Surface cracks on beads?

[cherylsart]

http://i160.photobucket.com/albums/t192/cheryls_art/crack.jpg

I have noticed these little cracks the last two times I have made beads with frit. It's the usual 96 frit on 104 glass so I'm not sure why there are cracks.

How much do these affect the structural integrity of the bead? Is this bead unsellable because of the crack?

I don't anneal straight from the flame. This bead has not been annealed.

Thanks!

Cheryl

[squid]

Those are incompatibility cracks and it definitely renders the bead unsellable. I would stop using that particular combo of glass/frit.

[DesertDreamer]

A couple thoughts. It might be batch annealing at fault. I think the degree of incompatibility makes it essential to anneal the beads immediately and allow them to cool down slowly.

Second, what color is the base bead? Is any of the base color peeking through? I've found that, if the base is entirely covered in frit, with no "peeking space" that it will get incompatibility cracks. The two glasses need to move around each other (for lack of a better term) and settle down together. Without that peek space, you end up with an incompatible shell over the base glass.

I wouldn't sell it. There's a risk of that spot popping off and leaving an unsafe crater behind. What a shame, those colors are lovely!

[cherylsart]

I'm going to keep them and make some earrings or something. I figured it would make the bead unsellable.

I'd love to find some 96 rods in white to use with my 96 frit. Anyone know where I can get some?

Cheryl

[Kalera]

Check out www.bridgetownglass.com for smaller quantities, or www.glasscolor.com for larger quantities.

[LyndaJ]

I recently got a bit of Uroboros white, black and amberr. They melted nicely. No soot, pitting, etc. It's 96

[squid]

Uro clear is good too.

[DesertDreamer]

Uroboros white is nearly foolproof! Their clear is great, too. And if you want to go for a softer, antiquey cream that's NOT reactive, their almond is wonderful.

[KariFL]

There are some colors of frit that are absolutely not compatible with 104 glass even in small amounts. Cracks always show up eventually. There is an transparent emerald green and a transparent blue that do not play nicely with 104 but do work with Uro. You may have one of those on the bead?

Kari

[joyce-l-o]

try gafferglassusa.com. Great glass great service. the opal white is the best. I think it's on back order right now but definitly worth the wait!

[Kalera]

One of the things I like about Uroboros is the compatibility with frit... the other is that the colors melt like absolute butter! Also, try the Almond, it's a non-reactive ivory color.

[earthandsky]

I'm kind of getting into that camp of using 96 frit only on 96 glass. I did do some 96 frit on 104 tests just to see how much it could take and got cracks, so I personally would have apprehension about sending 96/104 beads out into the world, as cracks can take a looooong time to show up.

I keep a stash of 96 white, almond, and clear on hand so that when I want to go crazy with frit, I can and not worry. :-)

[Carolyn M]

Cheryl, if you do anneal that bead it will very likely break.

[cherylsart]

Thanks everyone for the input and links. I have way more 96 frit than 104 so I am going to go to Bridgetown Glass and get some rods. I enjoy working with frit but I don't have a kiln and don't have $600 to buy one so changing the COE of the rods is what will work for me for now.

Thanks again!

Cheryl