Northstar User Manual
Contents
1. NS 47 Aurora An exciting striking color Oxidize for blues and magenta hues Reduce for greens and earth tones For additional information refer to the Exotic section NS 48 Light Blue Amber Purple Oxidize for purples Reduce for opaque sea greens Refer to the Amber Purple section for working information NS 49 Dark Blue Amber Purple A more intense version of NS 48 Light Blue Amber Purple Oxidize for purples Reduce for opaque sea greens Refer to the Amber Purple section for working information NS 52 Teal A bright fully opaque blue green Not overly sensitive to atmosphere but work in a neutral to slightly oxidizing flame NS 53 Forest Green A bright fully opaque green Work in an oxidizing flame and heat slowly It can boil if heated aggressively See the Heat Sensitive color section 11 NS 54 Star White A fully opaque white It is not sensitive to flame atmosphere but heat slowly and gently to prevent boiling See the Heat Sensitive color section NS 55 Periwinkle A bright fully opaque baby blue Work in an oxidizing flame to prevent graying Heat slowly and gently to prevent boiling See the Heat Sensitive color section NS 57 Midnight A dark opaque blue Work in an oxidizing flame to prevent graying Heat gently and slowly to prevent boiling See the Heat Sensitive color section NS 58 Mint A light opaque green It is not sensitive to flame atmosphere but must be heated slowly to prevent boiling See the Heat Sensitive2. color section NS 59 Cranberry An opaque striking red Work and strike just like NS 07 Ruby but work gently to prevent boiling See the Heat Sensitive color section NS 62 Bubblegum A bright opaque pink It is not sensitive to flame atmosphere but heat gently to prevent boiling See the Heat Sensitive color section NS 63 Canary A bright Intense Opaque yellow Work slowly in a cool oxidizing flame to prevent boiling See the Heat Sensitive color section NS 64 Lava A bright Intense Opaque orange Work slowly in a cool oxidizing flame to prevent boiling See the Heat Sensitive color section NS 65 Cherry A bright Intense Opaque red Work slowly in a cool oxidizing flame to prevent boiling See the Heat Sensitive color section NS 66 Sublime A bright signal light green It is not sensitive to atmosphere NS 69 Green Amber Purple The ultimate amber purple Work in a hot oxidizing flame Refer to the amber purple section for a working guide NS 70 Ice Blue A cool water blue Work in an oxidizing flame to keep the clarity Reduction causes reddish streaking NS 72 Glacier Blue A lush transparent blue green Work in an oxidizing flame to keep the clarity Reduction causes reddish streaking NS 73 Millennium Moss An opaque green aventurine color It is not overly sensitive to atmosphere but work in a neutral to slightly oxidizing flame NS 75 Indigo Aventurine A deep blue aventurine color Work in an oxidizing flame NS 76 Onyx A deep green
3. and Safety Guide by Monona Rossol available from Allworth Press Ventilation A Practical Guide for Artists Craftspeople and Others in the Arts by Nancy Clark Thomas Cutter and Jean Ann McGrane available from Center for Safety in the Arts Beads from the Beginning by Brian Kerkvliet Glass Art Magazine November December 1994 P O Box 260377 Highlands Ranch CO 80126 F Y Eyes by Lisa M Malchow Fusion Journal of the American Scientific Glassblowers Society May 1993 1507 Hagley Rd Toledo OH 43612 Glassmaking Health and Safety by Monona Rossol Glass Art Society Technical Journal 1989 Reprint available from Allworth Press Optical Radiation Hazards in Glassblowing by Gary E Myers Fusion Journal of the American Scientific Glassblowers Society August 1976 This information is offered as a starting point for your own safety research and new information may affect the appropriateness of these recommendations The suppliers of this information assume no liability for any injury or harm which may result from use or misuse of this information Be sure to consult with your supplier physician or other qualified expert regarding any safety questions you have Quick Guide to Flame Settings and Colors NS 01 Cobalt Can take a lot of heat and can be worked in a wide range of flame settings Stay out of reducing flames to prevent dulling or gray streaking to occur NS 03 Multi When worked in an oxidizing flame this col
4. based black with excellent working properties Work using a neutral to oxidizing flame NS 77 Deep Sea Blue A smooth deep opaque blue Work in a neutral to slightly oxidizing flame NS 78 Mystery Aventurine An exciting color that can be kiln struck to yield a wide array of silvery purples and pinks Work in a hot oxidizing flame Flame striking yields amber and gold hues NS 79 Blue Spruce A great opaque blue green Work in an oxidizing flame to keep the clarity Reduce for interesting gray streaks that appear to be growth rings of a tree NS 80 Hyacinth A deep opaque faux purple Work in a cool oxidizing flame to prevent graying and boiling See the Heat Sensitive color section NS 81 Blue Caramel A rich buttery striking color Keep it oxidized for hazy blues and greens Reduce for the most scintillating mirror like sheen NS 82 Ruby K A versatile red designed for kiln striking Work in a hot neutral to oxidizing flame NS 83 Skyline A lighter version of NS 55 Periwinkle Work in a soft neutral to slightly oxidizing flame Work slowly to prevent boiling Refer to the Heat Sensitive Color section for additional information NS 84 Goldenrod A bright Intense Opaque gold color Work slowly in a soft oxidizing flame to prevent boiling See the Heat Sensitive color section NS 85 Poppy An eye catching opaque orange Work slowly in a soft oxidizing flame to prevent boiling See the Heat Sensitive color section NS 86 Garnet A medium i
5. because it can easily yield a deep burgundy brown color Using Northstar Frits amp Powders The term frit refers to granular crushed glass Soft glass frits have been available to glass artists for a long time in many colors and several different mesh sizes Furnace working glassblowers and European style lampworkers use frit regularly as a means of adding color to their work Frit can also be used in such techniques as Pate De Verre and fusing We offer many of our borosilicate colors in powder and frit form Size Large frit is coarse approximately 055 inches or 1 397 mm Size Small frit is finer approximately 024 inches or 6096 mm These frits and powders have been formulated for use with Pyrex Duran Kimax Northstar or any other glass with a similar coefficient of thermal expansion 33 Using frits and powders provide the hot glass artist with a means of adding color and or texture to a piece quickly and easily There is no right way or wrong way to utilize frit or powder Experimentation will lead to discovering your own unique effects and subtle refinements of techniques The basic idea is to get the frit to stick to a target object In order for this to occur the temperature of the object must be hot enough to be soft at least on the surface of the glass The hotter softer the target object is the more readily the frit will stick to it If the object has already been formed and slumping is not desirable it is better to he
6. body of the glass and deposits on the surface If the piece is worked before all the haze is heated off the layer of metal will thicken and turn a matte gray color thus masking the true color In order to achieve the purple strike once the Amber Purple is applied it must be heated aggressively with a strong sharp flame in order to remove the initial metal deposit Turn the work slowly in the flame so the heat scrubs the surface of all the haze The surface must be heated to the point that it almost boils Even if the flame scars the color it will melt back in and smooth over This is the crucial step in the whole procedure Once the initial layer of haze is removed it will re develop but not to the extent of the initial buildup The redevelopment of the haze can be burned off easily without the extreme heat With the more intense Amber Purples NS 26 Double Amber Purple and NS 69 Green Amber Purple more vigilance must be kept because the haze will redevelop more quickly When striking the Amber Purples there are two options flame or kiln striking To maximize the strike all the haze must be burned off To flame strike allow the piece to cool for twenty seconds so that there is no more heat glow Then bathe the piece in a soft neutral flame so that the surface barely glows To darken the color repeat the heating process By heating for short increments of time the color can be struck to the desired hue with a greater degree of accuracy If the color is
