Float, enamels and tin

[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]

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]

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.

[Paul Tarlow]

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]

I just got mine from Mamas Minerals for 49 and it is fantastic!! No need to pull off any filter

[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

[Paul Tarlow]

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]

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.