I have a lot of this beautiful pink, but find it's very rough, not at all smooth and shiney. I use a hothead, bulk tank. Stringers, dots, whatever, all have a sort cardboard like finish. Anyone have any suggestions?
Sounds like its EDP.... try keeping it hot - if you let it cool it devits and you get the pinky chalky look....
Yeah, try getting it really hot again if its cooled off while you're working it and that should sort it out - its worth persevering with if you like the "batik" style beads, its a spreading colour and it can produce some really nice reactions ;)
I'll give it a try. For now I've just been etching them - it's quite pretty, a bit like pink sugar powder.
Nice and pale when encased too.. and gets over the texture prob..
sussed it - I just put a thiny thin layer of clear over it. Is this cheating...?
No it's not cheating....it's what I do ;D
But Julie is right, I got this tip only today, don't worry if you get devit (devitrification - the roughness you're talking about) as long as you get it nice and red hot once your done and pop it straight in the kiln (assuming you have one) it will be lovely. If you don't have the kiln and have to flame anneal then perhaps encasing is the way.
But I have seen people get good results from EDP without a kiln, not me though :-\