7. colors being used Specifically metallic based colors may need a slightly higher A T maybe 25 degrees The magnitude of the temperature decrease may need to be adjusted as well The soak times can also be a variable that can be adjusted by color in conjunction or separately with the ramp down temperatures For non metallic colors the soak duration may be able to be reduced and the last one to two ramps eliminated altogether For pieces that are to be re worked it may be necessary to ramp up the temperature of the piece in reverse order to avoid cracking The thought being that a piece that can crack during the annealing and cooling process might also crack during re heating While having compatible COE s between the different colors and the clear tubing and rod is of primary importance similar annealing characteristics of the different glass components are also something that needs to be considered If the annealing temperatures are different enough and the cycle is set for a component with a lower annealing temperature the higher end component s may not be fully annealed and therefore there may be enough residual stress to cause the piece to check either during cooling or at some later date Colors like Forest Green Moss and Blue Spruce all have anneal and strain temperatures approximately 100 degree lower than either the clear or the other standard colors This is by design and is accomplished in the formulation process The softening point
8. greens and purples When worked in a neutral flame it yields bright hazy green white and cream colors When worked in a heavily reducing flame NS 111 Alaskan Thunder produces a nice ash gray It is well suited for stringer application blown work and sculpture Try encasing NS 111 Alaskan Thunder with clear or NS 09 Yellow for great effects NS 112 Mother of Green Pearl is a mossy green sparkle color It is a bright semi opaque aventurine color It is suitable for blown work and some stringer applications Even when thinned it will remain sparkly and bright Work in a neutral to slightly oxidizing flame If worked in a reducing flame the color will not develop reddish streaks Be sure to anneal thoroughly when heavily cased This color is Chrome based so please use caution NS 113 Turbo Amethyst is a smooth dark violet This color is an intensified version of NS 106 Dark Amethyst This is a what you see is what you get color that works like butter Use in a slightly neutral to oxidizing flame for best results NS 113 is the violet version of NS 33 Turbo Cobalt NS 114 Tan Silver Creek is a yellowish cream color It can yield rich purplish blue and creamy tan tones When kept in a more oxidizing environment you will get more of the blues and purples If reduced a silvery haze will appear on the surface NS 114 Tan Silver Creek is easy to work and can take a lot of heat which makes it a forgiving striking color It can be stretched out and is goo
9. heated too aggressively it will over strike and perhaps the haze will re deposit Flame striking is best suited when a color gradient is desired To achieve a uniform color all the way through the work kiln striking is the best option When kiln striking place the un struck haze free Amber Purple in the kiln and hold the work at 1125 1150 for approximately sixty minutes or until it reaches the desired level of intensity Note some thinner work may slump at these temperatures so be vigilant The Exotic Family The next set of colors that we would like to give you a helping hand in using is the Exotic colors This family consists of NS 27 Green Exotic NS 28 Blue Exotic NS 29 Red Exotic and NS 47 Aurora These are the most saturated striking colors on the market and must be worked on a super oxidizing flame to prevent them from reducing They are also sensitive to heat so work them slowly and gently In general the way to attain the brilliant mirror like sheen strike these colors can yield is to work them in an oxidizing flame until the work is complete Then bathe the piece in an extremely reducing flame for only a few seconds Another method of working these colors for other interesting effects is reducing the color then encasing in clear Dragging the clear over the surface can also produce interesting patterns with these colors Overall all but the NS 29 Red Exotic do not strike or change in the kiln and are controlled solely by flame chemistry T
10. length and the sound A reducing flame is one in which the gas is not being fully combusted This means there is not a sufficient amount of oxygen present to burn all the gas Its long wispy candles and soft bushy character easily identify this type of flame A neutral flame is one in which there is an equimolar ratio of propane to oxygen This means that there is enough oxygen to fully combust all the gas A neutral flame is the hottest flame that a torch can put out In identifying a neutral flame look for the sharpening of the candles and for a bright blue glow This indicates that the flame is neutral An oxidizing flame is any flame that has an excess of oxygen present A hissing noise sharp candles and a paler blue color easily identify the flame This flame is cooler than a neutral flame because there is an excess of oxygen flowing though the combusting gasses Learning and identifying these flames is critical in having good control over the colored borosilicate palette A good litmus test in learning to dial in these flames is by working a piece of NS 27 Green Exotic Start by dialing an oxidizing flame in then place the rod in the flame and gather a small glob of glass Take it out of the flame and inspect the color If the rod is still black this indicates that the flame is oxidizing enough Second dial in a soft reducing flame and work the rod A metallic sheen should rapidly develop If this metal deposit occurs when the oxidizing flame
11. section for additional information NS 29 Red Exotic A high intensity striking color Oxidize for bright metallic reds Reduce for earth tones Kilning will yield a darker red See Exotic section for additional information NS 31 Lavender A light transparent color It is not sensitive to flame atmosphere NS 32 Violet A light transparent color It is not sensitive to flame atmosphere NS 33 Turbo Cobalt The most saturated cobalt blue on the market Work in a heavily oxidizing flame to prevent graying NS 34 Extra Light Yellow A lighter version of NS 09 yellow It produces a warm hazy glow when reduced or kilned NS 37 Rootbeer A unique striking color Oxidize for greens and gold tones Reduce for reds and earth tones It will darken in the kiln NS 38 Intense Blue Green A saturated striking color excellent for encasement Oxidize for bright opal blues Reduce for deep smoky greens NS 41 Butterscotch A versatile striking color Oxidize for creamy hues Reduce for a slight silvery tone and deeper browns NS 42 Cinnamon A nice medium intensity brown It is not sensitive to flame atmosphere NS 43 Rust An earthy red color Work in a neutral to oxidizing flame The color will strike to a deeper red in the kiln NS 44 Caramel A lush bright silvery color Oxidize for creamy tan hues Reduce for a bright mirror like sheen NS 45 Blue Moon A saturated striking color Oxidize for brilliant blues and greens Reduce for sea greens and matte grays
