in several places. Is this the result of too much heat or not enough? I can sometimes cool it again, reheat it, and turn the brown to a deep purple, but this doesn't always work, and I have to cool the bead so much that it sometimes splits and pops off the mandrel. Any suggestions/help greatly appreciated.

[jamie lynne]

Encase, then strike. Much better.

[Flamin' Francesca]

Thanks, Jamie. Can I assume that it's too much heat? Because sometimes it happens after I encase too, especially if I reheat to even out the shape.

[jamie lynne]

You need to super heat, encase, super heat, cool, strike. I don't think there is such a thing as too much heat.

[Lea Zinke]

Hey Francesca, we must be channeling today! I was working with Terra as well, and kept reading the instructions that had come with it -- let me know if you want me to copy them for you tomorrow! But try&try&try again, half would be yucky brown and half would strike. I worked on the dang thing wayyyyy too long, can't wait to see what comes out of the kiln tomorrow!

Ever onward!
Lea

[jamie lynne]

Wait, I'm getting confused. Are we talking Terranova 2 or Terra 2. Two entirely different glasses.

[Flamin' Francesca]

I was talking Terranova 2, and I think Lea is talking Terra 2, but apparently she has had the same kind of thing happen. I appreciate the help from both of you and would love to have any directions you want to provide Lea. All I can think of is that I'm not cooling enough, but I've had a couple of beads crack and pop off the mandrel, so I'm a little paranoid about cooling too much or too long or too fast. About half the time, I get that beautiful blue/purple, and then the other half I get a yucky dark brown. Frustrating...not to mention expensive, but it's an addiction, ya know...I can't stop.

[Tahoe Linda]

Kind of an old post. Francesca, if you're still out there... Did you figure it out? I'm having the same trouble. I will try Jamie Lynn's advice above, and strike after I encase. Any other input???

Thank you!