Sun Daisy Gems

All glass pieces are made on my Carlise Mini CC torch.  I run this torch with an oxygen concentrator and tanked propane. (see photo of torch below).

All glass pieces are then immediately placed in my Arrow Springs AF-99 kiln for annealing and proper cooling.  This ensures strength, longevity and prevention of cracking due to thermal stress caused when glass is cooled too quickly.

It takes approximatley eight hours for the beads to cool down once the kiln begins to ramp it's tempature down.  Once they are cooled to room tempature they are soaked in some water and the bead release is cleaned out using a dremel tool with a diamond coated tip.

I use glass from a variety of manufactures.  The following are all c.o.e 104 glasses that I use most often:

Morettie/Effreti

Ventrofond

Double Helix

Creation Is Messy (CIM) 

Occassionally I use c.o.e 96 glass. Especially when I want to use a lot of glass frit in my bead design:

Uroboros

Once in a while I'll play with some c.o.e 90 glass:

Bullseye 

I've also been using borocilicate glass that is c.o.e 33. This is considered "hard" glass. Such as:

Northstar

Glass Alchemy

Pyrex

When I am creating little pieces of glass art safety comes first.  I work in a well ventilated studio with proper safety glasses and follow safety procedures.  One should know and study these before beginning to do any torch work.

 My Carlise Mini CC Torch 

My studio before the torch upgrade. (too clean)