Argh!!!!!!!!!!! Cracked Beads

[Simply Us]

What am I doing wrong?????? When I encase using Lauscha clear about half of my beads crack. Does not happen with effetre! I am kiln annealing at a proper schedule. The cracks appear to be only in the Lauscha! They appear sometimes right out of the kiln and sometimes later that day!!!
PLEASE help or I will be forced to start spear chucking Lauscha rods across the yard!!!!!! Which is fine in the winter but when DH starts mowing in the spring he is going to be pissed!!!!
THANKS!
Sandra

[alexm]

What am I doing wrong?????? When I encase using Lauscha clear about half of my beads crack. Does not happen with effetre! I am kiln annealing at a proper schedule. The cracks appear to be only in the Lauscha! They appear sometimes right out of the kiln and sometimes later that day!!!
PLEASE help or I will be forced to start spear chucking Lauscha rods across the yard!!!!!! Which is fine in the winter but when DH starts mowing in the spring he is going to be pissed!!!!
THANKS!
Sandra


Lauscha can crack when you use it to encase. There are several things you can do to avoid this.

1. Use Lauscha clear to make your footprint, then cover it with whatever color your currently use for the base. I don't know why this works, but it works.

2. Do not encase cobalt or white with Lauscha unless you do #1. They are are two colors most prone to cracking when encased with Lauscha.

3. Do not dawdle, put the bead in the kiln immediately after you take it out of the flame. Even a little bit of cooling in the air increases the chances of cracking.

4. Increase your soak time at 960F to 1.5 hours or longer. I often make encased beads at the beginning of a torching session, then let the beads soak while I make other beads.

5. Use a more conservative ramp down than you currently use with Effetre/Moretti.

[Simply Us]

Thanks Alex! I am wondering if I didn't heat the last one evenly before I put it in the kiln. It is a 1" diamond with frit, copper, etc. because all the cracks appeared on only one side. I will try your other suggestions.

[Simply Us]

I thought I would show a picture of the cracks, the one on the left is hard to see. And it is only on the one side. It is a 1" diamond.
10716
Again thanks Alex.
Sandra

[suzanne]

If the crack is not from hole to hole it is most likely an incompatibillity crack. I have had beads encased with lauscha cracking like that, and after a while they would crack even more. I don;t know wich green transparent it is you used but I know czech olive green does not like to be encased with lauscha, and neither does transparent jeansblue, they all cracked just like your bead. Also, you did use some raku, maybe you used a bit too much

Suzanne

[Simply Us]

The base is effetre uranium yellow with raku and opal yellow frit and copper wire, then encased. It cracked about 10 hours after it came out of the kiln and only on one side.
Here are smaller versions which probably have a larger percent of frit and copper and no cracks.
10707
Sandra

[coyotesfamily]

so if its hole to hole what does that mean? I did some encasing last night with lauscha and one of 4 cracked down the mandrel line...i am so bummed cause they were really cool beads, even dh commented that he liked them. Usually he nods and doesn't say much. 8-[

[sarah fike]

so if its hole to hole what does that mean? I did some encasing last night with lauscha and one of 4 cracked down the mandrel line...i am so bummed cause they were really cool beads, even dh commented that he liked them. Usually he nods and doesn't say much. 8-[
If it's hole to hole they are pressed too thin. What is the rule? I think it's that the thickness of the glass has to be equal to or greater than the diameter of the mandrel...

[sarah fike]

The base is effetre uranium yellow with raku and opal yellow frit and copper wire, then encased. It cracked about 10 hours after it came out of the kiln and only on one side.
Here are smaller versions which probably have a larger percent of frit and copper and no cracks.
10707
Sandra
That's a lot of different things in one bead. The frits are a different COE than the encasement and the base, and the copper wire is a whole 'nother issue ;).
Alex's advice is right on. I'd add another rule I read somewhere - Any additives to a bead should total less than 5% of the total material in the bead.... That would include the frit, the copper wire etc.
Beautiful bead, BTW! I'd try again, but lay the footprint in Lauscha clear, then the uranium yellow.
Hope this helps and good luck!

[coyotesfamily]

If it's hole to hole they are pressed too thin. What is the rule? I think it's that the thickness of the glass has to be equal to or greater than the diameter of the mandrel...
hmmm well I used the skinny mandrels (gosh I am tired and can't think of the thickness but the sketti noodle thin ones) and the others are the same...hmmmm....gosh darn it. I guess I will go and make more, stay away from white and see if that helps too. THanks Sarah!