DoubleHelix question

[Billie]

Anyone using the rods with a HH?  I saw a post in LE which said you could use with a HH but just wondered if anyone was and what the results had been like?

[glassworks]

i think mary had some advice with it - but from what i understand the hh is great in that it is a purely reducing flame - as there is very little oxy... the biggest problem is going to be getting enough heat into it... i think mary has probably done the nicest work i have seen with it on here - maybe she will hunt this down?..

[Caroline]

Q, mary uses a minor, not sure if she used DH on her hothead

sorry i can't help Julie, i've noever used DH

[astringofbeads]

I've been using it on my HH and have got the best results on an Ivory base. I found that on a few occasions I've lost the glass altogether on a dark base, but maybe that's just me overheating it!  Gaia and Elektra particularly work well on the HH but the Kronos disappeared.  With elektra you can get some gorgeous terracotta reds if you repeately reduce it.I've just got some Aion but not tried that yet.

[Mary]

The DH's don't need to get really hot like some Rocio, so you should be OK, though I've only used them on my Minor. Work it in as neutral flame as you can, then allow it to cool, so the glow goes. Use your tinfoil collar to get some yellow in the flame. Either wafting the bead in the tip of this flame, or down in the yellow part of flame will give different effects, depending on which glass, and whether you want the iridescence or the colour change. You can go back to a normal flame to gently heat and strike the colours a bit more, but keep the bead from getting too hot or you'll go back to the start (which can be good if you don't like your original results). Repeated cooling and striking gives different effects, and can intensify your results.

Hope that helps a little!

[Sarah]

I tried Gaia & Kronos on my HH. Using the same technique as Mary suggested I found Kronos reduced as soon as it got near a reducing flame in the HH - in fact pulling stringers in a neutral flame was enough to reduce it. But I struggled to get much out of Gaia. I didn't try Aion or Electra with my HH.

[Billie]

Hmmmm... OK.  When I'm next allowed to make a glass purchase I'll try the Elektra as that worked for both Sarah and Jaq... Thanks for the advice everyone 

Would be interested to hear more about the kronos and gaia.  There seems to be varying results with that.

[Mary]

I find Gaia easiest to work! It strikes as soon as it hits a reduction flame, just a very brief wave through the flame. But I know torches differ so much!

[Sarah]

And I'm exactly the opposite Mary - funny isn't it!

Sorry Little Bee I didn't try electra with my HH - I'd recommend the Kronos with the HH as it struck almost immediately for me. I did find the Double Helix much easier to work in the HH than the Roccio glasses. Of those I found the Picasso easiest & didn't get much out of the others 'though Chagall was quite interesting.

[Billie]

All these names are so yummy!  I'm just going to go and have a little glassy day dream...    Maybe I'll go for a mixed sample and have a play...