12. until the desired darkness is achieved In regards to the applications for these Rubies NS 07L Light Ruby is best suited for sculptural work NS 07 Ruby is best suited for blown work and NS 08 Dark Ruby is best suited for thin applications The next generation of Rubies came with the release of NS 82 Ruby K This red stands out from the rest because of its high optical purity It can be stretched thin without small bubbles or imperfections causing the surface to pucker It is designed to be worked long and hot without livering NS 82 Ruby K is also easier to un strike back to the clear state and offers a more uniform strike This particular Ruby is excellent for sculptural work and blown work NS 82 Ruby K was designed to be kiln struck This is done in the same manner as with the original Rubies The major difference is how NS 82 Ruby K behaves in the kiln By varying the strike time this Ruby can yield shades ranging from NS 07L Light Ruby all the way to NS 08 Dark Ruby It does not over strike or liver if put into the kiln in a clear state If the piece is not clear it can liver as severely as the original Rubies It can however be kilned for a far longer duration of time than the standard Rubies The most recent addition to our line of Rubies is the self striking Ruby family This family is comprised of NS 86 Garnet NS 87 Garnet Dark and NS 88 Pomegranate When working the self striking Ruby work in a hot neutral to oxidizing flame You will note
13. 118 Obtainium is a blackish to grayish sparkle color Use a neutral to oxidizing flame for best results This is a what you see is what you get color To avoid fading try to avoid overheating NS 118 Obtainium is a chrome based color so please use caution You will be amazed at this color It is one of our favorites NS 119 Super Unobtainium is a dark blue sparkle This color has lots of large crystals of metal on the surface It is well suited for stringer application and blown work It is easily worked and can take a lot of heat To keep the color most vibrant work in a neutral to slightly oxidizing flame Try to avoid deep encasement as it may cause cracking Please use NS 119 Super Unobtainium with care and test before you make any thing that is expensive Outside work seems to work just great with no problems Try coating NS 119 Super Unobtainium with NS 86 Garnet or NS 88 Pomegranate to achieve a brilliant ruby sparkle Any transparent color coated over NS 119 Super Unobtainium looks great NS 119 Super Unobtainium has lots more sparkle but does not have the Gun Metal surface of NS 104 Unobtainium NS 120 Silver Unobtainium is also a dark blue sparkle that has silver in it It is well suited for stringer application and blown work It is easily worked and can take a lot of heat To keep the color most vibrant work in a neutral to slightly oxidizing flame Try to avoid deep encasement that may cause cracking When worked in an oxidizing flame NS 1
14. 20 Silver Unobtainium stays a dark blue color with wispy hues of silver over it If reduced the color does not show much sparkle but still has many vivid colors 14 NS 121 Blue Nebula is a dark opaque navy blue color This color is a what you see is what you get color NS 121 Blue Nebula is easily worked in all applications Use an oxidizing flame to cut down on the reduction of Cobalt in the color NS 121 Blue Nebula holds up very nicely when thinned NS 122 Blue Thunder is a dark cobalt blue color with silver When worked in an oxidizing flame NS 122 Blue Thunder yields bright metallic blues When worked in a neutral flame it yields bright hazy greens When worked in a heavily reducing flame NS 122 Blue Thunder produces a nice ash gray It is well suited for stringer application blown work and sculpture NS 122 Blue Thunder is a lighter version of NS 45 Blue Moon with the same working values NS 123 Crystal Bliss is a light cobalt blue with lots of sparkle The color is not heat sensitive and works great NS 123 Crystal Bliss is very light in color and when pulled thin the color will fade to clear We created NS 123 Crystal Bliss the artists that like to coat their colors with sparkle Use an oxidizing flame to cut down on red lines of copper NS 124 Silver Amethyst is a dark violet color with silver Work in a cool oxidizing flame to prevent overheating and striking the color When ready to strike either kiln strike at 1050F or bathe the g
15. NS 107 Green Tea is great for color coils and sculpture work When pulled into stringers the color fades easily This is a chrome based color so please use with a little caution to avoid cracking NS 108 Blue Velvet is a deep navy blue color with small amounts of sparkle Use in an oxidizing flame to cut down on any reduction from the heavy cobalt content This color works great in all applications Chrome is the ingredient that makes the sparkle so please use with caution NS 109 Plum Kush is a black sparkle It is well suited for sculptural applications and blown work It is creamy and works easily When working NS 109 Plum Kush do so in an oxidizing flame A reductive environment will cause gray streaks to develop on the surface and will result in a dull matte finish When applying the color do so gently After it is melted in it can take a lot of heat This is the first black sparkle introduced to the colored borosilicate palette and is a welcome addition to the palette of blacks from which to choose NS 110 Blue Metal is the bigger brother of NS 108 Blue Velvet It has more sparkle and is more dense in color Use an oxidizing flame to cut down on any reduction from the heavy cobalt content This color works great in all applications Chrome is the ingredient that makes the sparkle so please use with caution NS 111 Alaskan Thunder is a black blue silver color When worked in an oxidizing flame NS 111 Alaskan Thunder yields bright metallic blues
16. Northstar Glassworks Inc Northstar Borocolour User s Manual Colored Borosilicate Glass Rod Frit Powder and Tubin Copyright 2009 Northstar Glassworks Inc Table of Contents Our Company What is Borosilicate and how is it unique Factors that Affect Colored Borosilicate Flame Settings Annealing Reduction Heat Sensitive Colors The Amber Purple Family The Exotic Family The Ruby Family Using Northstar Frits amp Powders Using Northstar Tubing Health and Safety Quick Guide to Flame Settings and Colors Our Company We at Northstar are a small team of skilled glass artists and technicians who continue the tradition of making hand pulled color All of our rods are formed and pulled by hand from small batch furnaces to ensure the highest level color uniformity and quality Two operators who must work in sequence to produce good quality glass man each furnace It is a challenging process that requires much practice and dedication We are proud that this old tradition lives on in a world with such a high level of automation Northstar Glassworks was founded in the early 1980 s to offer the first commercially available colored borosilicate palette to the lampworking community Through the years the color palette has been developed and refined Under the leadership of Charles Byles between 2001 until his death in 2006 the integrity and quality of our product reached an unprecedente
17. S 129 Steel Wool can be used in all applications with out cracking issues but use caution in deep encasement We recommend using a neutral oxidizing flame for NS 129 Steel Wool Use in the back of the flame and try a reducing flame to cut down on boiling Try mixing NS 20 Dark Cobalt with NS 129 Steel Wool to get a very nice blue sparkle A little hand mixing of NS 129 Steel Wool will give you the color you desire NS 131 English Ivy is a light transparent aquamarine color that when used in the flame can yield many color hues This color is in the same family as NS 13 Amber Purple and NS 03 Multi so the color possibilities are endless NS 131 English Ivy produces metallic blues and sea greens When reduced this color can yield earthy reds and browns We recommend using an oxidizing flame to achieve the most vivid color Because it is more saturated than NS 13 Amber Purple and NS 03 Multi it will react much more quickly to the particular chemistry of the flame so be careful not to over reduce To yield other interesting effects try encasing NS 131 English Ivy with clear or backing it with an opaque color like NS 54 Star White This color can be stretched thin so it is well suited for delicate blown work stringer application and cane work NS 132 Lokis Lipstick is a silver striking color It is a close companion to NS 13 Amber Purple but with a little more control of the color strike Work NS 132 Lokis Lipstick in an oxidizing flame to achieve the most viv
