Electric Purple - What is this Glass Please??? *Picture added*

[Fruddy]

It may be because you are trying to do everything too quickly
Kazx

That is exactly what I'm doing.  Far far too quickly.  I'm just so excited about everything - I want to do it all NOW!

I am the least patient person on the planet.  Its one of my many failings.  But, having experimented with all that I have in my possession glass-wise now, I will be going back to total basics and will do most of my experimenting in the studio. 

[Redhotsal]

Um, looks like Aurae to me. I get these colours out of it. Lightly reduce. Don't over reduce or you'll get murk.....

[Fruddy]

Fruddy, rather than posting lots of questions, take a good amount of time to really trawl this forum, all the answers are already on here to the questions you have posed already as well as a whole wealth of tips, tricks, techniques not to mention some really great tutorials for a new beginner like yourself.

Have you purchased any books or dvd's yet? These too are very good sources of information and I believe we have a section here.....ahem..somewhere....where people have posted reviews on books and I can see many people have vouched for the quality of sal's dvds already.

Tan,I'm really sorry.  I honestly don't want to be a pain and before I bought my lampworking kit I did spend a lot of time trawling FHF to get as much info under my belt as I could - I have read all the silver glass information and the tutorials and have gained some really invaluable knowledge -in fact -had it not been for this forum, I would have probably started with a hothead - not that there is anything wrong with that at all, but I absorbed all the knowledge of all the torch and setup options, decided what I could afford and what I wanted to do on the budget that I had available and went straight to that.

I have read Passing the Flame from cover to cover, Sabine very kindly lent me her copy for a month and I also have Cindy Jenkinsons How to make glass beads.    I read everything I can.

I haven;t got any dvd's - can you recommend some?

I honestly didn't know where to look to find the electric purple colour of this silver glass - I thought that by posting it, I would get a quick answer - again my fault - what I should be doing is experimenting with the Double Helix set that I am hopefully going to get tomorrow, but I am an impatient person and should be concentrating on more of the basics at this time in beadmaking.

I am really sorry with all the questions.

I will do my very best to search the archives in future if I have a query and only post a question if I can't find the answer.

The last thing that I want to do is irritate anyone-I have the utmost respect for you all and do not want to make a nuisance of myself.

Rach

[Fruddy]

Um, looks like Aurae to me. I get these colours out of it. Lightly reduce. Don't over reduce or you'll get murk.....

See, that's the thing Sal.

You have said "lightly" reduce.  I thought reducing was just turning my propane up - no matter how high or low.  Is it just basically trial and error?  What is classed as a "lightly reducing flame" and a "strongly reducing flame?"

[Trudi]

with the silver colours everyone will get different results as there are so many factors to consider

torch environment
base glass
batch of silver glass
how long you reduce or strike
if you encase how hot you work

there really are so many variables - I've known people post exactly how they work a glass and still we all end up with something different!!! It really is PPP!
Silver glass is expensive  - but for a newbie I'd say aurea, triton and perhaps clio are good ones to start with.

But there's nothing more satisfying when you find out what works for you.

Good luck!

[SilverGems89]

Its not your flame Rach, its how much time you have it in the reduction flame for, just wafting it quickly once or twice through the top of the reduction flame would be "light" reduction and more wafts/holding it in the flame for a "heavy" reduction! i find most of them prefer "light" reduction, although i work on a hot head which is more naturally reducing anyway

[mizgeorge]

Fruddy, I think you might benefit from getting a set of Sal's DVD's - http://www.lampworkbeads.co.uk/userimages/procart3.htm. There are also some great ebooks and tutes on etsy about silver glasses.

Then spend some time really getting to know your torch and play with glasses and reactions. It takes time to get a feel for all of this, and one of the reasons so many people do well starting with a hot head is that it slows you down and makes you think more about the basics before trying to run.

Really, don't waste your double helix yet. Play with some cheap stuff first - it's hugely disappointing when you spend that much on a rod of glass and turn it into poo on a stick when you try to use it.

Seriously - slow down. It will happen, but it won't happen all at once.

