Saturday, Feb. 19, 2005 - 6:03 p.m.

wrong red?

I tried out the new red glass rods....and I'm kind of disappointed. The beads didn't turn out with the brilliant transparent red color I had expected and wanted. Instead they are a kind of opaque burgundy. It's not bad, it's just not what I wanted.

It could be me, because red is finicky sometimes, and also because it is a 'striking' color, meaning that the cooled rod is a different color than the rod after heat has been applied.

It could be that I worked the rod too low in the flame, or for too long a time, or something. I was running out of MAPP gas, so the hotter part of my flame kept getting lower and lower.

Or, it could be that I ordered or received the wrong color rods. I got the things from a dealer on eBay, and when I look at the listing for the rods I bought, they *seem* to be a different color than the ones I received. They actually seem to be rather straw-colored in the picture, andthe dealer showed the bright red color by heating and cooling one end of one rod.

I don't know.

I'm starting to think I have the wrong rods altogether, and maybe I should write to the dealer and mention this....

Or it could be my lame flameworking skills.

I dunno.

Any ideas?

I was so looking forward to *brilliant* transparent red beads....

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