So I've got my lovely Terra rod that Jolene sent me, but I'm scared to use it in case I ruin it!!! :o
Any tips for getting the best out of it with a hothead and Mapp gas?
I've got mine too, isn't it precious?!! :D
I only just had chance for a quick go with it yesterday and I was really chuffed to see some nice colours. All I did was streak a little bit over ivory but I've got some gorgeous blue-y tadpoles :) Haven't taken a pic yet, hoping to do more tomorrow.
Many thanks to Jolene, and Q!
terra is a temprature reactive glass - so you can't really bugger it up!!! LOL ;D ;D ;D ;D
at least, thats what doublehelix told me!... what i do is make a base bead of vetro clear, then wind on a thin layer of terra... heat the terra up until it goes clear, and then take it out of the flame and let it cool until just about completely black/dark brown!... once you have this then VERY gently heat the bead up in stages in the top of the lfame... check regularly for the colour you are getting.. so basically, heat the bead up slightly, and let it cool and repeat.... be patient and don't "cook" it!!!.. if you get light brown poo then heat the whole shebang up again until clear and you are back at step one!
a stunning STUNNING combo for terra is ivory... if you make your base bead from ivory and then wind on some terra stringer, or make terra dots you will get amazing reactions as well as lovely colours... if you are going to encase - please only use vetro or effetre - lauscha is very patchy with high silver content glass - and although i have kind of missed out on the dreaded cracking - if you encase terra with lauscha i can practically guarantee cracks...
anyone else?.. ;D 8)
I made these last week
(http://i49.photobucket.com/albums/f280/delica-girl/P9200002.jpg)
I heated it, pressed it, blowed it again & again....I find ivory has a tendancy to eat up your design if you work it for to long, but it looks gorgeous on ivory when it works ;D
That's terra? Oooooooh.......I only get blue out of it, on ivory. It's still nice, but nothing like this. I want a lentil press *sob*
Well, Q's tips worked for me...kind of...I got some pale blue and greens, which look lovely on the ivory! If I want brighter colours, it's just more ppp, I guess! :D
Okay, that's it. Will get blowing tomorrow. I've got a whole day off, and two bottles of MAPP gas to keep me company....and a 3/4 rod of terra. Expect greatness (or not :D)
it really is just a case of heating it up until it goes completely clear, let it cool down till almost black, then GENTLY flash it into and out of the flame and warm it back up gently - all the time gently checking for GENTLY developing colours...
did i mention you need to be GENTLE when re-heating? ;D ;D ;D it will go poo brown if you over do it... don't panic though - because if you do get poo - simply heat it all the way back up till clear again and redo from start!!
technical explanation is that the colours comes from the silver crystals which "grow" and reflect certain wavelengths of light - heating and cooling it the process that creates the silver crystals.. heating it all the way back up melt these crystals again and lets you start from scratch..
terra also "kiln strikes" ie too hot a kiln and even the most gorgeous greens and blues go poo.... plenty of info on this available on other threads!...
post yer pics though - the ones on here are GORGEOUS (little Britain voice)...
Will print this off and put next to torch :) Being essentially outside (garage with door open) doesn't seem to help - since it turned colder, many of my rods became less forgiving and shattered when heated up - I'll be turning broken off bits into frit.......anybody tried thin encasing with clear frit??????
On a side note can someone lit me know what terra looks likes in its unmelted rod form?
I have been buying 'special' glasses for a while but been afraid to use them and in the move all the specials got mixed up. I 'think' I bought some terra at some point but can't be sure.
its a kind of poo green, but with circles in the cross section ;D
I got some lovely dark blues once when i raked it, but that was in the cruddiest tiniest little bead you ever saw...always get the nice colours in the pants beads ;D
the terra rods are unlike anything else...
here is a pic of the ends....
(http://i117.photobucket.com/albums/o61/glassworks/EndsTerra.jpg)
note the "rings"
Ooooh yummy, look at all that terra...I hated the bloody stuff to start with, now I love it, once I lost the whole being precious about it thing & relaxed with it ;D I only have 2 rods left now :(
Quote from: glassworks on September 26, 2007, 05:22:52 PM
the terra rods are unlike anything else...
here is a pic of the ends....
(http://i117.photobucket.com/albums/o61/glassworks/EndsTerra.jpg)
note the "rings"
I've got a pile of similar rods which have those rings on the end. They are quite thin and are either brown, green or possibly bluish... Basically all the colours you would use to make camoflage.. Do you think that could be it?
sounds about right to me ;D
Yup, mine's khaki green!
Thanks ladies and gent... now I know to stick it on my 'don't touch this until you know what your doing' pile! ;D
ah ha it all becomes slightly clearer now i just get poo brown with my terra and have put it away thinking i am useless!!! ??? will get it back out and try again. Thanks for the advice on this thread
Saffie