Cool reducing vs hot reducing

[Hotglass28]

In what instances do you use them. Is one better than the other, which glass likes what or do some of you not bother with the two and go for just one. ie hot reducing all the time.

(propane up vs oxy down might be better put)

Just a question I was asked and I'm keen to know what you beadies do. I know what I do, but what do you do?

Denise

[sublimekate]

Oxygen down for me 90% of the time

Unless I'm in a bad mood then it's the roar of the propane  

[Kaz]

Ha! The opposite for me - propane up! Unless it's TAG glass in which case I turn down the oxygen.
Kazx

[Dragonfire Glass]

propane up - I can judge the amount better 

[hollergrafik]

I am a propane up girl too.

[Trudi]

I also find that some glass, ESP black nebula needs to be flashed through a reduction flame while the bead is still hot for best reactions !

[Shirley]

I suspect this depends on the torch a bit.

My bobcat needs very little propane to get a neutral flame, so if I turn down the oxygen I get the most wimpy, maybe it'll reduce a bit flame. Not much good for anything really.

Actually found it much easier to reduce on my hothead. I can't even get triton to reduce at the moment 

[♥♥Tan♥♥]

I'm a propane up kind of gal too

[turnedlight]

Oxy down on my minor, usually.. so there's a yellow candle in the middle of about an inch or less, I don't like too much or it can get sooty. I should try the other way but I forget about it! With things like triton I find for a metallic sheen they like being kept cool so not even letting them heat up in the reducing flame, but I'd love to hear if they work the other way too..

[julieHB]

Like Shirley, I have a Bobcat, and on one oxycon I haven't had much success with turning oxygen low (not good for the bobcat, either). I tend to make a big bushy flame, and just waft the bead in the very tip, where the flame is still blue.

The big difference from the hothead is that the bead very easily warms up too much, when many glasses will not reduce, and I have had much more success with reducing after I let the bead cool until there's no glow at all before reducing. If I want to reduce a lot I'll take the bead out of the flame to cool before wafting it some more.

[amareargentum]

I've got a Minor and have had success with turning the propane up to get the 1 inch yellow candle. Must try reducing the oxy with the TAG glass and see if that works better.

[Hotglass28]

Thank you girlies.

Interesting what people do, that there is no right and wrong way regarding techniques.

Came accross a couple of colours which works better in a cool flame the other day and also got asked the same question.  So thankyou for giving me your ways of doing it. 

Denise

[fionaess]

Very interesting thread.. I too have a bobcat and normally turn down the oxy for reducing... however tomorrow Im going to try it with upping the propane instead....

[Lush!]

I had a play with a few silver glasses last night and I tried the cool treatment (cos Kate said that's what she does  ) but I got too impatient - think I'll stick with my usual propane-up method 

[sandie]

In my few pathetic goes with my minor I found that every time I turned the oxycon down even a touch I got black soot everywhere!