Fumed beads :(

[Blue Box Studio]

Hmmm, would working a bit higher help, Sue?

I think my chair is as high as it will go Julie

[sculks off before the rotton tomato lands....]


_{I'm trying to justify buying a new torch and oxycon to hubby, don't blow my cover}

[Lush!]

 

[The Tartan Trout]

 

NON fumed black and purple beads in kiln...oxy up and job's a good 'un

(had to rush to dr's to pick up inhalers for the idiot with asthma who let them run out and needed them like yesterday and surgery is only open 2 hours a day)

...now off to redo the grey ones

THANKYOU XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

[Lush!]

Oh fantastic! I'm so pleased, Sarah!

[julieHB]

yay, result!! 

[Madam Steph]

This time the silver wire round the middle has fumed EVERY one of them!!!

Sarah, what does this mean, please?

[Lush!]

Linda, it means that fumes from the silver, released in the flame, have affected the glass.  This can often be a good thing which we would do on purpose for organic effect, but its very often a bad thing when you just want a nice clean shiny bead with nice clean shiny silver decoration.

I think the fuming effect turned Sarah's black glass a kind of smoky blue.  It can turn white or pink (etc) a nasty yellow brown.  But it can also turn white a fab rich toffee brown if you want it to!

[Madam Steph]

Thanks, Julie.
I can guess that much the same thing can happen with a Hot Head, so this will go into my file labelled "Tips to Prevent Pitfalls".
I know how Sue feels about wanting a big girl's torch. That Cricket I tried at Flame Off was so much faster than my Hothead, but it's only a week, and I'm getting better at shaping and it's giving me a good grounding, I daresay, for when I can afford to 'step up' to a faster torch. The thing I'm impatient about is not being able to use the silver glasses, but then there are lots of nice glasses to be getting on with, and when my special glass arrives (I HAVE ordered some) then I will mess about with the foil/glove.
I can't see waiting long though