garageing beads or other lampwork parts

[zact01]

hi all

I'm sorry if this has already been covered i could not find this using search so i hope I'm not upsetting anyone. I'm just starting out with a kiln and have never used one before. im not sure what temperature to set my kiln to so i can "garage" my beads till im ready to run a full anneal. can anyone advise? i also may in future need to "garage" some components im working on so i can get other parts ready.

additionally I've seen in this vid https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3FaDCZqM9HM he mentions using a kiln mat but a quick google doesn't return any useful results is anyone able to tell me what this is and where they sell them ?


well thank you for reading


zac

[ESC]

Hi Zac. If you're working with soft glass, the newer recommendations are to garage at 920. (It's what Effetre lists as the standard.) And what you're looking for is ceramic fiber blanket. Available on eBay, Etsy, probably Amazon.

[LBJ]

Check the manufacturers website for their holding and annealing specs. for any specific glass they make.
I'm a boro fabricator so... 975° & 1050°/+.

Sounds like you might want to touch up on the process of annealing.
A little more to it than just setting sticking your glass in the chamber, setting a temp and hoping for the best.
There's a few variables that come into play where configuring your annealing cycle(s).

A bucket of Perlite (Home Depot or Lowes or gardening supply) will insulate a piece of hot glass allowing it to gradually cool down for future annealing processes without it cracking, "usually".

[Three Muses Glass]

The kiln mats are refractory cloth, usually rated to 1800F.
The ones that MGA sells look like 'lava cloth'. I had one for my Bluebird made by someone who sewed the edges (and possibly pre-burned the binders?) so they weren't raw. I don't know if they do it anymore and can't remember their name.
MGA- https://www.mountainglass.com/tools-...ries/kiln-mats

Slumpy's sells a different kind. Never used it so I can't say if it needs to be pre-burned or not. If not, you should go at least 100 degrees higher than any temp you'll want to work at if possible. Also, it may stink and smoke. Anyway, it's an option but I can't recommend it since I haven't used it.
https://www.slumpys.com/Warm-Glass-S...ek-Fiber-Cloth

[rcktscientist]

As mentioned before, you can cool your beads (still on mandrel) using ceramic fiber blanket. Just get the 1" thick stuff and stick your beads between 2 layers of it. Once cool, you can remove beads and clean, then batch anneal per glass type and maximum thickness. Do a bit more research on what annealing is and it should help a lot.

FYI, kiln mats are meant to keep "hot" glass from touching the "cold" kiln floor. And to minimize kiln dust on the glass.

Good luck!

[LBJ]

I purchased one of these "woven" fiberglass matts about 4 years ago and it disintegrated in short order.
https://www.mountainglass.com/tools-...ries/kiln-mats

Been using 1/4" fiber blanket ever since. Ebay.
It's actually a compressed fiber blanket making it more of a matt than a blanket which is ideal for kiln floor applications.

[Listenup]

My settings can vary a bit. If I'm working with silver glass, I garage at 900, else I go for 968.