this silver glass!!!...

[dunkster]

seems to be very much of a favourite of a lot of you guys. looking at some of the stunning beads on display on the "artist of the month" section, am i right in assuming that most of the multicolour, oily, shiny designs on the beads are this silver glass? is this the effect of the expensive double helix glass? or is there other glass? and can it be successfully used with a hot head? i would love to bring these vibrant colours to my beads.

if you want to be specific about which colours i love its...http://www.frit-happens.co.uk/forum/index.php?topic=16499.0  (lovely green/purple/blue colours visible on second from and third from bottom)

[helenfc]

hi dunkster, most of the glass you are talking about is double helix, available from off mandrel and tuffnell and tag has a similar effect from off-mandrel. they are all pretty expensive, but reducers work a treat on a hot head, such as DH Aurae, Triton, Psyche and to some extent Ekho. you make beads as normal, then remove from the flame and cover the air holes on your hh (i use tinfoil) to create a bushy yellowy flame, then flash the bead through it. I usually find it helps to encase afterwards to enhance the coulours. A cheaper reaction, but not quite as stunning can be done with reichenbach multicolour (theres a long thread about that somewhere) and dark silver brown. also gorgeous 'faux boro' effects can be acheived with effetre straw yellow and reichenbach iris gold frit (both available from tuffnells and off mandrel too) HTH