Silver Unobtanium cracking...

[DawnT]

I'm wondering if this is normal. I made a set of beads with SU as the base and they are all fine. My focal beads have all cracked. I've made three with SU as the base for a long tab and they've all cracked right down the mandrel. Then I tried a button with a base of clear, SU in the middle and encased. The bead itself is fine but the SU is showing checking underneath the clear. Anyone else have problems with this color?

[Sue in Maine]

Silver unobtanium? I haven't seen this color yet. Can you post a picture?

I've encased blue unobtanium and have been told it doesn't like to be encased. Then again, I've been told it can be. I've had one that worked and one marble that went really bad.

Hope someone answers that knows more than me but would like to see this color if you can post a picture.

Sue

[DawnT]

Here is the pic from NS's website:



It could be that it just doesn't like to be encased. Makes me sad because this bead is one of my favorites of all time!

[Kare TX]

all of mine cracked also. I tried different uses (encased - unencased, small/large, a base of clear, etc.), all cracked. Other beads in the kiln on these days did not crack . Bibidibobidiblue did the same---I've stopped using both colors.

[Bunyip]

all of the unobtaniums are finicky colors. They don't like a lot of heat, so don't work them for a long time, and when you're done, don't do a kiln strike cycle. My best luck with unobtanium has been to mix it into clear very thoroughly and then pull rods from that.

[Oh Honey]

It works ok outside but I tried some vortex marbles with it and it was interesting

[bzglass]

covering these unobs with clear, and encasing, leads to checking from what I have seen.

[Cosmo]

I've never had any problem with any of the Unobtainium colors, and I use a LOT of them. The key is to not anneal them any longer than necessary. For some reason they don't like to stay in the kiln more than 30 minutes or so at annealing temp.

[Oh Honey]

Originally Posted by Cosmo

I've never had any problem with any of the Unobtainium colors, and I use a LOT of them. The key is to not anneal them any longer than necessary. For some reason they don't like to stay in the kiln more than 30 minutes or so at annealing temp.

I annealed mine for 4-6 hours at 1050 before ramping and the result was, well, interesting?

People who didn't know glass thought it was cool. How'd you get all those cracks in there

[DawnT]

Originally Posted by Cosmo

I've never had any problem with any of the Unobtainium colors, and I use a LOT of them. The key is to not anneal them any longer than necessary. For some reason they don't like to stay in the kiln more than 30 minutes or so at annealing temp.

Well that's interesting. I'll try making the bead at the end of my next torch session and see if this works!

[SilverCreek Studio]

According to the NS manual this color is easy to work and can take a lot of heat, but doesn't like to be encased and will crack.
Is best used as stringer app or blown work.

So is the manual wrong?

I would like to know as I plan on going by the book when working with NS glass.....

[pjmarchwinds]

holding the aventurine colors at over 1000 will cause the crystals to grow and changes the coe somehow

[earlbacher]

if you do any work with them, have your kiln set about 980 to garage, then bring it up for your annealing cycle, but only anneal as long as you must... so no striking cycle

[SilverCreek Studio]

So you can't use them with a striking color nor when making others beads that require striking temps in the same session.

Okay that puts me out. I am a scatter brain torcher and will use many different colors in one session as I can't make up my mind on things like this...LOL

[pjmarchwinds]

you can flame strike stuff, just be careful when you hold and garage your beads

[Bunyip]

Just look at your piece and if you see sparkle, change to a non-striking annealing cycle