encasing opals

[Grape]

For the life of me i cant seem to encase an opal without air bubbles. i got rough cut, n heat slowly from the bottom.. whats the deal?

[p.j.]

are you using tubing?

[frillcappa]

could be the rough cut, I know when ive used opals with imperfections ive gotten air bubbles that come out., just like micro bubbles around the opal, nothing serious. Or are you like trapping bubbles of air that is obviously from the glass not encasing cleanly around the opal. Ive only ever encased shaped opals such as spheres and teardrops, But your opals could be such odd shapes that the glass wont cleanly attatch around it, Ie sharp angles and such. pics would tell the whole story if you can get some up

[Grape]

i dont know how to upload pics with my iphone or else i would..

yeah 9.5 tubing

getting micro bubbles where the stone was cut with a saw from the factory and bigger ones that just get trapped..the rough cut are definately rough. when i break em up into smaller pieces they are even more odd shaped and are definately sharp with angles n such.

[Greymatter Glass]

make sure they're super clean. Any dust, oil, or dirt will off-gas as you encase.

clean them with alcohol and/or acetone before encasing.

drop in the tube then pre-heat it in the flame to >1000ºF for a bit before you hit it with the full flame.

[Grape]

thanks! i'll try that

[SNYD]

Make a boat and warm them in the kiln. And like doug said clean them first.

[FredLight]

And if you blow glass like you play Call of Duty, don't suck as much.

Hehehe.

(I'm sure you don't)

[frillcappa]

There isnt much you can do about the saw cuts making it look scuzzy, but to try and get rid of the big bubbles, Do what other said and heat it up slower before you get to a full melt, and try to make sure that the shapes are a bit more simple, and you dont have many acute angles where the glass cant flow back into. I think you got it for the most part. Where are you getting your opals?

[hippi]

hook a blow hose up to the tube and as you incase it suck some of the air out as you go...it helps but u gotta watch what ur doing..can suck to hard or u will get bubbles...

[Grape]

thanks guys!! Fred if this was Call of duty i'd tomahawk that opal in pieces then flamethrow encase it. lol

The opals are from profound. i talked to the dood that works there and he said people polish the saw cut sides on a wheel. he offered to exchange em for polished ones if i dont have any luck with this rough cut, said they should be easier to encase..

really paid attention to the melting proccess last night and did a little better n actually tried what you suggested hippi, and it helped out alotr for sure but still getting bubbles and looks like the edges of the opals are getting a fried.

i didnt expect to have a problem with this cus in theory it sounds simple, just drop the opal in a tube n melt it in. but for some reason im having a hell of a time with em..
thanks ya'll for the help!

[Ubatuba]

If you trap a gnarly bubble, all is not lost. Wipe away all of the clear around the opal till there is almost no clear left.

When it's to the point it's like a shell of clear, wipe away bubbles and scuz. Once it's cleaned up, drop it back in a tube, or push it into a solid marble and back with clear (helps with making sure fancy cut ones are centered up)

[gypsea]

and after you drop it in and get it stuck to the bottomof the tube, hold the tube horizontally in the flame as you melt the glass around the opal. when the glass is about 1/2 way up the opal, make sure it is very white molten, and give the end of the tube a little quick suck to encase the rest of the opal cleanly.

[hashmasta-kut]

has anyone experience placing an encased opal in a donut hole? i was asked to do this, but i dont feel confident really..