Reduction with Hot Head is it possible?

[Katerina]

Redhotsal Thank you very much did i understand right you name is Sal?
May I have your promition to translate you unswer for russian art glass forum?

[Redhotsal]

I don't mind at all. Actually there's no harm in being self educated - that's how I started - but it certainly helps to have a lesson or even just watch another lampworker in action. You pick up loads of small tips and tricks.

The internet - forums like this, wetcanvas and lampworketc are also fantastic resources for learning. I've learned a ton of stuff from other people who have very generously shared their knowledge on t'internet.

Don't be shy to ask - for every person who thinks they're daft for asking there'll be a dozen more lurking and wondering about the same thing. This is a forum that's pretty "newbie" (hate that word!) friendly. Anyway - reduction makes a nice change to the usual "how do I light my hothead" question"

Pysche is pretty easy - even on a hothead. But the problem with the easy reducers is that they also burn easily. And as said before some reducing glass will just go a mirror finish whilst others, especially the silver loaded glasses will yield lots of colours.

If you're having trouble here's a couple of things to try: Usually when we start reducing we really over-egg the process. You may actually be trying too hard. When you reduce don't hold the glass in the flame constantly - "waft" it in and out (imagine you are wafting your hand through a candle!). If you hold the glass in the same position for too long you'll go through the reduction phase and be into the burning phase before you know it.

With Pysche - you're looking for an oil-slick like lustre - you'll see that you have a dark rainbow on the surface of your glass when it starts to reduce. The more you waft the more intense this will get and then you'll see it go a milky blue green colour. If you lightly reduce Pysche you'll get blues and pinks and if you really go for it you'll get creamy greens. If you over do it you'll get greys!

You can also try lightly reducing Pysche and then holding it in the very top of the flame to "undo" the reduction and then reducing it again. This cyclical process will encourage silver crystal growth in different ways and you'll probably get other results. With Psyche and a lot of the "designer" glasses - Double Helix, Northstar etc the colours are largely dependent on the speed and type of silver crystal growth.

Yes, that's good advice from GarishGlobes and Kat - yes, no problem I don't mind.
Edited to say: Kat - yes my name is Sal, Sally in fact and also I wonder how you translate "Waft" into Russian? LOL!

[Katerina]

Nice to meet you Sally 
Thank you for your help, I found definition for the

Waft is a term meaning to carry along gently as through the air. The term is commonly used to describe scents that have diffused in to other parts of a room, or to describe smoke as being seen moving through the air.

Lol so I will do my best and may be will understand it better my self, after all...

We had a joke at school about one teacher.
He sad This kids are so stupid I explain this math rules 3 times, I already understand it myself but they still couldn't

SO I am going to be this teacher  and explain to other people things I couldn't understand my self lol

[Trudi]

Top tips there from Sal _ i had big problems with Pysche for a while - sometimes you do try to hard and get fed up. my advise to is to stop and leave it for a day before going back to it!!

Another good tip  - once you have your reaction - encase it, it looks fab! Look at this beauty currently on Sal's page
http://www.lampworkbeads.co.uk/images/redhotsal_spec14_large.htm

Even now I have good days and bad with the stuff!!

Try Triton - it's a newer one and the easiest of all to react!

[beadammed]

I just got a trial batch of DH from Martin which had a rod each of Triton, Psyche, Khaos, Elektra, Gaia, Aion and one which wasn't labelled.  I had a go of each mostly over white then encased.  I got a brilliant metallic bead from the triton and gorgeous creams & greens from the Gaia then lots of greys.  I think my main mistake was to hold the bead in the flame too long but I'm not sure what I'm looking for to be able to see the process starting so I don't overcook (same problem with my food cooking too).
Great to have FH back

[afina]

I think my main mistake was to hold the bead in the flame too long but I'm not sure what I'm looking for to be able to see the process starting so I don't overcook

Better take the bead out of the flame regularly and look at it while it cools a little. Then you can see, if the reaction started. And I think it is easier to get good results this way (short wafts of the cool bead in the reducing flame, take it our, wait a little bit, then some more wafts) than one long cooking.

[Trudi]

the gaia is lovely - I made some really plain green beads and put a little giai over the top and swired it in - and it has a lovley cloudy / irredescent(can't spell that) effect



very simple - but I love them. It doesn't show brilliantly on here, but you get a little feel of what I mean!

[turnedlight]

Looks like the oily sheen on a soap bubble - lovely!

[Katerina]

shine-on2  What I was tolking about!!!! lol Great beds.

I get my trial batch of DH from Martin too. Going to try it today....

[Katerina]

DONE IT!!!!! love it

[*rowanberry*]

woah! thats a stonking reaction!

[Trudi]

Get you!

[grandmabead]

Bookmarking for ron.

This has been just what i was looking for!
I was told how to reduce but forgot most of it within 10 minutes and was a bit worried i would get it all wrong.
Thanks for the info. 

[Magpie]

Sort of a new question, you say encase the reduced stuff and it looks brilliant. If you put a dot of clear over the top, can you reduce the bits outside of the dot more, add another dot, reduce again and get a series of circles with different layers of reduction, or would this look rubbish?

[flowerjasper]

our claire, ( rowanberry), had a fab set where a trail of clear was added before reduction so that stopped the glass under the clear from changing, cant remember the name black mirror???
great train of thought,  you should do some experiments,
off to check your gallery claire!
sandy