Discolored beads

[glasser]

I hold my breath when I open the kiln after annealing. This was my 3rd batch anneal from a cold start. These beads were at least 48 hrs old. The other 2 times I was rewarded by pretty beads, (even if they are a tad wonky). Today this is what I found. It only happened to the Turquoise ones, the discoloration is on both sides, circling the mandrel hole. My first thought was I had burned them when making them, but none of the others have this. This discoloration was not present before annealing. The load had several different color beads, all Moretti glass. I used the annealing schedule from FTG for my controller.

R1 850 deg/hr to 960° Hold 1 hr (add additional 30 min for beads over ½" which I did) so hold time was 1 hr 30 min.
R2 600deg/hr to 400 hold-0

Is this schedule too aggressive? Seems like maybe we got to 940° too fast. BTW Someone told me to always anneal soft glass to 960°, the directions said 940°, did I maybe scortch them? TIA for any ideas on what might be wrong. Pam

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v680/glasser/Warm%20Glass/discolored.jpg

[chrisdd]

Turquoise tends to do this very easily. Soak them in Coke for a while and it should just rub off. Nice beads. :-)

[CorriDawn]

soak them in coke, or take them and wipe with etching solution and immediately wash it off. It will get the gunk off without etching the bead

[Kalera]

If you do the Coke thing, do it at room temperature... it won't work (or if it does, it takes forever) if you put them in the fridge.

[glasser]

I am a coke-a-holic and would you believe it DH drank the last one and I am out!!!! Wonder if Dr. Pepper will work, lol. Lordy, if Coke will take this mess off think of what my stomach must look like!

[Kalera]

Dr. Pepper might work... I think it has something to do with the acids in some sodas. Give it a whirl!

[cghipp]

I'm pretty sure the acid in your stomach is much more potent than the acid in Coke!

Courtney

[Rebekah]

No kidding. The stuff in your stomach is dang strong.

:lol:

Rebekah

[Kevan]

I have never had the coke thing work EVER. I don't get it at all.

[glasser]

Well, thanks Ya'll. The Dr. P didn't work, am gonna try the etching stuff. The discoloration appears to be part of the glass, not something I could scrape off. We will see. I may just completely ethch this batch and alternate with the shiny ones.

Does anyone feel maybe my annealing schedule is too aggressive. I posted it up top. Maybe I cooked the bead to long in the flame. I am hoping it is just the turquoise glass and not something I am doing. Thanks Chrisdd, I am doing the ppp thing. I see an improvement, but still looking for that sweet spot. I actually caught myself in a "zone". I think that might be a good thing!

[Cosmo]

The annealing schedule doesn't have anything to do with the color on the beads. It's a result of flame chemistry probably. I tend to work turquoise with a pretty oxidizing flame to prevent things like that.

[glasser]

Thanks CorriDawn. IT WORKED :!: No more discoloration at all. And thanks also Chad I will try the oxidizing flame next time. And thank you to all who relied to my question. Is this a great place or what??? Maybe someday I can answer a newbie's question. Till then I will keep reading and keep practicing and keep learning! Pam

[Kalera]

I have never had the coke thing work EVER. I don't get it at all.

It takes several hours - sometimes overnight. And you HAVE to soak them at room temperature or above, though I find that warm Coke is too aggressive and can remove the discoloration unevenly, leaving dark spots where the beads touch. It does work a lot faster if you warm it up a bit though.

[Kevan]

I'll try that. I have left them in for two days and nothing happened. Maybe it wasn't something coke could overcome.

BTW, a prostitute and whore are the same thing. A slut does it for love.:wave:

[Steph'sBeadCorner]

Does this also happen with reds? I put some in coke today...but it was cold.. so I'm going to try the etch and warm coke.

Thanks so much!!

[glasser]

253428[QUOTE=glasser;205738]

I am bumping this due to a request to see the pic again. BTW I did use Acid Etch to remove the discoloration without a problem. Someone on another forum had suggested to soak in a cleaner for toilets called "Sno-Bol" Not done this just repeating info.

I hold my breath when I open the kiln after annealing. This was my 3rd batch anneal from a cold start. These beads were at least 48 hrs old. The other 2 times I was rewarded by pretty beads, (even if they are a tad wonky). Today this is what I found. It only happened to the Turquoise ones, the discoloration is on both sides, circling the mandrel hole. My first thought was I had burned them when making them, but none of the others have this. This discoloration was not present before annealing. The load had several different color beads, all Moretti glass. I used the annealing schedule from FTG for my controller.

R1 850 deg/hr to 960° Hold 1 hr (add additional 30 min for beads over ½" which I did) so hold time was 1 hr 30 min.
R2 600deg/hr to 400 hold-0

Is this schedule too aggressive? Seems like maybe we got to 940° too fast. BTW Someone told me to always anneal soft glass to 960°, the directions said 940°, did I maybe scortch them? TIA for any ideas on what might be wrong. Pam

[Lyssa]

Were the beads smooth where the color was or were they rough?

[Lisi]

253428[QUOTE=glasser;205738]

I am bumping this due to a request to see the pic again. BTW I did use Acid Etch to remove the discoloration without a problem. Someone on another forum had suggested to soak in a cleaner for toilets called "Sno-Bol" Not done this just repeating info.

Yep, that was probably me. I recommend Snobol because it works the best but I've read that other brands work, like Toilet Duck and the Lysol brand. In fact, I'm going to soak about 200 beads in it later on today. All have turquoise and some copper green. Plus some of my mini beads have rust around the holes from being left in the water too long. It gets rid of that too.

Toilet cleaner solution - 2 parts to 1 part water. Store in a plastic jar with plastic lid, like a mayonnaise or peanut butter jar. You can store it for a long time and it will remain effective. If you don't have plastic, you can use a glass jar temporarily but over time it will eat the glass and render your solution less effective. Common sense. lol :)

[glasser]

Aimee, the beads were smooth all over, no rough or raised places. Thanks for jumping in Lisi. Good to know how to use the TC sol.

[Lisi]

Aimee, the beads were smooth all over, no rough or raised places. Thanks for jumping in Lisi. Good to know how to use the TC sol.

You are welcome! :)

[polka dottie]

Strangely enough, sometimes that discoloration can be wiped off with a soft cloth. It happens to turquoise and copper green mostly. I use a toilet bowl cleaner called "the works" that is good for this but I have also been able to just wipe it off at times.

[Lisi]

Strangely enough, sometimes that discoloration can be wiped off with a soft cloth. It happens to turquoise and copper green mostly. I use a toilet bowl cleaner called "the works" that is good for this but I have also been able to just wipe it off at times.

My beads are too small, round, and slippery to wipe it off of them, even when they are dry. I mean, "ping!" Then it's bounce-bounce-bounce and "where the hell did it go, dammit!!" Sometimes it's hard to hold on to the little things just to string them on the ribbons.

Oh yes, The Works is another brand that is effective. Couldn't remember that one for my previous post. :)

[essiemessy]

No kidding. The stuff in your stomach is dang strong.

:lol:

Rebekah

Last resort.... Swallow the little suckers? :lol:

[Lyssa]

Ooh. Interesting idea.

Last resort.... Swallow the little suckers? :lol:

[VenusBeads]

I don't think anyone mentioned "Whink." I think it's used to clean silver? Not sure, but I buy it as Wal Mart. It works amazing. MAKE SURE NOT TO TOUCH IT WITH BARE HANDS. I keep a little of it in a PVC container with a lid. I use a mandrel to fish them out of the dish that I keep the Whink in and then I rinse them under running water. Works like a charm.