Newbe Pot Melt
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- Posts: 13
- Joined: Thu May 08, 2003 11:05 am
- Location: Roseville, CA
Newbe Pot Melt
I have been reading this forum for a while now but have never posted until now. I am experimenting with pot melts and have a question. I have done three melts so far all with transparent glass, two with Bullseye and one with Spectrum. Can someone tell me why the transparent glass is no longer transparent? It looks almost muddy, for lack of a better description. Is this normal? I have pics of the last pot melt, using Bullseye red, yellow and purple.
Without knowing the temps you Pot Melt at which, this may or may not be applicable.
Many of the colors used in hot glass strike to their final color when they are heated to working temps. This is also true with powders sold for enameling.
Enamels for silver and copper go to +/- 1500 f; hot glass is worked in the 1800 -2250 range. If these are beond what you used, heat may not be the factor.
Some colors muddy in a reducing atmosphere. Just thought I'd add that to spice things up a little.
Jim V
Many of the colors used in hot glass strike to their final color when they are heated to working temps. This is also true with powders sold for enameling.
Enamels for silver and copper go to +/- 1500 f; hot glass is worked in the 1800 -2250 range. If these are beond what you used, heat may not be the factor.
Some colors muddy in a reducing atmosphere. Just thought I'd add that to spice things up a little.
Jim V
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- Posts: 13
- Joined: Thu May 08, 2003 11:05 am
- Location: Roseville, CA
The transparent red can strike to a brick red opal at high temps or with repeated firings. I suppose that can also happen with yellow and blue, although I've not had it happen...doesn't mean it can't
Nice end result. Working hot can create unexpected results, color strikes and even shifts in COE, but it's worth the bumps in the road to explore.
Nice end result. Working hot can create unexpected results, color strikes and even shifts in COE, but it's worth the bumps in the road to explore.
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I would assume that if you did just one color they muddy situation would not occur. Since one of your colors is purple and becomes mixed with the other two some transparency would disappear. I would also suspect the degree of transparency would greater if there was a smaller quantity of the purple.
Sort of like mixing lemon and grape Jello.
Sort of like mixing lemon and grape Jello.
Cynthia said
Rob
Oh but transparent yellow will strike to opal, especially at high temps, and when you least expect it. Not always on the first fire, or even the second. Try using lots of clear next time. You will get transparent, but diluted color. Stay away from the reds, oranges, and yellows for the most successful results if transparency is a must. Other wise, enjoy the happy accidents. In this case, I would be overjoyed with the results. But now what? What are you going to do with it? Also, wait until everything cools down and then lift the melt, pot and all, out of the kiln. You can cut off the stem of glass, coming out of the pot then. Score with your glass cutter and then tap to break. Much safer than using thongs.The transparent red can strike to a brick red opal at high temps or with repeated firings. I suppose that can also happen with yellow and blue, although I've not had it happen...doesn't mean it can’t
Rob
That's what I do, but I never work at the kiln in a thong, it's just to risky, or is it risque?...wait until everything cools down and then lift the melt, pot and all, out of the kiln. You can cut off the stem of glass, coming out of the pot then. Score with your glass cutter and then tap to break. Much safer than using thongs.
Rob
Okay...waste of bandwidth, but I just couldn't resist the joke.