CIM Cirrus?

[Lloki]

Has anybody tried CIM Cirrus?
It may not be everybody's cup of tea, but I like the "opalisk" colour in the rod (is opalisk a word?!) so I thought I'd give it a go and ended up with clear beads! Humm.....
Used Bobcat with oxycon, straight into garaging kiln (1.5 hours at my kiln's 520C, ramp 50C/h to 250C and then wait!)
I think I may have worked it too hot/long? but there was certainly not a hint of anything cloudy by the time I'd finished!
Any ideas/suggestions/experiences greatfully received  
Cerri

[Kaz]

Cerri - I think Julie (Lush) had something recently in her blog about this?
Personally I have never used it as I was led to believe it had to be annealed differently - but maybe I am wrong?
Kazx

[Lloki]

Thanks Kaz - I found it on Julie's blog (yet another blog I've subscribed to - I try to keep the number to a minimum, otherwise I never do anything else!)
It's interesting that they are cloudy and that they resisted etching - how did you do that Julie?!
I'm going to try etching my clear Cirrus and see what happens!!!
I think I must be working it too hot - they were definitely clear before I put them in the kiln (I was hoping the kiln fairies were going to visit!)
If at first you don't succeed..........? off to the shed first thing before work me thinks

[Shirley]

Ah, now i know what the mystery spacers are that I took out of a batch anneal a while back - didn't think I'd made any transparent ones!

[Lloki]

Ah, now i know what the mystery spacers are that I took out of a batch anneal a while back - didn't think I'd made any transparent ones!

Ah, interesting, did they go in clear or cloudy?

[sublimekate]

I remember a long thread about this some time ago, it gained itself a reputation for cracking too when mixed with other colours, someone had lost quite a lot of beads because of it. I' not sure if it got sorted.

[saffie]

i think I may be right in suggesting that the more you work it the more cloudy it goes! I only use it for small spacers cos I hate working with it!

[Shirley]

Ah, now i know what the mystery spacers are that I took out of a batch anneal a while back - didn't think I'd made any transparent ones!

Ah, interesting, did they go in clear or cloudy?

They are all clear.

[turnedlight]

You need to try it in a larger bead, in small amounts it just looks/ goes clear. It may also strike to cloudy, which would explain why it works in larger beads - I don't really know, but I have used it successfully in the past - I love the cloudy CIM colours but I don't try to swirl them up with other glass colours any more as that's when I get cracks.

[Lloki]

Thanks Kate, I found the long thread at last (I can't believe I didn't find it yesterday, but then again it helps if you don't misspell stuff in search - what an idiot! )

I'm wondering now, as there appears to be huge differences between batches (starting in 2007) if I've got a "clearly tempermental" batch! I got mine from OffMandrel last week - anybody else purchased recently?

What I did find out from the long post by Kate from CIM is:

Unfortunately the downside is that Cirrus, Halong Bay, and Peacock Green are tricky to work with.  Here are the major points, though if you are interested you can read more here:  http://www.creationismessy.com/Color/08Neutral/Cirrus.aspx.
•   Work hotter.
•   Put your beads in the annealer hot.
•   Adjust the annealing temperature. (The recommended annealing range for Cirrus is 970-1040° F / 520-560° C.)
•   Stick to smaller mandrels.


I'll give it another go over the next few days, such a shame - I really like the colour!
Cerri

[theflyingbedstead]

I also find that the longer I work Cirrus the more opaline it goes.  It makes gorgeous hollows.

If you want a similar opaline look, you could always try the Effetre Opaline White (if you haven't already!). I can't see it on Martin's website...or Off-Mandrel, but Creative Glass stock it:

http://www.creativeglassshop.co.uk/opalino-504-bianco-100-g-p-1682.html

There are also other opaline colours available. 

Mixing your own with a clear and Thomson enamels is also good fun and you can make some BEAUTIFUL bespoke colours this way...

[Krysia@No98]

I have been working with this over the last few weeks and I have been finding that it is very prone to thermal shoking.  thought I know what you mean about it going clear...

It is a lovely glass though

[Trudi]

I haven't used mine for ages - but you are right about smaller beads - they go clear. You get a better cloudy effect with bigger beads. But what I really liked about it was that when used with frits - the frits tended not to "pit" as they do with other glass.

Re the etching - I haven't tried it, but I have read that it will etch eventually, it just needs a lot longer  - I just found this on the CIM website

•Cirrus does not etch in the same way as other 104 colors.
"I use a product called Armour Etch and I use the cream form. I have to admit, they probably sat with the cream on them longer than instructed, but it has not seemed to cause a problem with the beads." – Jan Whitesel-Keeton
"Cirrus etched with Etch-all liquid but you have to leave it in longer. I left mine in for 30 minutes." – Tina Lamasney

[Lloki]

If you want a similar opaline look, you could always try the Effetre Opaline White (if you haven't already!). I can't see it on Martin's website...or Off-Mandrel, but Creative Glass stock it:
http://www.creativeglassshop.co.uk/opalino-504-bianco-100-g-p-1682.html
There are also other opaline colours available. 
Mixing your own with a clear and Thomson enamels is also good fun and you can make some BEAUTIFUL bespoke colours this way...

Oh gawd, don't encourage me to go to glassy websites, my OH will kill me! (but I've NEVER tried enamels on beads though.............umm )
I'm going to try again with some bigger beads - I'm determined to get some cloudiness out of it

[Mand]

Twas me with the cracking Cirrus!   I was cooling in vermiculite, but now I put straight into the kiln from the torch.  Haven't experienced it turning clear though.  I have  rubbish ole HotHead though, so I doubt my flame it would ever get to those temperatures to change any glass colour (except to scorch Rubino Ora that is    It's very frustrating when glass doesn't behave how it's meant to isn't it?

(I fancy having a go with the Effetre Opaline in the near future.  Maybe I'll get some Tuffnells vouchers for Christmas.  )