Batch annealing - where can I send 'em?

[magpiejst]

Not a chance in the world for me to get a kiln but I'm making beads like a mad person and the place I've been able to get them annealed will be an on and off proposition. Anyone know of someone/somewhere near NYC (or - if I can mail them, not necessarily near) that I might be able to bring/send beads to be annealed?

Judy

[Emmett's Glass]

try technolux in brooklyn.
E

[FiredDesires]

Judy.....did you find someone yet? I can't believe someone closer to you hasn't chimed in here.....I'm clean across the U.S. but I'd do it for you if you don't find somebody........come on guys.....help a fellow out.

[Julabula]

Well, I'm nowhere near NYC, lol, but I've got a great kiln and would be happy to batch anneal your beads and send them back. Feel free to give me a PM if you'd be interested.

~ Jules

[robinbrown]

I have a question. How does this work? Won't the beads be very cold?
Will they not break? How long can a bead me made then batch annealed?

Sorry for the questions. This gives me hope!

Thanks, Robin

[magpiejst]

I was surprised to learn about batch annealing too since the first workshop I did we popped the beads right into the kiln on their mandrels.

I use a crock pot filled with vermiculite that I got at a garden supply store. (the vermiculite not the pot - I got the pot at a thrift store, brand new for six bucks). Sometimes I heat the stuff, sometimes I forget but it doesn't really seem to matter. You put the bead, cooled past the glowy red stage, into the vermiculite until it cools, then remove it from the mandrel and clean (or not). Evidently there's a window of time when you can then put the beads into a cold kiln, heat gradually up to annealing temperature and then cool. Voila, annealed beads.

Judy

[MikeAurelius]

Actually, the "window" is quite long, depending on how well they cooled down. It can be several months if not years.

The key is slowly raising the temperature in the kiln from room temperature to annealing temperature - usually about 2 hours or so. If you were to just toss them in a cold kiln and set it to annealing temperature, or toss them in a hot kiln, chances are very good they will heat shock and break.

Once they reach annealing temperature, they can follow the normal annealing cycle, of hold, ramp down etc.

There is usually a slightly higher incidence of spontaneous breakage of batch annealed beads than annealing at the end of day, but nothing extreme.

[Lara]

I batch anneal I would be happy to anneal your beads too.