Sooty smudges on an oxy set up?

Mand · July 19, 2010, 03:10:06 PM

HI

I've been using a Minor since April, and recently many of the beads I've made with clear effetre or coloured clear glass, or even pale opaque glass, has a sooty smudge on it. I don't know why, or what I can do remedy this. I used to get this on my HH if the gas was running low or dirty, but I've got a new tank of gas and it still does it.... Any thoughts please expert glassies?

Thanks Mand x

P>S> I've also got a bright red heart I made from pale sky blue effetre - it turned red in the flame shortly after forming the basic shape - this makes me think there's something quite wrong....?

Sulis (Hazel) · July 19, 2010, 03:26:50 PM

Hi Mand,

Have you tried cleaning your torch whilst it's cold, by using the little wire tool you should have got with it? It may be that one or more of the jets has some carbon build up (quite normal on occasion) which needs to be released. You just need to poke the wire tool down each jet gently a couple of times and then light the torch once you've done all the holes. Leave it to run for a minute or two and see if you can see lots of orange sparks or not.

Also, when your torch is lit, how big are the yellow candles? Just checking if enough oxygen is getting through OK.

Hope that helps and I'm not trying to teach you to suck eggs there!!

Hazel xx

princess pink · July 19, 2010, 03:29:16 PM

mand if the sky blue is turning red it means you're reducing it and your flame has probably got a bit much propane in it.

would also try giving it a good clean xx

Mand · July 19, 2010, 03:29:49 PM

Thanks Hazel, the yellow candles are about 10cm long? Is that what they should be?

princess pink · July 19, 2010, 03:31:23 PM

Quote from: Mand on July 19, 2010, 03:29:49 PM
Thanks Hazel, the yellow candles are about 10cm long? Is that what they should be?

10 cm or 10 mm???

they should be about 8mm long and not too furry round the edges xx

Mand · July 19, 2010, 03:32:06 PM

whoops! 10mm I mean!

princess pink · July 19, 2010, 03:34:00 PM

lol! thats more like it! try turning the propane down a bit x

Mand · July 19, 2010, 03:34:55 PM

How long should the blue candle bit be?

princess pink · July 19, 2010, 03:41:44 PM

eeek i can't remember, been that long since i torched! check out the wiki, it should be on there

Sulis (Hazel) · July 19, 2010, 04:08:15 PM

The other way I check, other than just by looking at the length of the yellow candles, is by holding the end of a reducing rod in the flame. Triton (if you can) is great - any hint of a reducing flame and you'll soon know it. When you can hold the triton in the flame for a couple of seconds without it reducing, you're nice and neutral!

julieHB · July 19, 2010, 04:09:20 PM

Mand, a good way to check if your flame is reducing is to put a rod of f.ex. DH triton or aurae in the flame - if it goes metallic you run with too much propane - the silver glasses should not reduce in a neutral flame.

julieHB · July 19, 2010, 04:09:48 PM

Snap, hazel

Sulis (Hazel) · July 19, 2010, 04:11:21 PM

It's good to know I am thinking along the same lines as someone who knows good stuff

xxx

Mand · July 19, 2010, 04:43:18 PM

Well, that sounds like a darned good excuse for me to treat myself to some DH then!

LOL! Mwah ha ha!

Vicki recently gave me a short of Clio to play with - I think it was Clio - and all I could do with it was make it go a pooey beige - which I think I read others had the same reaction with it? Is Aurae the goldy looking one? (I guess it must be with "AU" in the name -der!

julieHB · July 19, 2010, 06:34:23 PM

The rods look light pink, but it does reduce to a golden shine, yes.