18. a so that you never have to reach in front of your torch to get a tool or piece of glass Choose your work clothes carefully avoiding synthetic fibers long loose sleeves and shirts with open pockets or pants with folded cuffs Burns can be treated with ice aloe vera sap cold cider vinegar or a variety of home remedies Treat your injuries with respect serious cuts or burns may require professional medical attention Tanks and Torch Potential hazards also exist any time you work with compressed gasses Carefully follow any manufacturer s instructions that come with your regulators or gas tanks and check with your suppliers for safe operating procedures Never move oxygen tanks without their protective cap in place If the tank falls over the valve stem can be sheared off by impacting against a table or other object The pressure inside the tank may then be high enough to send the cylinder flying like a rocket injuring you and damaging your building Oxygen tanks should be either laid on their side and secured to prevent rolling or chained securely to a wall so they don t fall over Note also that oxygen regulators hoses and fittings should never come into contact with grease or oil which can ignite spontaneously in the presence of pure O Be sure to install check valves and flashback regulators on your fuel gas and oxygen regulators to prevent backwards flow of gasses a major hazard in the event of a fire or torch malfunction Make sure th
19. at the object just enough for the frit powder to begin sticking by preheating the frit in your oven the target object can be slightly cooler and therefore less likely to slump Successive layers can then be built up if a heavy coating is desired A light sprinkling of frit may be used as a subtle highlight of brightly colored dots or a substantial layer of color can be built up giving a more uniform or darker look Frit can be coated on the outside of solid or hollow objects It can also be coated on the inside of hollow forms Frit may be fused in completely or left partially raised for a surface texture A sprinkling of frit may also be mixed into the body of a solid gather of glass giving the entire gather color NS 00 Clear frit may be added over a colored object for effect Different colors may be mixed for a custom look Application After first heating the target object hot enough so that frit or powder will stick to it here are some possibilities ROLL METHOD Put the frit powder into a bowl or on a plate and then roll or dip the target object into the frit powder The piece should be rotated for an even coating Repeat as many times as necessary to achieve the desired effect SPRINKLE METHOD Frit may be sprinkled over your object either with a spoon or with the fingers When using this method it is wise to place a clean plate or container under the work area to collect any frit that does not stick invariably some frit will not adhere the
20. at your torch is secured to the work surface so that it doesn t move if a hose is yanked Keep all flammable and combustible materials well away from your torch At the end of each work play day shut off your oxygen and gas tanks and bleed the pressure out of the lines by opening your torch valves Other Hazards These can include muscle strains or other injuries from maneuvering heavy oxygen tanks or repetitive movements such as making hundreds of beads Take frequent breaks and pay attention to your body s signals to minimize these types of injuries Check for accurate height of table to chair for comfortable work Dehydration and heat exhaustion are other possible hazards to watch out for Drink plenty of water especially if you are working with a large flame You may also consider applying a sunscreen to your skin to protect it from the radiation given off by the flame The following references may be useful in protecting yourself from the common hazards of lampworking Artist Beware by Michael McCann available from Center for Safety in the Arts 5 Beekerman St Ste 280 New York NY 10038 Contemporary Lampworking A Practical Guide to Shaping Glass In the Flame by Bandhu Scott Dunham available from Salusa Glassworks P O Box 2354 Prescott AZ 86302 Glassblowing An Introduction to Solid and Blown Glass Sculpturing by Homer L Hoyt Crafts amp Arts Publishing Co Inc 626 Moss St Golden CO 80401 The Artist s Complete Health
21. d for blown work and sculpture If you are looking for something even more intense try NS 44 Caramel or NS 102 Silver Bullet NS 115 Silver Sea Weed is a funky green color It is a wild silver striker that can take a lot of heat and be used in many different applications Working in an oxidizing flame will yield intense purple hues that are like northern lights If reduced this color will inherit wispy cream colors with a tint of green NS 116 Silver Pearl is a green color with a splash of mossy sheen on the surface This is just like NS 115 Silver Sea Weed but with a mossy sheen Use in a hot oxidizing flame NS 116 Silver Pearl is great for color coils and sculpture work When pulled down into stringers the color fades easily This is a chrome based color so please use little caution In an oxidizing atmosphere this color will turn purple green blue and even jadish green If reduced you will get green cream colors and also purple NS 117 Millennium Falcon is a transparent green sparkle It is suitable for blown work and some stringer applications When thinned it will remain sparkly and bright To keep NS 117 Millennium Falcon a pure green work in a neutral to slightly oxidizing flame If worked in a reducing flame it will develop reddish streaks Be sure to anneal thoroughly when heavily encased This color is a transparent version of NS 73 Millennium Moss NS 117 Millennium Falcon works great for coating other colors to make a fast sparkle NS
22. d level Nancy Byles now owns the Company and operates it along with General Manager Abe Fleishman and our team of fifteen Our color palette has grown to be the most comprehensive and highest quality in the industry We are proud to offer a fully compatible line of colors with many of the favorite opal hues of the soda lime palette and a whole array of exciting striking colors unique to the borosilicate palette to explore Our color palette currently offers more than 100 colors with our R amp D department working on the development of new and exciting additions What is Borosilicate and how is it unique Starting in ancient Egyptian times glass artists worked predominately with soda lime glass Soda lime also referred to as soft glass is comprised of silica approx 70 soda approx 1396 and lime approx 11 as denoted by its name These ingredients render an easily malleable glass that has a long work time and a relatively low melting point Because of these working properties this soda lime type glass was and is commonly referred to as soft glass In the late 19 century scientists began experimenting with different glass compositions The fruits of their labor yielded a type of glass known as borosilicate Borosilicate glass as denoted by its name is comprised mainly of silica approx 8096 and boron approx 13 This type of glass melts at a higher temperature and has a shorter working time It is an extremely versatile glass that is
