Sunday, January 22, 2012

Gaffer Trio



I really do not know why I don’t work with this glass more. I don’t have a very large stash of it but little by little I collect it as I can afford it. To say it works like butter is an understatement. It’s not soupy, has this thick molasses tendency but isn’t hard or stiff.

I pulled from my stash a little of this and that to play with. I love the results and under the light they reflect like a champ. Sorry, the photo does the little luster I have no justice. What I haven’t’ figured out yet is the proper placement and flame for the “luster glasses” There must be one I am using that gives off this incredible gold (I think it’s Gold Luster) – looks like gold leaf on the finished bead.

Yes, I know I need more than a stick of this or that to figure things out but spending money is not going to happen soon. It’s a reduction glass and if I’m reading the notes on LE correctly Kendra said a very quick reduction hit, saved for last, and in the kiln.

These beads are organic and full of a variety of colors so it’s a little hard to pick out what’s what beyond the Blue Chalcedony/ Purple Rose and the base use of white or black to work on.

Deb Batten has done some wonderful work in Gaffer – She’s our great Gaffer resource from New Zealand and writes a lot of great tutorials. You can check Deb’s blog and the Gaffer Girls Lampwork blog – or call the girls directly for more of all things gaffer. I’ve never met a more helpful group of people. I know I am so not done working with Gaffer.




more to come - - - - - -

1 comment:

Deb said...

Oh boy oh boy oh boy - have you rocked this stuff, or what, young lady!!!

Those beads are stunning Sharon!!

If my memory serves me correctly, it is a very quick flash through the top of a gentle reduction, but not dragons breath, flame (or just under the flame in what I call the 'after burn'lol!) to get the lustre (yeah - we spell it funny!).

What I try to keep in mind when I'm using the gaffer glasses is something that John said to me about the flame that glass blowers work with, since that is what gaffer was originally designed for. So I try to imagine the somehow gentler less focussed heat of a glory hole & work accordingly when I am using the colours that strike or lustre.....

Thank you so much for the mention too :)