eyes,eyes,eyes

[shelly]

Hi

I have been following a tutorial to make eye murrini and am stuck, i have made the canes and they have come out pretty good but when i put the transparent glass on the end for the lens i am getting a layer of tiny bubbles and slightly cloudy underneath the transparent glass.  Any advice as to why this is happening and how to stop it would be very welcome.

Am trying to make a dragon bead, think i might be trying to run before i can walk though as has taken me a while just to make the eye canes!!

[firedinglass]

What type of clear are you using? It sounds like scum on your glass, I should either make sure you have a clean bubble free end on glass or maybe try another type of clear!

[theflyingbedstead]

This could also happen if the murrini is too cold when encased.

[shelly]

I am using effetre amber, tried green as well same result.  am preheating the eye cane beside the flame, will try getting it hotter and see if that helps.

[Seaglass]

Dear Shelly,
Dragon bead sounds great!
perhaps you might try to keep the little eye murrini 'not too hot', ( so you dont lose the detail) but before you start give it a good clean, i mean with soap and water, ?

I hope this helps

[Nicknack]

Also. are you melting the end of your clear rod and pinching it off with tweezers to make sure the end is scum free?  I didn't know about this until I did a class where it was mentioned, and I know you haven't been lampworking long, so I'm sorry if you already know.

Nick

[shelly]

no, i didnt know that trick Nick, thankyou will have a try when i get a chance to get in the shed again