23. duction CAUTION AVOID EXPOSURE TO GLASS DUST ALWAYS USE A DUST MASK AND EXHAUST HOOD WHEN HANDLING FRIT AND POWDER These notes are intended as a general guide Individual results will vary depending upon many factors including type of gas used i e propane or natural gas type of torch used surface or internal mix type of annealing oven used gas or electric and the sequence of heating and cooling Individual batches of color may vary slightly as all the color is hand made Northstar Borocolour should come to you pre labeled for easy identification Please be sure to store your glass colors in a manner that allows you to identify which color you are using and which colors to reorder If you should experience a problem with any of our colors please e mail or call technical support We want to know what your experience is with our colors Your feedback will help us to continually improve our products Experimentation is the key to diversity as well as the best way to master the use of Northstar Borocolour Borosilicate Color Glass Working hand pulled Tubing by Northstar T013 Amber Purple hand pulled color tubing is the first in our new Tubing by Northstar line Work the tubing just like you would the rod form We recommend pre heating each tube in the kiln at 1050f for at least 20 30 minutes before using in the torch This will ensure that there is no loss of tubing from thermal shock Since the tubing is hand pulled the sizin
24. e NS 54 Star White based colors which include NS 55 Periwinkle NS 57 Midnight NS 58 Mint NS 59 Cranberry NS 62 Bubblegum and NS 80 Hyacinth These colors are far less sensitive than the Intense Opaques but must be heated up slowly to ensure they do not boil Once these colors are applied and gently smoothed out they will take more heat without boiling Refer to the reference guide for additional colors to watch for Annealing Though borosilicate is far less sensitive to thermal shock than soda lime glasses it is still crucial for the integrity of the work to kiln anneal With smaller work and less complex vessels flame annealing is a viable option but with thicker sculptural work or more complex assembled work annealing is crucial Provided here is an annealing chart that has been compiled to aid you in programming a cycle for your artwork Borosilicate Annealing Chart THICKNESS 5 0 6 0 Ua EBDBBHDZEUEO Hrs A T 125 deg Hrs A T 200 deg Hrs A T Hrs A T 2 550 deg Hrs Anneal Time 1 hour for every 0 25 inches of piece thickness Soak Time A T 125 deg 50 of the Anneal Time for pieces 0 25 inches thick or less 100 of the anneal time for pieces greater the 0 25 inches thick Soak Time A T 200 deg 25 of the Anneal Time Soak Time A T 350 deg 25 of the Anneal Time Soak Time A T 550 deg 25 of the Anneal Time All temperatures are in degrees F and for 33 expansion borosilicate g
25. entially damaging Ultraviolet and Infrared rays which are emitted when you melt glass in a flame For many years the standard eye protection for lampworkers has been didymium glasses which have the additional feature of filtering out the distracting yellow glare given off by molten glass In recent years other types of protective eyewear have become available some of which are superior to traditional didymium glasses The type of protective eyewear that is right for you depends on the type of glasswork you will be doing For instance making beads would give off less radiation than working a large piece of borosilicate tubing which in turn gives off less than melting fused quartz Also different people may have different sensitivity Please protect your eyes Check with your supplier and other reliable sources for more information on choosing eye protection Respiratory Hazards Melting glass in a flame produces a number of gasses and vapors that can affect your health It is important therefore to ventilate your work area At the very least you should provide dilution ventilation in which a steady stream of air flows across your work area drawing any vapors or gasses away from your face and out of the room Windows at opposite ends of your work area one of which has an exhaust fan can be an effective form of dilution ventilation Some lampworking operations may require local exhaust ventilation such as a fume hood to eliminate haza
26. first time Remove the object from the flame before sprinkling frit Sprinkling directly through the flame is not recommended since the flame will blow some of the frit away This is not only a waste of good frit but can cause a dust problem in your shop see health precautions below TUBE METHOD Frit or powder can be fused to the inside of a hollow object by sprinkling it into a rotating tube Using this method the frit powder may be added either before or after the object has been heated This method can also be used when applying frit to tubing in a glassblowing lathe ROD METHOD A clear or colored rod may be heated usually the tip coated with frit roll method and then applied in the usual manner This is a very quick and easy method of adding color Working In the Frit and Powder Once the desired amount of frit or powder has been deposited onto the object use a relatively cool flame to fuse it in Use a cool flame because the glass is in the form of small particles and until they are mostly fused in are little bumps on the surface of the glass easily caught by the flame and super heated to a boil which could cause a rough texture A hot flame may be used but the object should be passed quickly through the flame so as to heat the frit more gradually Working in the tip of the flame can help While some colors may vary slightly in appearance from rod to frit powder most will retain there working characteristics i e striking oxidation re
27. g will vary Our target size is 19 26mm diameter and 2 5 5 0 mm wall but you will find variation from tube to tube and may see tapering at one end due to the hand pulling process TO13 Amber Purple tubing will give a very consistent strike with no coil lines or air bubbles Work in an oxidizing flame for purples and wispy greens and blues Use a reducing flame to achieve milky creamy hues T103 Amber Purple Tubing can be struck in the kiln or the flame depending on the color you want to achieve Anneal in the same way you would anneal a piece made with rod Refer to the Amber Purple section of this User Manual for more in depth information Health amp Safety Guidelines Like any craft or hobby glass working has some inherent risk of injury to the artist As interest in lampworking has increased it has become clear that general information on potential health and safety risks would be useful The following information is intended to increase your enjoyment of lampworking while adding to your awareness and helping you reduce your exposure to potential hazards These suggestions have been prepared and reviewed by a group of experienced lampworkers Eye Protection Eye protection is very important in lampworking for two reasons First glass can sometimes shatter when placed directly in the flame and you must protect your eyes from flying glass fragments Goggles or glasses with side shields are good for this You must also protect your eyes from pot
28. he NS 29 Red Exotic darkens and will produce a red hue when kilned Out of this family the NS 47 Aurora is the most diverse and produces the most unique shades It is a lot of fun to experiment with Note that because these colors are evenly saturated with metal oxides they must be annealed with care to prevent cracking In addition heavy encasement of these colors is not recommended The Ruby Family The final color family that we will discuss is the Ruby family Northstar s Ruby family is extremely diverse and each of our reds has been carefully formulated for a specific application At the inception of our company we developed and released three shades of our original formula Ruby NS 07L Light Ruby NS 07 Ruby and NS 08 Dark Ruby When working these Rubies do so in a neutral to oxidizing flame When heated they un strike to a transparent state When re heated these reds start to return to their original red color NS 07L is the lightest and will only slightly strike back to its red color in the flame It is best to kiln strike NS 07L Light Ruby and NS 07 Ruby This allows the most uniform and even red to be achieved NS 08 Dark Ruby because of its intensity it will strike easily in the flame or in the kiln You should note that with these reds over striking could occur which yields a dull opaque livery red This can happen by working them too long in the flame or by kilning them too long When kiln striking these reds do so by soaking at 1050 deg F
