Paragon bluebird fiber or brick? If fiber, you may be putting them in too hot. brick at least you can clean pretty well. I have a fiber bluebird, I haven't cleaned mine, scared to ruin the lining.
Try a mandrel rack for inside your kiln so that the beads don't touch the floor. Use a rod rest (inexpensive at most glass supply houses) if you don't have something that will serve.
The metal deposition theory is definitely a thought as well. The first picture, furthest left, definitely appears that way.
Suggestion to "save" those beads - Sandblast. I'm not a big fan of etching on beads usually, I just prefer glossy glass, but it's a beautiful technique when done right.
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Chris Scala
Fortune Cookie say, "When things go wrong, don't go with them!"
Current Glass-Melting Apparatus:
GTT Lynx powered by 2 5 LPM Oxycons and
a sexy Barracuda running pure tanked Oxy
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