Breaking beads

[Bob Torbett]

Okay, Here's the problem. I still have to batch anneal my beads until I get the new studio completed. I've annealed all the beads I had saved since November and none broke. I removed them from the mandrels and cleaned with a diamond reamer on a battery operated Dremel tool. I had a few break while cleaning but, I realized they broke due to incompatable glass. Yesterday I had a batch of nice beads of various designs ready to clean. Within about 5 minutes of cleaning the beads many of them broke. I suspect that the dremel tool may be causing a vibration that may be resonating with the beads strain points causing the breakage.

My question is this. Should I wait to clean the beads until they are annealed or switch to a hand cleaning process to avoid breakage.

HELP Please!!](*,)

Bob

[loco]

First check you bit, is it wobbeling when the dremmel's on on? If so it's bent, replace it.
Make sure you are cleaning the beads UNDER water, just don't let more than the bit in the water. If you clean them above water you are exposing youself to bad stuff and the friction could be causing heat.
Where are they breaking? It could be thermal or compatability caracks. What type of glass are you using?
When I batched annealed I cleaned them after because I didn't want to waste my time cleaning a bead that may break.

[J. Savina]

How heart breaking that your beads are breaking. Batch annealing can be tricky sometimes. I don't do it often with beads, but anneal tempered glass to use in carved projects. The ramp speed can be a critical issue. Too fast and the glass will thermal shock, or it well create some stress that even annealing at usual temperature will not solve. Annealing point temperature is definitely another issue. I usually anneal at around 975 or less for soft glass (slightly higher than the temperature I maintain when annealing straight from the torch and not batch annealing) and 1150 for anything harder than 96 COE. Depending on the thickness of glass you may not be annealing long enough. I'm sure most of these problems will be solved once you get your studio set up and are able to anneal straight from the torch. I bet you can't wait.
J.

[Bob Torbett]

Looking at my last post, I need to be more specific on the breakage. The beads are not breaking while being annealed. They are braking after being cleaned without annealing. The breakage is right down the mandrel hole. That's why I suspect vibration. I am using Effetre and Vetrofond, and do not mix other types with either of them.

Again My question. Do You clean your beads before or after annealing?

Thanks in advance.

Bob

[sleekbeads]

after

[Bob Torbett]

Thanks everyone. I just got so used to cleaning the beads before I got my kiln, that I just kept it up. I know now that I need to clean them after annealing.

Bob

[Pookies85]

Bob, have the beads that are breaking been pressed? I had a terrible time with pressed beads until I could garage my beads. I know some of it could have been from me reheating the bead after pressing, but I don't think I have had a bead crack after pressed since I quit batch annealing.

Good luck!
Lisa

[kbinkster]

Sometimes, after pressing, the glass may get too thin along the mandrel. A good rule of thumb is to have at least a mandrel's width thickness of glass aroud the mandrel.

[Bob Torbett]

No they weren't pressed. They were multiple dot on dot with stripes and layered flowers. I feel perhaps the excessive time in the flame to do these techniques caused extream stress and that cleaning with a diamond reamer in a dremel added to the stress causing the breakage. I deffinately will no longer clean any beads before annealing.

Thanks for everyones help

Bob

[Steph'sBeadCorner]

No they weren't pressed. They were multiple dot on dot with stripes and layered flowers. I feel perhaps the excessive time in the flame to do these techniques caused extream stress and that cleaning with a diamond reamer in a dremel added to the stress causing the breakage. I deffinately will no longer clean any beads before annealing.

Thanks for everyones help

Bob

A hole to hole break is a thermal issue. If you are not putting these into a kiln, try to take more time to bring the whole bead to an even heat first.

I've annealed all the beads I had saved since November and none broke.

The beads you've made since Nov that were annealed first... is the design the same, as in using layers of dots etc? If these were simpler designs that may be why there was less breakage.

Adding different layers of design means the bead is cooling differently, and more stress is created. Heating the bead thoroughly before placing it a blanket or vermiculite will help eliminate the stress.

[Karen Hamilton]

Bob,

I have been making beads alittle over a year and also batch anneal. (working on my studio) and clean my beads after anealling. One reason is then I know any beads I have with clean holes have been annealed.

[kbinkster]

That's very clever, Karen.

[Bob Torbett]

That's a good tip Karen. I'll have to say that's what I'm doing now. No bead gets cleaned until after it's annealed.
Steph, I'm sure the breakage is due to the stresses coming from using dots and layers causing the extra stress. All beads go directly from the torch into the vermiculite or under a blanket for at least 3 hrs before hitting room temp. As soon as I can move the kiln close to my work station, I'll keep it at garaging temp and anneal as soon as I'm finished for that batch, or have enough to fill the kiln. Any more for the day will have to be batch annealed. I think this should cure any further breakage.

Once again. Thanks for the advise everyone,

Bob