29. id color range It can be struck in the torch or in the kiln You can achieve colors that look like gold and silver fume and also deep purples If reduced enough it will yield creamy yellows and whites NS 132 Lokis Lipstick works well in all applications It is quickly becoming a must in the artist s palette NS 133 Silver Aqua has been formulated at the request of many artists who love the consistency of NS 126 Opaque Aqua and wanted a silver version to enhance the color spectrum of the piece they are making To achieve the most vivid color work NS 133 Silver Aqua in a neutral flame The hues that can be achieved from NS 133 Silver Aqua range from a deep navy blue and nice blue purples to a whitish yellow hue 15 Please visit our website for lots of additional information including our past Newsletters and great tips on Working our Color www northstarglass com Northstar Glassworks Inc P O Box 230488 Tigard OR 97281 0488 866 684 6986 toll free 503 670 0978 fax sales northstarglass com www northstarglass com
30. idizing flame NS 13 Amber Purple Work in an oxidizing flame for purples Reduction yields an opaque milky amber hue Can be flame or kiln struck Refer to the Amber Purple section for additional information NS 14 Irrid A nice medium intensity striking color Oxidize for metallic blues Reduce for rich opal sea greens NS 15 Turquesa A more saturated version of NS 14 Irrid Oxidize for smoky blues Reduce for vibrant greens NS 19 Light Cobalt The lightest of the cobalt blues It is not sensitive to flame atmosphere NS 20 Dark Cobalt A rich cobalt blue well suited for blown applications Work in an oxidizing flame to prevent dulling or graying NS 23 Pink A light transparent that is not sensitive to flame atmosphere NS 24 Transparent Green A nice transparent shade for sculpture and blown applications Work in an oxidizing flame to prevent red streaking NS 25 Peach A light transparent flesh tone well suited for sculpture It is not sensitive to flame atmosphere NS 26 Double Amber Purple Work in a hot oxidizing flame Refer to the amber purple section for additional information NS 27 Green Exotic A high intensity striking color Slight reduction will yield bright green metallic hues Prolonged exposure will yield earth tones See Exotic section for additional information NS 28 Blue Exotic A high intensity striking color Slight reduction will yield bright Blue metallic hues Prolonged exposure will yield earth tones See Exotic
31. iversity and passed on to the founder of Northstar Glassworks The Amber Purples are known for the wide array of effects that they produce in many different applications They truly epitomize the uniqueness of colored borosilicate striking colors This color set consists of NS 13 Amber Purple NS 26 Double Amber Purple NS 48 Light Blue Amber Purple NS 49 Dark Blue Amber Purple and NS 69 Green Amber Purple Each is designed for a particular application and strike characteristic NS 13 Amber Purple the original shade is best suited for thick blown work and sculptural work This is also the case with the NS 48 Light Blue Amber Purple The other three shades NS 26 Double Amber Purple NS 49 Dark Blue Amber Purple and NS 69 Green Amber Purple are more versatile The darker shades can be used for sculpture but they can be stretched much further making them more suitable for thinner applications For color tips and suggestions visit our website and call for a complimentary brochure with a step by step guide to working the Amber Purples The first and most key variable in achieving a purple strike is how the flame is set Never work the Amber Purples in a reducing flame Set a sharp oxidizing flame to work these colors If the flame is not oxidizing enough the color will opacify and turn a milky yellow When first heating the color you will notice that there is a metallic haze that precipitates on the surface This is reduced silver metal that leaches out of the
32. lass A T Annealing Temperature Critical temperatures for clear Working temperature 2228 degrees F Softening temperature 1508 degrees F Annealing temperature 1050 degrees F Strain temperature 960 degrees F For closed forms assume the wall thickness to be doubled i e 0 125 wall 0 5 wall for annealing 0 5 wall 1 0 wall etc A piece may also be brought to temperatures 100 to 150 degrees above the A T for a few minutes to improve the vibrancy of certain colors This does not improve the annealing process As the wall thickness increases the first soak stage the soak time at the first temperature drop equal to the A T minus 125 degrees becomes more critical in the overall annealing process This temperature is just below the strain point and allows the thicker more complex pieces to cool slowly and come to a steady state before continuing with the ramp down in temperature Additional soak points allow the piece to cool in a controlled fashion and to stabilize before continuing the cooling process The times listed for each of the soak periods includes the ramp down time as well as the time at the new temperature For example for a one inch thick piece the time at the A T is approximately 4 hrs After 4 hrs reduce the temperature by 125 degrees and allow the piece to soak for another 4 hrs Then reduce the temperature again for a 1 hour soak etc The schedule is based on clear and may need to be adjusted for the different
33. lass in a gentle bushy neutral flame to bring out the soft blue strike NS 124 Silver Amethyst is best suited for moderately thick coil potted blown work and sculptural applications When encased in clear this color produces a vibrant violet with wisps of metallic blue Prolonged reduction leads to a grayish blue opaque surface Have fun with this color NS 125 Jet Black is a very dense black It is well suited for sculptural applications and blown work It is creamy and works easily making it a welcome addition to the palette of blacks from which to choose When working NS 125 Jet Black do so in an oxidizing flame If worked in a reductive environment it will develop gray streaks on the surface and result in a dull matte finish When applying the color do so gently After it is melted in it can take a lot of heat NS 125 Jet Black is great in combination with many colors and serves as a background for striking colors NS 126 Opaque Aqua is a very nice opal blue green color It is well suited for stringer application and blown work NS 126 Opaque Aqua will enhance your art because it has a really nice appearance and color It is not susceptible to reduction and is not flame sensitive For best results keep it in a neutral flame NS 129 Steel Wool is a unique addition to the borosilicate color palette It is a funky bumpy color rod that turns smooth when melted It has tons of sparkle and can be mixed with any color to add a sparkly shimmer to any piece N
34. le that looks like NS 80 Hyacinth but works differently in the flame This opaque purple uses chrome based technology but does not have cracking problems It is great for blown work and thin stringer application It is heat and flame sensitive so it must be heated up slowly to prevent boiling Once it glows red NS 101 Purple Urple will take heat well Because of its intensity it is sensitive to reduction If the flame is not oxidizing enough gray and brown streaks will develop on the surface of the glass Try it with a layer of NS 32 Violet for a deep purple effect NS 102 Silver Bullet is a look alike of NS 44 Caramel It is a rich silvery tan color that can be stretched out thin It is great for stringer application and blown work Work in a hot neutral to oxidizing flame for bright tan colors To bring out the silvery mirror like sheen bathe the piece in a reducing flame Try NS 07 Ruby or NS 13 Amber Purple over NS 102 Silver Bullet NS 103 Berry Gumbolt is a fully opaque saturated dark blue It is well suited for stringer application and blown work It is not susceptible to reduction and is not flame sensitive For best results keep it in a neutral flame It is a great backing for such colors as NS 14 Irrid and NS 15 Turquesa and goes well with NS 63 Canary NS 104 Unobtainium is a very dense gun metal blue with lots of sparkle It is well suited for stringer application and blown work It is easily worked and can take a lot of heat To keep the col
