In what instances do you use them. Is one better than the other, which glass likes what or do some of you not bother with the two and go for just one. ie hot reducing all the time.
(propane up vs oxy down might be better put)
Just a question I was asked and I'm keen to know what you beadies do. I know what I do, but what do you do?
Denise
Oxygen down for me 90% of the time :)
Unless I'm in a bad mood then it's the roar of the propane ;D
Ha! The opposite for me - propane up! Unless it's TAG glass in which case I turn down the oxygen.
Kazx
propane up - I can judge the amount better :)
I am a propane up girl too.
I also find that some glass, ESP black nebula needs to be flashed through a reduction flame while the bead is still hot for best reactions !
I suspect this depends on the torch a bit.
My bobcat needs very little propane to get a neutral flame, so if I turn down the oxygen I get the most wimpy, maybe it'll reduce a bit flame. Not much good for anything really.
Actually found it much easier to reduce on my hothead. I can't even get triton to reduce at the moment :-[
I'm a propane up kind of gal too
Oxy down on my minor, usually.. so there's a yellow candle in the middle of about an inch or less, I don't like too much or it can get sooty. I should try the other way but I forget about it! With things like triton I find for a metallic sheen they like being kept cool so not even letting them heat up in the reducing flame, but I'd love to hear if they work the other way too..
Like Shirley, I have a Bobcat, and on one oxycon I haven't had much success with turning oxygen low (not good for the bobcat, either). I tend to make a big bushy flame, and just waft the bead in the very tip, where the flame is still blue.
The big difference from the hothead is that the bead very easily warms up too much, when many glasses will not reduce, and I have had much more success with reducing after I let the bead cool until there's no glow at all before reducing. If I want to reduce a lot I'll take the bead out of the flame to cool before wafting it some more.
I've got a Minor and have had success with turning the propane up to get the 1 inch yellow candle. Must try reducing the oxy with the TAG glass and see if that works better.
Thank you girlies.
Interesting what people do, that there is no right and wrong way regarding techniques.
Came accross a couple of colours which works better in a cool flame the other day and also got asked the same question. So thankyou for giving me your ways of doing it. ;D
Denise
Very interesting thread.. I too have a bobcat and normally turn down the oxy for reducing... however tomorrow Im going to try it with upping the propane instead....
I had a play with a few silver glasses last night and I tried the cool treatment (cos Kate said that's what she does ;)) but I got too impatient - think I'll stick with my usual propane-up method :D
In my few pathetic goes with my minor I found that every time I turned the oxycon down even a touch I got black soot everywhere!
Isn't funny how we all get different results :D
I think your set up has a lot to do with it, whenever I've had a go on someone elses torch I feel all cack handed and like a newbie, anything different just throws me completely.
I actually find that the temperature of the bead at the point you reduce makes a huge difference. For example, if you reduce Aurea at the very tip of the flame after the bead has cooled quite a bit out of the flame you get the lovely soft pure gold finish, if you waft it (technical term) a few more times you get a heavier more sold effect and you get some pinks. If you reduce it when the bead has a slight glow to it you get a much darker/deeper reduction, if you reduce it when it's really hot the aurea splits and goes streaky. You get cool effects whatever you do with it tbh, but when your making sets you just have to remember to do it the same way everytime :D
I also found this with Psyche, the reduction effect varies depending on the temperature of the bead, it's certainly true of Ekho, I could go on all day but non of this may work for you if your set-up or preferred propane/oxy mix is different ot mine, although I think if you tried it you's see what I mean.
Propane up because on my carlisle minicc the propane would go out if i turned it down any more! I have 2 oxy cons and find I'm still using them both turned to 4 in order to get a reasonable flame! Also I'm not so keen on constantly turning the oxy knobs, they don't feel as robust as the knobs on the minor. :)
This is very interesting! Like Shirley, I found it much easier to reduce on my Hothead than on the Bobcat, but there are some great tips here so I won't give up yet! :D 8)