Frit 'pitting' my glass

clasicat · July 12, 2009, 12:53:26 PM

Ok the answer to this is prob obvious but why oh why when I use frit does it sometimes leave 'pit' marks on my bead ( or divets ? is that the word) I tend to swirl my frit in instead of leaving it on top of the glass so to speak . It is driving me nuts

sublimekate · July 12, 2009, 01:01:14 PM

I like that pitty look

especially if the frit is over silver foil.

I know that's not helping you though

and I don't know the answer, is it reactive frit?

Shirley · July 12, 2009, 01:05:18 PM

I think sometimes it's because the different glasses in the mix heat at different rates. Consequently some overheat and that's what causes the pitting. I suppose the solution is to try working a bit cooler, maybe

turnedlight · July 12, 2009, 05:34:24 PM

Quite a few frits devitrify, and also they can get too hot like Shirley said, best thing is to reintroduce the bead to the flame really carefully, and bring it in to the hotter parts slowly. I've been using frit I made from my rubino oro and it's really easy to burn so this is what I do.

clasicat · July 12, 2009, 06:23:46 PM

Thanks everyone i think i am most likely getting them too hot as I do tend to work in a hot flame, I will try working them cooler and see if that helps

jobead · July 13, 2009, 10:48:21 AM

I'm having the same thing and I thought it was probably because I'm using 89-96 coe frit with Effetre/CIM.
It looks all "sea spray" in some of the blue beads which is lovely but I would like to have the option.

I am assuming other people use the same frit/rod combination and manage to avoid this effect. I'm going to try cooler as I do have a tendency to crank it up, no patience you see

Jo

theflyingbedstead · July 13, 2009, 11:41:15 AM

You could encase the frit - that gives it a bit more sparkle too.

Steampunkglass · July 13, 2009, 12:18:09 PM

Could it be that it's getting either dust in it and causing 'micro-bubbles'

? Or that it's boiling and bubbling because it's either reactive or gettting too hot too quickly? I only say because I found that one of my eff blue glass that I used to use always pitted when I used it as it started to boil. I also found the same when I did alot of beads I rolled on the marver. I think either the dust/bead release etc act as a focal for bubble to seed (I am guessing a bit here based on what's happened to me, so don't take any of this as gospal!)

I wonder if it's bubbles as I noticed some of my marbles had dents in them even though I was sure I'd marvered them smooth. What I found was when they were in the flame small bubbles near the surface were inflated, but then out of flame as they cooled the air inside contracted, and produced a pit!