Hot Head Flame Areas

[fionaess]

I found this on Chocadoo's site and found it very useful, me being a newbie   Since their site is closing, I wanted to share with other newbies.




This diagram uses colored ovals to show the temperature zones characteristic of ALL HOT HEAD FLAMES, the older as well as the 2004 Hot Head.  The ovals are not visible when your torch is operating.

     (1)   Inside the deep blue surface of the flame, called the "cone", is a highly reductive mix of unburned fuel and air.  Combustion occurs on the surface of the cone, hence the deep blue color.  Avoid putting your glass into the cone.

     (2)   The "sweet spot" is where you get maximum heat without reduction.  It is positioned right at the end of the cone (but not in it).  The sweet spot gets cooler the further the glass is moved away from the tip of the flame cone.

     (3)   Surrounding the hot region of sweet spot (2) is a cooler area where you can do stringer work, dot placement and other intricate techniques.   Dichroic glass and other sensitive colored glasses should also be worked only in the yellow area because of their tendency to burn or fry.  The yellow area will melt glass, but slowly.  If you want good control, work here.

     (4)   Finally, the flame stream will cools enough to be used as a "warming area" (shown in pale blue).  Use this area for keeping beads warm without re-melting.  It's also used for preheating glass rods, flame annealing beads and other "resting" procedures.

(A) Is a narrow, shallow, cooler glass working area.  It's actually part of the yellow zone that extends down the flame cone toward the torch.  Many glass bead makers are unaware of this special spot.  To use this tiny area, work immediately above the main body of the cone.  Your bead or rod will partially obstruct your view of the flame.  This is where precision melting and other micro techniques can be done.  Because this working area is both narrow and shallow, it takes practice to use it.  Care must be taken not to dip down into the blue cone.

(B) To achieve a reduction flame, turn the Hot Head up until a bright secondary flame cone appears to surround the primary flame.  It will have a pronounced turquoise color.  Work inside the secondary cone, but outside the primary cone for fuming or other procedures calling for a reduction flame.

[turnedlight]

Wow that is useful - thank you!

[sparrow]

Oooooh, thanks!!!!!

[Katiequiggle]

Thats really useful, thanks for doing that.  might print it out for the shed wall.  I have a habit of going into the blue all the time.

[GlassOcean]

WOW you are smashing!

I get so confused with all the terms and then trying to convert flame diagrams into something like my HH flame!!

Thanks m'lovely!