I'm leaning toward I'm pressing them too hot and too thin. They either crack as soon as I get them off the mandrel or while I'm cleaning them.
I am using Blue Sludge but I've actually had less cracking with it then what I was using before (can't remember what) but right now I have a mixture of several including the Blue Sludge. I'm using one from Etsy that comes as a powder and you mix water to it.
The mandrels are old so I don't think that's the problem unless there's something about old mandrels I missed.
I will make sure I'm heating both sides before putting in kiln but I'm pretty sure I do anyways.
Here's a picture of the last beads that cracked.
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