Copper Lustre

Cecilia · December 13, 2013, 10:26:50 AM

Hi, I have been asked by a customer to make a bead with a metallic copper lustre to it. I have tried Iris orange reduced which was probably the closest, Also tried copper green, metallic copper green and petrol green - these went grey or nothing...
I found a thread on Wet canvas about copper green lustre by bullseye which looked hopeful, but I have no bullseye glass!
Anybody any other suggestions?
Mica powder was another idea but it seems to be out of stock.
Thanks
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helbels · December 13, 2013, 10:35:45 AM

I have achieved a copper lustre in the past by gold fuming a brown/deep amber transparent base bead.

Steampunkglass · December 13, 2013, 10:56:39 AM

Cheat???

You can get copper conductive paint that's used to paint onto beads (and any other stuff) although you need to clean and degrease the bead completely first. Normally then this is used as a base to electroform more copper ontop of it, I'm not sure if you just want a thing layer if a little of the paint would be enough as it's quite a glittery copper finish itself?

Although putting lots of goldstone over the top of the bead might also have the same effect and be a little easier to do?

Years ago I did the copper leaf thing where you cover a white bead with copper foil then carefully put it back in the flame. It then make a lot of fierce firework effects, and then once violence has calmed down the copper has reacted with the white bead to make some nice greens. You do need to sit back whilst doing it though! It was from a free tutorial I found a link to somewhere on here if I recall.

Flyingcheesetoastie · December 13, 2013, 11:23:16 AM

How about.....copper lustre? I get mine from Held of Harrogate (www.held.co.uk) and it fires relatively low, although not sure a bead anneal would bloom it, so you may have to paint on, garage and flash in the flame, very briefly!

Cecilia · December 13, 2013, 11:34:14 AM

Thanks
I had thought about electroforming, but I have never tried it...
The copper lustre, is it this one? http://www.held.co.uk/products-page/precious-metals/l9-copper-lustre/
I will have to look at the spec for it.
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kerensky · December 13, 2013, 11:58:26 AM

What about this ?

http://www.warm-glass.co.uk/sparkle-bright-copper-mica-powder-30g-p-2083.html

Flyingcheesetoastie · December 13, 2013, 04:18:11 PM

Yup that's the lustre I have from Held it fires to a metallic copper finish. You paint it onto the cold glass surface and then fire it in the kiln. I fire mine during other paint firings at around 590c so not sure if it would bloom during a bead anneal firing but a quick flash in the flame after a garage would do it.

I'm happy to try it on a bead for you if you want to get in touch and save ordering the lustre and thinners if it's just for one commission.

flame n fuse · December 13, 2013, 05:07:42 PM

Hi, the BE copper lustre makes quite a pretty bead, but it's not exactly 'coppery' in appearance, so you're probably better off with Rachel's suggestion.

Cecilia · December 20, 2013, 01:36:40 PM

Sorry for not getting back sooner, life keeps getting in the way of bead making....
Thank you for all your suggestions, the copper glaze sounds interesting and I might take you up on your kind offer Rachel. I am going to leave it for now though
and have sent off the rest of her order. I may come back to you in the new year. :-)
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Arwynd · December 20, 2013, 02:38:15 PM

Devardi do metallic golden coppery black glass rods?

http://www.devardiglass.com/specialtyglass.htm

Cecilia · December 23, 2013, 08:29:10 AM

Mmmn that looks interesting. Thank you. X

Redhotsal · December 23, 2013, 09:59:12 AM

Why don't you just super reduce a normal Effetre turquoise opaque? When I started off with a plumbing torch copper lustre was all I could get out of this glass as it does has copper oxide in it anyway (I think). So, if you're on a posher torch just bathe the hot bead in a propane rich flame and it should lustre up a treat.

Barnacle Bay · December 23, 2013, 11:24:04 AM

Quote from: Flyingcheesetoastie on December 13, 2013, 11:23:16 AM
How about.....copper lustre? I get mine from Held of Harrogate (www.held.co.uk) and it fires relatively low, although not sure a bead anneal would bloom it, so you may have to paint on, garage and flash in the flame, very briefly!

My mum recommends the above too. She used to use it a lot

Cecilia · December 23, 2013, 03:43:40 PM

Hi, Thanks Sal
I have tried that and couldn't get anything, I tried it with petrol (colour not liquid) which as I remember with a hothead was so simple to reduce, couldn't stop it! - not now couldn't get anything remotely brown from it.
It has been put on the back burner till after chrimbo now.
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Princess Peggy (Priscilla McGirr) · December 23, 2013, 08:40:15 PM

Make a series of beads with DH Helios over clear, and let them cool quite a bit then reduce while they are getting quite cool. Put them back in the reducing flame a few times. You will end up with mostly golden beads but there may well be a few coppery ones too.