Best use of DH

[CarletonChrissie]

Another question!!!!

I have a sample batch of DH. I have made a bead using terranova which turned navy blue with some pale blue speckles (could not get it to do anything else). Today i pulled some elektra stringers and put them on a pale blue base bead and the colour did not change at all from the elektra stringer colour.

I have a HH torch. I have repeatedly striked the colours but am reluctant to try any further without some advice as the glass is not cheap.

Would you recommend doing full beads or using as stringers on other colours. What should I try for best results.

Chrissie

[beads-on-toast]

i believe DH can be trickier on a HH but not impossible

not an expert tho as i use a minor

[garishglobes]

I found Elektra needed a lot of reducing. A hothead is a slightly reducing flame anyway, but even so it took a bit! Form the bead, then roll through the lower part of the flame, the blue bit near the torch.
I'd recommend using stringers with most DH glass because of its cost but also because it makes a nice contrast. You can also encase a cheaper glass with a thin layer of DH to make it go further.. Luna and Khaos don't seem to be that easy to get much out of as stringers, but the rest are great.
Remember Elektra, Nyx, Kronos, Psyche, Gaia and Aion are all reducing glasses so they all get rolled in the lower part of the flame.
Terra, Terranova, Khaos and Luna are striking so they need heating and cooling then reheating to get colour.
Some base glasses seem to get quicker results with reducing glass. Try transparent teal, aquamarine, possibly cobalt or black. I'm sure there are others too!

[Lindsey]

To reduce on a hothead you need to cover the holes at the torch. (try with alu-foil or a thick ovenglove). You'll get a perfect reducing yellow flame but watch your eyebrows....

[Trudi]

I was using tin foil - but it got quite hot and hard to cover up all the holes fully - I now have on old baby-vest (my nephew is now 8 and doesn't need it LOL) - and this works really well to get a reduction flame on a HH.

[Billie]

First off, make a based bead using a cheaper glass, like effetre clear.  Then encase it with a layer of the double helix glass - this'll see your glass go further as you don't want to be using it to make the full bead (although some of the odd batches DH were selling in a sale recently aren't compatible with other glass and had cracking issues, although the batches I got didn't seem affected by that).

Use a foil collar on the HH as others have advised.  I struggled when I was on my HH.  It did take a while with some of the glasses for the reduction to happen, but it is do-able with patience.  Additionally, when pulling stringer from the double helix glass I always used a reducing flame when pulling the stringer, and applying it (although you need to make sure, when using it on a different base colour, that you hold the bead far enough up the flame so you don't make your bead sooty).

[turnedlight]

When I first got my DH I did some tests with a stringer over ivory, and it seems to make things happen! You don't want to reduce too much, just make it, and sort out covering the holes and pop back in.. a short while, or a bit longer will give a very metallic surface.
I like to make tiny earring beads this way, and I don't worry about trying to heat white hot.. (I'm on a hothead too, by the way)
'Scuse the terrible pics, and I can't remember which glass is which, but here's a couple..

[Mary]

With the reducing colours, watch that you don't overheat. The effect is caused by crystals growing at just below melting point - if you get back up to melting point you melt the crystals and lose the effect. So do all your shaping first, and finish by reducing.

Elektra tends to lose its effects easily. Try reducing it while you build the bead, the red and cream gets trapped.

On any of them, try them on black or cobalt, they seem to repel the silver, driving it to the surface. Ivory of course reacts with the silver.

Of course Terranova is a striking colour, not reducing, these tricks won't work with it.

[glassworks]

LOL..

i was expecting to read something about "moving heavy stuff", "financing new equipment", "building a shed", "making a good cup of tea" or "staying out of my way on beading days"...

[Maikki]

  Actually I thought that too, when I saw the title first time!

[Juniper]

It certainly has the ring to it, doesn't it

[mariag]

ROFLMAO

I did have to think about the title too.
& Q definitely "financing my glass habit" is top of my list

[palaeobore]

LOL..

i was expecting to read something about "moving heavy stuff", "financing new equipment", "building a shed", "making a good cup of tea" or "staying out of my way on beading days"...

That's how I read it as well - hmmm, wonder what that says about me !!

Clairex

[Kaz]

Haha I hadn't read it like that (though only just got used to the fact there are now three DH's in my life - my OH, the glass and Decent Homes (something in my other "real" life))
Fetching, carting, carrying I would suggest! (and he's lovely to boot!)
Kaz