Fiber Blanket Marks On Beads

[FlamingFrog]

Is there any way to somehow polish out fiber blanket marks on beads?

I normally don't have a big problem with marks but the beads I'm doing now have white on one end and encasing on the other. It seems if I let it cool enough that the white doesnt pit in the fiber blanket then the clear end gets to cool and the bead ends up cracking (at least I think that is what is happening).

If you use a fiber blanket and batch anneal later, do you just live with some fiber blanket marks? Is vermiculite any better about not leaving marks?

Lonni

[Dale M.]

IF you are getting ANY marks in beads, using fiber blanket or vermiculite, your beads are to hot when being put into blanket or vermiculite....

If you experience cracking from bead being too cool when putting it into blanket, you may want to go to full time "hot garaging" of bead and full annealing after each bead session....

Dale

[melzip]

Lonnie,

A good way to gauge when to place your beads in the fiber blanket, is.. once you're done with your bead, hold it below your table (out of the light) and watch for the red glow to go away, as soon as the glow is gone, place it in the blanket. Sounds like you were just putting them in a little to soon.

Hope that helps. :biggrin:

[alexm]

Sorry, there is no way to polish out the marks. Are you sure you're getting thermal cracking as opposed to incompatability cracks?

White opaque is very soft, whereas transparents are much stiffer. If you are making beads with white on one end and transparent on the other I would suggest cooling your beads until they don't glow like Melissa said, then give the transparent side a quick turn in the flame, then put it into the fiber blanket.

[FlamingFrog]

Thanks for the replies!

I think I may not have been doing an even heat at the end before allowing to cool and put in the blankie. Today I heated the entire thing till glowing and then twirled him under the table until the glow was gone and popped him in the blankie. All is well. No cracks and no fiber marks! I was puting them in the blankie too hot on one end and not hot enough on the other.

Thanks everybody for the help, I really appreciate it!

Lonni

[cadia]

You can also "tink" it carefully on your torch or other hard metal to make sure it has the hardened sound . I have several that I put away too soon and on top of that I patted them after I tucked them in ...result flat fuzzy beads!!!

[TeresaRB]

Wow...I never thought of that. I always have that element of wondering if it's cooled enough so it doesn't get blankie fibers stuck to it. I'm trying that trick from now on! Thank you! Teresa

Lonnie,

A good way to gauge when to place your beads in the fiber blanket, is.. once you're done with your bead, hold it below your table (out of the light) and watch for the red glow to go away, as soon as the glow is gone, place it in the blanket.

:biggrin:

[FlamingFrog]

Thats a great idea Sally! Thanks!

Lonni

[lunamoonshadow]

I always use the "tink" on the table leg trick @ home too Sally!
(though I did learn once it's a bad idea to do that on a fiberglass/plastic table :lol:--wasn't paying attention, used the wrong table--not the torching table, but one that was nearby :oops: plastic melty stuff on the bead! cool enough for the blankie does not = cool enough not to melt the lawn furniture!)
~luna