35. less dense than soda lime and because of its molecular structure is also more durable Thermal expansion is another property that must be considered when discussing the uniqueness of borosilicate Thermal expansion is a measurement of linear expansion which denotes how much the glass contracts as it is cooled Soda lime glasses are at the highest end of the scale and expand the most as they are heated This means that as they cool they contract or shrink at the greatest rate To prevent cracking this rate of cooling must be carefully controlled using an annealing oven Borosilicate glass however is on the lower end of the thermal expansion scale It expands and contracts at a much lower rate than soda lime glass and is not as susceptible to cracking problems even when cooled quickly without kilning This is why borosilicate is used in the scientific industry as well as for cookware What this means to the artist is when placing borosilicate glass in the flame a rod can be directly inserted into the heat without having to be slowly warmed as is the case with soda lime glass Because of this unique property borosilicate can be used for large sculptures in which a small section can be worked without the entire piece being hot It also allows the artist to selectively heat sections of a work or reheat portions without cracking With soda lime glass a large sculptural work can be very challenging especially when multiple reheats are required Factors tha
36. ntensity self striking Ruby Work in a hot neutral to oxidizing flame It will not liver but can develop brown hues if overworked Kilning will not affect the strike Refer to Ruby section for additional information 12 NS 87 Garnet Dark A high intensity self striking Ruby Work in an oxidizing flame It will not liver but it can develop a brown hue if overworked Kilning will not affect the strike Refer to Ruby section for additional information NS 88 Pomegranate The lightest of the three self striking Rubies Work in a neutral flame Will not liver or develop brown hues The strike must be completed in the kiln at 1050 deg F Refer to Ruby section for additional information NS 89 Nile An appealing earth tone Work in a hot oxidizing flame Burn off haze and kiln or flame strike Work like an Amber Purple NS 90 Rhapsody A nice medium dark intensity shade of purple It is not sensitive to flame atmosphere NS 91 Ninja A nice opaque blue based black Work in a heavily oxidizing flame to prevent graying NS 92 Amethyst A nice light medium intensity shade of purple It is not sensitive to flame atmosphere NS 93 Plum Krazy Work in a cool oxidizing flame to keep color un struck To strike either kiln at 1050F or bathe in a gentle neutral flame to bring out a smoky blue hue Prolonged reduction leads to a grayish blue opaque surface NS 94 Egyptian White Sand Not sensitive to atmosphere but must be worked slowly in a soft unfocused flame
37. of these colors is still the same approximately 1508 so there will not be any piece deformity even though annealing is occurring 100 degrees above the A T These colors were prone to cracking before the re formulations about 18 months ago and one of the objectives was to make them more annealing friendly In general the assumption built into the schedule is that even if the COE s of the clear and different colors are compatible the annealing temperatures may not be If this is the case care must be taken to minimize eliminate the possibility of cracking by increasing the different soak times and decreasing the temperature drops between each soak An additional soak period may also be necessary with some colors Other factors that can increase or require changes to the annealing cycle include The piece complexity and amount of sharp angles design induced stresses Thickness variation within the piece Thermal gradients in the annealing kiln itself more pronounced in larger kilns The absorption characteristics of the colors used variation in the absorption of light in the different spectrums and how this affects radiant cooling heating rates e The amount of re work and extended heating and cooling The Amber Purple Family One of the most elusive and alluring set of colors in the borosilicate color palette is the Amber Purple family The base formulaic origin of this color family was developed by Suellen Fowler while at Pepperdine Un
38. or most vibrant work in a neutral to slightly oxidizing flame Try to avoid deep encasement it may cause cracking Please use NS 104 Unobtainium with care and test your application before making expensive pieces Outside work seems to work just great with no problems Try coating NS 104 Unobtainium with NS 86 Garnet or NS 88 Pomegranate to achieve a brilliant ruby sparkle Any transparent color coated over NS 104 Unobtainium looks great NS 105 Silver Creek is a silver based color which produces the most exciting metallic purples and vermilions as well as silvery greens and blues It is a very stable color It behaves similarly in the flame as NS 13 Amber Purple and NS 26 Double Amber Purple but because of its greater core range more care has to be taken to prevent reduction and boiling NS 105 Silver Creek can be stretched and can be blown relatively thin without losing the vibrant colors Try using with other colors to achieve multi layered color combinations NS 106 Dark Amethyst is a light transparent violet color This is a what you see is what you get color Use in a slightly neutral to oxidizing flame for best results NS 106 Dark Amethyst works like butter so do not hesitate to spread it over other colors The color looks best in solid color blowouts and sculpture work Stringers tend to lose color and may appear as a clear Violet 13 NS 107 Green Tea is a transparent algae green color with no red reduction Use in a hot oxidizing flame
39. or produces smoky blues and sea greens When reduced NS 03 Multi yields earthy reds and gold tones NS 04 Dark Multi A more intense version of NS 03 Multi that will yield similar effects but much more pronounced When worked in an oxidizing flame Dark Multi produces metallic blues and sea greens When reduced NS 04 Dark Multi yields earthy reds and browns NS 05 Orange A bright transparent striking orange that is well suited for sculpture bead work and moderately thin blown work Work in an oxidizing flame and kiln strike NS 06 Dark Orange A more saturated version of NS 05 Orange It is well suited for thin blown work cane work or when a deep semi opaque orange is desired Work in an oxidizing flame It can be kiln or flame struck NS 07L Light Ruby A vibrant transparent striking Ruby Work in a neutral to slightly oxidizing flame It is designed to be kiln struck NS 07 Ruby A medium intensity striking Ruby Work in an oxidizing flame It can be kiln or flame struck NS 08 Dark Ruby The most saturated of the transparent striking Rubies Work in an oxidizing flame Designed primarily for flame striking but can be kilned as well NS 09 Yellow If worked in an oxidizing environment NS 09 Yellow will yield a transparent golden yellow If worked in a neutral to slightly reducing flame NS 09 Yellow will start to darken and opacify Can be flame or kiln struck 10 NS 11 Jade Slightly heat sensitive Work gently at first in a cool ox
