Question 1

How did you make your encased murrini samples?

doublehelixgl · Accepted Answer

Those murrini samples are cabs/marbles. I get an 8-10mm gather of Aether, allow it to cool some, heat the spot where I am going to put the chip, while preheating the chip out past the end of the flame (using tweezers). Then apply the chip and adjust with tweezers. Then out to the end of the flame to heat the chip gently, until slight glow. Then more heat, and press halfway with a cold metal thing (butter knife). Then heat again and press again to make flat, almost flush with Aether base. Then gently polish chip with pointy flame. Now prepare 7-8mm Aether cane by pinching off the cut end with tweezers and gathering 8-10mm ball, get quite hot and drop onto chip (evenly). Then apply heat to Encasing blob while holding blob upwards, so clear glass flows evenly down over chip, eventually allowing flame to hit both Aether blobs, smoothly encasing chip.

Question 2

I mixed up my rods without labels. How can I tell them apart?

doublehelixgl · Accepted Answer

Most of our colors have distinctive tonalities that make cold identification easy, but a few are similar enough to require a closer look, or a non-destructive flame test to determine. Our reduction colors have a more consistent rod tonality throughout a pot of glass than our striking colors do. Because the glass is striking as it cools in the pot while we pull it out, there is a normal variation in all of our striking colors rod tonality. 

Gaia = transparent emerald green rods.

Kronos2 = transparent or opaque cobalt blue rods

Aurae = transparent dark pink rods

Kalypso = translucent orange / tan rods

Aion2 = clear rods with small air bubbles

Elektra2.1 = aquamarine blue rods

Terranova2.1 = brown-red or tan rods

Helios = transparent golden yellow

Clio = Transparent light blue/green in fluorescent light, and pink/lavender in incandescent light or sunlight

Pandora2 = Light Transparent Green

Aether = Clear rods, cut ends appear light blue, usually 6-7mm diameter.

Terra2 = Opaque tan rods with white flecks

Ekho = Transparent Amber to Opaque Tan Rods.

Luna3 = Transparent Amber rods, sometimes with thin veil of greenish tan on exterior.

When storing the easy-to-mix-up colors, like Triton and Nyx, you may wish to label each rod. I like to use the rod labels as a "wrap" on the end with just an initial like "T" or "N". That way the tag doesn't have a "flap" to mess with my rotation of the rod.

Psyche, Triton, and Nyx all look like black rods until held up to an incandescent light bulb. Psyche will transmit a dark amethyst/purple color while Triton and Nyx will transmit a dark cobalt blue. To tell Triton and Nyx apart, place the tip of a rod in a reduction flame. Triton will luster to a clean chrome whereas Nyx will have a dirtier, greenish reduction. A rod of Nyx will also turn blue when annealed for an extended period of time. 

Aion2, Aether and Zephyr are all transparent rods. To tell them apart, look at the end of the rod. The ends of Aether will be blue, and the ends of Aion and Zephyr will be yellow to clear. To tell Zephyr and Aion apart, place the end of the rod in a reduction flame. If it’s Aion2 the rod will turn silver/yellow. Rods of Aion2 usually have many tiny air bubbles throughout the rod (“seeds”).

Luna2.1, Khaos, Ekho, and Terra2 are all somewhat similar in rod form. All are usually amber or tan colored. Terra2 is opaque and has little white flecks/sparkles in it. Ekho is often a darker translucent brown, Khaos is smooth and creamy opaque.

The rod tonalities of Clio and Pandora can be very similar. Pandora is a kiln striking glass that does not luster. Clio is a lustering glass that flame strikes to an orangey-pinky-red color. Both colors can look transparent greenish in the rod. To tell them apart, set a light reduction flame and heat the tip of the rod for a few seconds. If it turns metallic silver, it is Clio.

Skiron Seconds (1/2 lb)

Skiron (1/4 lb)

Skylla Seconds (1/2 lb)

How did you make your encased murrini samples?

I mixed up my rods without labels. How can I tell them apart?

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