[Trudi]

I have to agree - I do understand you want to do it all now, but there's no substitute for practice.

Sal is a great teacher and I think you'd benefit greatly from her DVD's - and you can watch them over and over.

Also google you tube to see videos!

Fruddy, I think you might benefit from getting a set of Sal's DVD's - http://www.lampworkbeads.co.uk/userimages/procart3.htm. There are also some great ebooks and tutes on etsy about silver glasses.

Then spend some time really getting to know your torch and play with glasses and reactions. It takes time to get a feel for all of this, and one of the reasons so many people do well starting with a hot head is that it slows you down and makes you think more about the basics before trying to run.

Really, don't waste your double helix yet. Play with some cheap stuff first - it's hugely disappointing when you spend that much on a rod of glass and turn it into poo on a stick when you try to use it.

Seriously - slow down. It will happen, but it won't happen all at once.

[June]

I think it's fair to say that even some of us that have been doing this for a while still get poop on a stick with double helix at times - and it's expensive stuff to want to waste too much, too!

[garishglobes]

I spent a year on a Hothead and it was at least a couple of months, if not more, before I dared touch the silver glasses. I don't regret a moment of it, glass does take time to get to grips with and a "zen" attitude that allows plenty of room for experimentation without immediately magnificent result will definitely benefit you in the longer run. Enjoy the journey, don't rush to the goal

[Redhotsal]

Hehe - she's just too keen!  Can't slow won't slow!

Well, bead making is a bit like cooking. Reducing is like toasting bread - by the time you've overreduced it it's gone damn ugly (or black in the case of toast).

If you get lots of lustry shiny stuff - you've lightly reduced it. If you get cloudy blotchy (and generally) snot green patches you've over reduced it. While you can often reverse light reduction (by adding lots of oxygen) you can't generally get rid of the snot green.

Have to sort of echo what the others have said though - DH can be quite expensive glass as compared to the standard stuff so use it in small amounts - pull stringer rather than using it to make a whole bead. And, yeah, just take your time with it. Actually, take your time with it all. It's more fun that way.

I've done loads of DVDs - which cover pretty much everything I'd teach on beginners and intermediate course (all together) - you can get all four for the bargain price of £63 - but you'd have to put up with me droning on for hours. It might benefit you to save up some dosh and go and have a lesson. While it certainly is possible to teach yourself many techniques - and there are a lot of great bead makers on here who are self taught, and never had a lesson - taking a lesson with an experienced teacher will certainly get you to a point in your beadmaking quicker - without you making lots of common "mistakes". After that - it's just practise.

[beadysam]

I can highly recommend Sal as a teacher, she is patient, intuitive and has a sense of humour too!  Di East is also a wonderful option, and if you are lucky you may manage a joint lesson with both of them.  Its all very well knowing the theory from reading everything you can lay your hands on, but nothing beats a good intro lesson to give you a sound grounding in lampworking and safety.  Its truely an investment in your future and you will benefit more from a day with a good teacher than you will from a handfull of DH glass and a big bag of frit...

In the meantime, Sals DVDs will be something you can come back to again and again, and if, like me recently, you need to take a break from the torch they are great reminders of the skills you once had...

[Redhotsal]

In the meantime, Sals DVDs will be something you can come back to again and again, and if, like me recently, you need to take a break from the torch they are great reminders of the skills you once had...

heh - what nice people you all are!

Sam - opened a randomn box the other day and yet again  was startled to see your boobies staring out at me! 

[beadysam]

In the meantime, Sals DVDs will be something you can come back to again and again, and if, like me recently, you need to take a break from the torch they are great reminders of the skills you once had...

heh - what nice people you all are!

Sam - opened a randomn box the other day and yet again  was startled to see your boobies staring out at me! 

They turn up all over the place...

[Redhotsal]

They get around. Actually your boobs deserve to be in a more "public" arena than kept in a box next to me undies drawer. So tomorrow I am promoting them to the "display shelf" (sounds glamorous, but it ain't) in the shed!