Pitting From Cooling Bubbles

[flowerjasper]

d'ya mean beeeeeeds, Sandy?   

yeeeesss

[Rascal]

Hi Louise, I'm also a newbie, not sure how long I can keep using that excuse but until I can get 2 identical same size, same pattern beads I'm sticking with the label of newbie. You mention in your post about trying a course, I can't recommend this enough. I had one day tuition and learned loads, now just need play and practise and lots of it but the tuition does give you a really good grounding. I'm also already thinking once I get the better at the basics I'm going to invest in another lesson to help take it to the next level. Good Luck and hope you keep enjoying it.

[Barnacle Bay]

Thanks for that everyone

I have to say feeling a bit sad at the mo... Hot head torch new today... kept cutting out.. and after trying 3 different bottles of Mapp gas from 2 different suppliers..still the same and cutting out.
Spoke to welder friend and had a look at the jet.. all clean..so will have to take it up with supplier on Monday 

Not the torches fault  - Phew!
Not a happy bunny just a sad old Moo like my avatar!

[sarah t]

the cutting out is a common problem with the mapp gas ,change to bulk gas a soon as you can it works out hell of a lot cheeper in the long run

might find a few tips here

http://www.frit-happens.co.uk/forum/index.php?topic=22989.0

[GaysieMay]

Your pitting is definitely from putting beads into your bubbles too soon.  Are you flame annealing at the back of the flame - if not when you are happy with the shape and everything put the bead right at the back of the flame and keep turning it for a minute this way it is cooling at a slower temp, the glass should be solid enough to go in the bubbles without the pitting, but as Sandy said, becareful with white in particular.

[Barnacle Bay]

Thanks everyone & Sarah T,
I  now know its not the torch, on 4th can of Mapp same problem     They will all be going back to the suppliers and I'm seriously contemplating switching to bulk, though oxycon is not a temptation due to the cost of buying the unit.

[BeeBeads]

Definitely switch over to bulk as soon as you can.  You'll find it much friendlier to work with and all the money you save can be spent on GLASS!   

[Barnacle Bay]

Hallelujah - I've seen the light   

Just made one small step - but one giant leap and bought a Gas arc flashback arrestor for £12 squid!  Just need to get the other bits & bobs.

Bulk fuel here I come

[flowerjasper]

best decision you wont regret it 
if and when you get a duel fuel torch you can use again.
sandy

[SRJ]

Cheapest place for Propane round here is Trago Mills! Refil of 11kg £10 cheaper than anywhere else.....

[katherinem]

It probably is the MAPP getting cold - I agree with everyone else, MAPP is too expensive and annoying to use long term.

I don't know if you have the same issue, but when I started I was really scared of letting my beads get cool, but I found that they can take a lot more than I thought. I use the annealing bubbles - they heat up when you put a bead in, and form a sort of insulating jacket which cools slowly. So the key is not to move the bead around in the bubbles once you put it in. I usually find my beads are cold after about an hour, but mine are quite small generally.

hope this helps 

[Barnacle Bay]

thanks everyone

Cheers SRJ for the heads up on cheap gas - I normally hate trago'sbut hey cheap gas - sounds pretty good to me 

[lampworklover]

..and to go back to your original subject, you're just as likely to get pitting from vermiculite as bubbles if your bead isn't cool enough. If you've got bubbles I'd stick with them, the dust from vermiculite isn't particularly nice, and it breaks down over time, unlike the bubbles.

[ScarletLeonard]

I was just about to say the same as Tina, in fact it is worse with the vermiculite because it will stick to the bead where as the bubbles will just brush off. Though it is handy to have a layer of vermiculite under the bubbles to stop the beads sinking to the bottom of the tin.

Don't skimp on the bead release. Dip it just enough for the size of bead you are making and if you do need a really long dip and only have a little tub transfer it to a cigar tube or just get a bigger pot you will use it.

You will love yourself for bulk fuel. I use a 19kg cylinder and it lasted me about 9 months on the hot head.

[Barnacle Bay]

Great info  & a Happy Bunny now