40. rdous or irritating vapors and gasses If you find that you feel slightly short of breath or that you have a headache at the end of a work session then you can be certain your ventilation is inadequate An additional respiratory hazard is posed by glass dust particles you might encounter in your studio or work area These include powdered bead release compounds the dust stirred up when you work with vermiculite and loose particles of refractory materials such as brick or ceramic fiber insulation inside your kiln Take care not to inhale these irritating and potentially harmful dust particles Wear a respirator if necessary to reduce your exposure Be aware of hazardous dusts that can be stirred up when you are cleaning your studio You can also use a wet dry shop vacuum to pick up glass particles or use a sweeping compound made for fine particulates in order to keep the glass dust from rising up off the ground Wet down any questionable areas or spills with a spray bottle before wiping with a wet rag to reduce the chances of inhaling particles If you sandblast your finished pieces follow all safety guidelines appropriate to sandblasting Cuts and Burns These can be avoided with common sense and care The most common minor burns occur when someone picks up the end of a glass rod or tube forgetting that it is hot A simple system such as always laying the hot end of a rod away from you can help you remember which end to grab Arrange your work are
41. ss when working with colored borosilicate is tackling the more sensitive colors This group of colors is sensitive to excessive and or aggressive quick heat The reason for this sensitivity is the colorant agent used in these glasses There are many metals such as copper cobalt silver and chrome that have relatively high boiling point and do not volatilize at low temperatures These are ideal colorants because once in the glassy state they take aggressive heat without causing the glass to boil There are some metal oxides however that have extremely low boiling points that even when in the glassy state they do not take heat well Here at Northstar we try to chemically minimize these boiling issues but there is only so much technology can do to curb the nature of particular metal oxides These colors must be worked in cool gentle flames and heated up slowly In order to do so start by gently heating the rod in the upper extremities of the flame Pass it back and forth through the flame so it heats up gently and evenly As it starts to warm it can be brought down closer to the torch head where the heat is more intense If you notice the surface start to overheat move out of the hottest part of the flame This is the key to preventing surface scarring The most challenging of the heat sensitive colors are the Intense Opaques NS 63 Canary NS 64 Lava NS 65 Cherry NS 84 Goldenrod and NS 85 Poppy The other major color family that is sensitive to heat is th
42. t Affect Colored Borosilicate The most unique facet about working borosilicate is the striking color palette Traditionally striking colors were those that returned to their original hue after a period of kilning Borosilicate striking colors on the other hand can produce an entire range of textures and hues simply from a single rod The strikes are repeatable and the colors do not burn out as is the case with certain soda lime colors They are extremely versatile but take careful attention to produce certain effects In this users manual we will help you tackle these issues and make the process of creating these alluring colors repeatable and straightforward In addition to the broad overview of working our colors we will focus in on three of the most interesting and challenging color families to work the Amber Purples the Exotics and the Rubies First we will discuss the major factors that affect colored borosilicate Flame Settings One of the most important factors to achieve success in working colored borosilicate is flame setting In general the majority of the colored borosilicate palette is affected by reduction It is critical to know and understand the flame chemistry to be able to control the color When looking at flame chemistry there are three categories of flames reducing neutral and oxidizing There is much subjectivity in defining how oxidizing or reducing a flame is but it can be judged relatively well by flame color candle
43. that as the glass heats up it will turn clear just like a standard Ruby but as it cools down it will strike to a specific shade that is dependant on its copper concentration Thickness also plays a role in how the final color appears yet even when thinned they are much cleaner less bubbly and a more consistent red Repeated striking and cooling should not result in a shade change or browning specifically with the NS 88 Pomegranate However with the two darker shades NS 86 Garnet and NS 87 Garnet Dark a brown hue can develop in certain applications such as I O work thin work or work in which the heat application is uneven or limited In sculptural applications the two darker self striking Rubies approach a deep shade of burgundy As with the standard Rubies the self striking Rubies have been designed for specific applications The lightest of the three NS 88 Pomegranate is best suited for sculptural applications It is also ideal for mandrel wound beads This is because it has the lowest tendency to develop a brown hue Because of its intensity it will not fully strike on its own and the strike must be finished in the kiln at 1050 deg F NS 86 Garnet the medium strength self striking Ruby is best suited for medium thick blown work and some thin sculptural applications It will fully strike on its own NS 87 Garnet Dark is designed for thin blown work stringers and lip wraps It is not necessarily recommended for certain thick sculptural work
44. to prevent surface scarring and boiling Once melted in smooth heat can be soaked in more rapidly NS 95 Oregon Gray An atmospherically stable opal Work slowly in a soft unfocused flame to prevent surface scarring Once melted in smooth heat can be soaked in more rapidly NS 96 Light Oregon Gray An atmospherically stable opal Work slowly in a soft unfocused flame to prevent surface scarring Once melted in smooth heat can be soaked in more rapidly NS 97 Evergreen A bright fully opaque green Work in an oxidizing flame and heat slowly Color can boil if heated aggressively See the Heat Sensitive color section NS 98 Loch Ness A dark opaque sparkly green Best if worked in a neutral to oxidizing flame Extended annealing tends to bring out a golden hue in this color NS 100 Black Lightning is a very dense black with silver NS 100 Black Lightning can yield a mirror like blue metallic finish or if over reduced an organic earthy tone To keep the Black Lightning most vibrant work in a super oxidizing environment until you are finished with the piece Then turn the flame down and bathe the piece in a super reducing flame for several seconds to produce the mirror like sheen For another great effect encase NS 100 Black Lightning with clear This color can be stretched out and is great for blown work If heavily encased be sure to anneal thoroughly This is the bigger brother of NS 111 Alaskan Thunder NS 101 Purple Urple is a dark purp
45. was dialed in this indicates that there was not a sufficient amount of oxygen present For those just starting out with borosilicate this is an excellent exercise to practice and get comfortable with the flame Reduction Once you are comfortable with the flame settings it is important to know what colors should be worked in what flames Refer to the provided guide for specific flame settings for a particular color In general most borosilicate colors should be worked in oxidizing flames The Cobalt colors the Rubies and all other striking colors are susceptible to reduction If worked in a reducing flame for any great duration these glasses will discolor and lose their appealing hue With the Cobalt colors they streak gray with the copper Rubies they turn a milky red and with the silver base colors they turn a foggy cream color This discoloration is due to a chemical reaction that is caused by un burnt gas in the flame What happens is the gas particles search for oxygen in order for combustion to take place In doing so it robs the surface of the glass of oxygen This causes the metal oxides that are bonded to these oxygen molecules to change valence state and deposit on the surface in the elemental form of the metal This deposit causes the discoloration to occur By increasing the oxygen content in the flame these problems can be eradicated This is the key in keeping the colors brilliant and true Heat Sensitive Colors The next hurdle to cro
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