Copper Ruby rod suggestions?

[Doug Chaussee]

Once again I turn to the collective knowledge of the members for suggestions. When we use copper ruby rod for blown pieces it has usually turned a liver color at the bottom of the pieces and a nice clear, clean transparent red at the top or lip of the pieces. I have heard many reasons offered by various other artists but they are inconsistent. Either it's too hot, too cold, too long in the annealer, too thick, too thin, etc. What are your suggestions for getting a clean, clear, red with no muddy liver color when using copper ruby? Thanks

:headbang:

[Scott Dunahee]

Use only a little bit. Make sure to keep a NO reduction (I usually run excess air which cools my hole off for this step) environment in your glory hole until it is cased.

That's my $.02 but it has worked for me.

BSD

[Jeff Thompson]

I try really hard to touch the copper ruby as little as possible.... let the assistant only marver the overlay once before serving it, try to only marver it once or twice when you're pushing it over the bubble. Never block it until you've gathered.

Sounds like the color is too thick at the bottom of the piece. I have the best luck w/ this color when I use 1/4 of the amount I would normally use of another color.

[Scott Novota]

I don't know if this information will help but here it goes.


I have a bunch of CRuby in different forms. Rod, 0, f1, f3 and powder.


When I use it with frit0 it never livers up unless I roll it on super thick.

When I use the powered with a light roll it never livers up. If I roll more than once it might if I marver it a bunch. More than 2 rolls and not blown out it will almost always liver up with the powder.

F1, single thick rolls where it does not overlap it does not liver up.

F3, livers unless I really blow it and thin it livers up.


Electroglass (electric)glory. So the oxygen is not the issue with me.

This is K mostly, but I have some Gaffer ruby that never livers no matter what I do with it. The R has never not been livery.


Don't know what all that adds up to but it is only my experience with it. Take with a grain of salt your mileage my vary.

Scott.
.

[Dan Buchacher]

Just my own experience - liver at the bottom and nice color up at the top would tell me that the problem is at least partially heat related - possible combination of working too hot at the bottom of the piece , for too long a duration, and/or with not enough clear protective casing over the color. I have found I need to work fast with copper rubies and get the piece done if possible with the original heat in it, they seem to have a chemically finite working and re-heat duration before they will accumulate enough to go liver

Or you can also be setting the problem up for yourself at the very beginning when the color overlay is made - letting the raw color get too hot at the tip when heating the rod chunk up, not keeping the tip cool - sometimes pre-casing a copper ruby or red overlay drop in clear right after first shaping up, before you get it really hot for the overlay drop, can help keep the color from burning.

I also found, and this is not pandering to the board host at all, that Pete's Copper Ruby was one of the bestest in the world for thermal color stability and deep end color

Try the above and see if it makes a difference

[Brian Blanthorn]

Originally posted by Doug Chaussee
Once again I turn to the collective knowledge of the members for suggestions. When we use copper ruby rod for blown pieces it has usually turned a liver color at the bottom of the pieces and a nice clear, clean transparent red at the top or lip of the pieces. I have heard many reasons offered by various other artists but they are inconsistent. Either it's too hot, too cold, too long in the annealer, too thick, too thin, etc. What are your suggestions for getting a clean, clear, red with no muddy liver color when using copper ruby? Thanks

:headbang:

I think it is probably heat related

Evenivity is the key here is my guess

May B U could try flaming the offending area I think its the cooling from hot that it develops so play with re heat n cool slow / fast

It should B possible 2 change the colour back n forward

As I recall its 2 do with the metal moving in n out of solution

Unles Pete comes in try a search on striking colours or copper ruby

Peolpe in ceramics have spent lifetimes messing with this stuff

One of my faves is W. Howson Taylor some pics later in this thread http://talk.craftweb.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=5195&highlight=copper

I think once cool ( stiffer ) the colour is fixed

Brian

[Wes Hunting]

Doug,
After doing a thin overlay, I get it hot again, then pull and snip off the bottom 1/4 of the bubble. This thins out color so you get nice even coloration.
And as said before, no reduction.

[Doug Chaussee]

Thanks everyone. Part of the problem seems to be that we are not doing overlay, rather picking up the rod on a pipe directly and then gathering over that. I have to assume from the comments that copper ruby should be done as an overlay only?

[Scott Dunahee]

Nope, I work with color on the pipe all the time. Make sure your starter bubble is well blown out, don't leave the nipple reservior of color on the end before you gather.

I only do overlays if the process requires it.

BSD

[Wes Hunting]

I like to case everything.

[Pete VanderLaan]

Originally posted by Dan Buchacher

I also found, and this is not pandering to the board host at all, that Pete's Copper Ruby was one of the bestest in the world for thermal color stability and deep end color


***************************

Thank You. It is not just heat or reduction. It also can be duration that the glass is worked.

And I will be making it again when I get the new studio built. Also the black, the peach and the cobalt lustre. We ordered the trusses last week and milled an unbelievable pile of lumber out in the forest. That alone took three weeks. It's all stickered now and drying. I am digging the footing holes today for the barn attachment.

[Glenn Randle]

Pete,
I'm glad to hear you're enjoying you break from the glass. ;)

It feels good to get out in nature and work with your hands, and the tractor of course!


peace,
Glenn

[Eben Horton]

use powder. bar is over rated :p

[Nick Jones]

Originally posted by Pete VanderLaan
And I will be making it again when I get the new studio built. Also the black, the peach and the cobalt lustre. We ordered the trusses last week and milled an unbelievable pile of lumber out in the forest. That alone took three weeks. It's all stickered now and drying. I am digging the footing holes today for the barn attachment.

Right on.