Silver Unobtanium

[playingwithfirebeads]

Is silver unobtanium one of those glasses that cracks when encased? I pretty much never have cracking issues but it looks like 4 of 6 beads cracked and I bet the other 2 will later.

Thanks,

Bonny

[AuntD]

I made a marble with silver unobtainium, and got the same kind of cracking I got with deep encasement of greens. I vote yes.

[Mr. Smiley]

Yeah, it's a tough one... work very oxidized and don't kiln longer than necessary... it helps. ;)

[Mr. Smiley]

It helps if you mix it with some clear too... I wouldn't deep encase this one.

[playingwithfirebeads]

Thanks all. Looks like I'll have to keep them for me.

Bonny

[TAKnight]

For beads I make the core clear - then the Silver Unotainium and decorations - then a very thin layer of clear
Garage at 980 - then ramp up and anneal at a minimum schedule based on your bead size - basically I use my Green's schedule

this has taken away 90% of my problems - but it does not like to be in the same bead with any of the NS exotics, GA indigo

or just large frit instead of completely encasing

w/o some encasing I don't find this as a good bead color
I have about 1/2 lb left and won't purchase ths color again

[AuntD]

Not that keeping beads for yourself is a bad thing... but have you tried just not encasing them? I like silver unobtainium uncased. You can do a lot of things with it.

[playingwithfirebeads]

I have used it for decorative stringer before but this the first time I used it as a base. Plus, I did use some green exotic and aurora in small amounts. Live and learn LOL.

Bonny

[Cosmo]

I've never had a problem with any of the Unobtainium colors cracking. I've used Silver Unobtainium in particular inside a 2" vortex marble, and a year later it's still fine.

[Mr. Smiley]

Might be a batch thing... or just your mad marble skills there Chad. You make some really really nice marbles man.


I only had one nightmare batch of sparkle color... and that was a jar of transparent millennium moss... it checked no matter what i did. To make it even worse... I used it in a mix I handed out in a CLASS! All the student pendants had that extra sparkle nobody wants. It was all taken very well, they didn't hang me from a tree. I was also bummed to have to throw out one of my last jars of that lovely frit.


One of the most important things with greens and sparkles is oxygen... lots of it. ;)

[Cosmo]

Yeah, most sparkles I don't like to encase. But, I have had zero problems with the Unobtainium line and Loch Ness.

[evolvingBeau]

I used some silver unobtanium and some reg. unobtanium in an inside-out bead yesterday and they're right as rain.
I've had trouble with the same batch of (pretty sure anyway) unobtainium I have around but I think my old torch may have been to blame.
It seems like I'm getting away with more since I upgraded from my old National 3A to a Phantom. It's obvious that the National is far more reducing and this is a sure way to inspire incompatibility in the greens and sparkle colors.

[chayes]

Try watering it down with clear