Float, enamels and tin

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Paul Tarlow
Posts: 344
Joined: Sun Mar 09, 2003 4:06 pm
Location: Helios Kiln Glass Studio - Austin
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Float, enamels and tin

Post by Paul Tarlow »

I fired four pieces of float last night. All pieces were cut from the same sheet. The enamels came out of the same jars.

Two of the pieces ended up with some different colors than the other pair -- with some darker, brownish shades that seem like obvious color reactions.

The only explanation I can come up with is two pieces got flipped and I'm seeing a reaction with the tin.

So my questions are:

1) anyone have another possible explanation?

2) is lightly sandblasting the surfaces a way to avoid this?

3) what's the best deal on a fluorescent light to detect the tin side?

Thanks,
Paul
Tom White
Posts: 174
Joined: Tue Mar 11, 2003 9:14 am
Location: Houston, Texas

Post by Tom White »

1. no
2. I don't think so.
3. Buy a cheap flourescent light that uses a 6" tube and remove any plastic lens over the tube. Buy a 6" shortwave UV lamp tube. They are called germicidal lamps. Put your new tube in your new light and shine it along the face of the glass you are using pointed away from your face while wearing sunglasses in a dark room. The tin side of the glass will have a slightly foggy look to it while the air side will not. Keep your exposure to the shortwave UV light to a minimum. It is bad for skin and worse for eyes.

Best wishes,
Tom in Texas
Bert Weiss
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Joined: Tue Mar 11, 2003 12:06 am
Location: Chatham NH
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Re: Float, enamels and tin

Post by Bert Weiss »

Paul Tarlow wrote:I fired four pieces of float last night. All pieces were cut from the same sheet. The enamels came out of the same jars.

Two of the pieces ended up with some different colors than the other pair -- with some darker, brownish shades that seem like obvious color reactions.

The only explanation I can come up with is two pieces got flipped and I'm seeing a reaction with the tin.

So my questions are:

1) anyone have another possible explanation?

2) is lightly sandblasting the surfaces a way to avoid this?

3) what's the best deal on a fluorescent light to detect the tin side?

Thanks,
Paul
Paul

It sounds like tin to me. Tin makes a brownish color.

A company called UVP makes the short wave UV flashlight. They sell for about $40. I believe that HIS glassworks sells them now. I have seen the exact same light for as much as $180 (Bohle special ordered).

My light comes with a purple filter. The purple filter makes it MUCH easier to see the white glow from the tin. I have tried to go with a cheaper solution, but to me the UVP light is the ticket.
Bert

Bert Weiss Art Glass*
http://www.customartglass.com
Furniture Lighting Sculpture Tableware
Architectural Commissions
Paul Tarlow
Posts: 344
Joined: Sun Mar 09, 2003 4:06 pm
Location: Helios Kiln Glass Studio - Austin
Contact:

Re: Float, enamels and tin

Post by Paul Tarlow »

Bert Weiss wrote:Paul

It sounds like tin to me. Tin makes a brownish color.

A company called UVP makes the short wave UV flashlight. They sell for about $40. I believe that HIS glassworks sells them now. I have seen the exact same light for as much as $180 (Bohle special ordered).

My light comes with a purple filter. The purple filter makes it MUCH easier to see the white glow from the tin. I have tried to go with a cheaper solution, but to me the UVP light is the ticket.
Thanks Bert. Couldn't find it a Hisglassworks. Is this the one your are referring to:

http://www.mamasminerals.com/Merchant2/ ... ode=EQUUVL
Richard Sinning
Posts: 10
Joined: Tue Jan 27, 2004 9:32 pm

Just got mine

Post by Richard Sinning »

I just got mine from Mamas Minerals for 49 and it is fantastic!! No need to pull off any filter
Richard
scooter riegelsperger
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Joined: Fri Mar 14, 2003 9:23 am
Location: Houston,TX
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Post by scooter riegelsperger »

Paul,
I've got the filters that uvp uses in their lights. In fact, I supply them. If you want to make your own I'll send you a piece. Glass is Corning/Kopp 9863 UV transmitting/ visible absorbing. It's very dense in color & you need a pretty intense light source to get any light through it. Let me know.
Robert
Do illiterate people get the full effect of alphabet soup?
Paul Tarlow
Posts: 344
Joined: Sun Mar 09, 2003 4:06 pm
Location: Helios Kiln Glass Studio - Austin
Contact:

Post by Paul Tarlow »

scooterr309 wrote:Paul,
I've got the filters that uvp uses in their lights. In fact, I supply them. If you want to make your own I'll send you a piece. Glass is Corning/Kopp 9863 UV transmitting/ visible absorbing. It's very dense in color & you need a pretty intense light source to get any light through it. Let me know.
Robert
Thanks -- I went ahead and order one of the $40 jobs from Mamma :)
Bert Weiss
Posts: 2339
Joined: Tue Mar 11, 2003 12:06 am
Location: Chatham NH
Contact:

Re: Float, enamels and tin

Post by Bert Weiss »

Paul Tarlow wrote:
Bert Weiss wrote:Paul

It sounds like tin to me. Tin makes a brownish color.

A company called UVP makes the short wave UV flashlight. They sell for about $40. I believe that HIS glassworks sells them now. I have seen the exact same light for as much as $180 (Bohle special ordered).

My light comes with a purple filter. The purple filter makes it MUCH easier to see the white glow from the tin. I have tried to go with a cheaper solution, but to me the UVP light is the ticket.
Thanks Bert. Couldn't find it a Hisglassworks. Is this the one your are referring to:

http://www.mamasminerals.com/Merchant2/ ... ode=EQUUVL
That's it.
Bert

Bert Weiss Art Glass*
http://www.customartglass.com
Furniture Lighting Sculpture Tableware
Architectural Commissions
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