How do I anneal properly?

@miniuniworld · #1 2012-03-15, 8:00am

Hello!

I have a newbie kiln question.

If I get a bead annealer (brick insulated) that only has a pyrometer, how can I anneal properly?

do I need a digital controller so it can anneal properly?
If so, does it need to be done professionally? or something that I can do myself?

Thank you so much in advance for all of your help!

Eileen · #2 2012-03-15, 8:09am

Edited to say I was basing this on my large kiln that only has on/off switches for rows of coils (use it to fuse in as well as pottery).
I didn't realize that there was anything in between this & digital, sorry.

Polgarra · #3 2012-03-15, 8:10am

I personally don't know the answer with me pulling up A ton of reference material that is currently packed away but I know it has been discussed on LE. If you use the search function I know you will find tons of info. I am sure someone can direct you to some threads as well.

Best of luck!

@miniuniworld · #4 2012-03-15, 9:07pm

Thanks!

kissmyglassjackie · #5 2012-03-15, 10:06pm

I used a manual controller for years , not brick and not as easy as digital but not that bad. In my chili pepper 3.5 was 960 degrees so i would leave it there for whole working time and then an hr, then turn down for another hr, depending on the size of the beads. Point was to cool larger work slowly. Smaller work is done at this point turn off.it cools slowly on its own if its all closed up and not getting peaked at.

Eileen · #6 2012-03-15, 10:10pm

Ahha, I forgot some kilns have that type of dial.
My other kiln is actually made for pottery even though I do some glass in there too, and I have to switch on/off rows of coils, my error.

@miniuniworld · #7 2012-03-19, 2:14pm

so I am guessing a top loading kiln will not work?

essiemessy · #8 2012-03-19, 2:30pm

So hard to say - I've got a big old ceramics kiln with a big front door. I control it manually - mostly because I'm able to just switch it off after holding for 30-60 minutes, depending on what I'm also batch annealing. I've got enough furniture in there (and I build a little 'fort' for the batch stuff to minimise cool air hitting it when I open the door to put new beads in) to keep it within the annealing range after shutting off. I don't know whether a toploader could apply a similar principle or not.

Eileen · #9 2012-03-19, 4:34pm

I open my top loading ceramics kiln when I'm fusing if I want to bring the temp down quickly, and I would not want to reach down in there to put anything in it.
Batch annealing would probably work if you were careful to control the temps if it has a pyrometer. I was going to try it but found a used Chili Pepper before I got to that stage.

@miniuniworld · #10 2012-03-26, 8:13pm

thanks! I'm still keeping my eyes on GS for a kiln with a bead door... and saving my pennies to get one from Glass hive... which ever come first =)

beadsoncypress · #11 2012-03-27, 3:42am

You can always "cool" them in a crock pot filled with either vermiculite (messy) or Japanese Annealing bubbles until you get your kiln, then you can batch anneal. Programmable controllers are sooo much better than the pyrometer and watching the kiln for hours.

PittsGlass · #12 2012-03-30, 3:33pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by beadsoncypress

You can always "cool" them in a crock pot filled with either vermiculite (messy) or Japanese Annealing bubbles until you get your kiln, then you can batch anneal. Programmable controllers are sooo much better than the pyrometer and watching the kiln for hours.

Yep. The small number of degrees you can go down every few minutes is very tedious work.

There is always confusion about what annealing is. It is not just cooling the glass slow enough to avoid an instant crack. It is about cooling at the scientific rate per min that allows the molecules the time needed to hold hands and become a strong group.

Holding at 950 for an hour does stabilize the heat in the glass and makes it even throughout. Then the glass needs to cool at an even rate (no kiln cools at an even rate without power to the elements) down and through the strain point. We control the temp down to 700 for our brick kilns. Never does the temp make a large jump. To do this properly without a digital controller means adjusting the temp 10-20 degrees every 20 min or so. Even that is not going to give you the same strength as glass that has been cooled with a true annealing cycle.

Lots of folks get away with it. It is up to you how concerned you are with long term strength of your product. Some folks making teeny tiny up to 1/4" beads can get by with that. If your work is more that 1/2" thick, it is not going to be as forgiving.

I have bounced some of my marbles off a concrete floor for days on end without a chip or a break. After all, that is what my grand kids will do with some of them

The marble in question was a deadly combination of Alibastard, 96 Raku, Lauscha clear, cz's and sliver wire all fully encased. That bomb should have blown just from the combination of things that very few can make work together. A good annealing cycle can go along way to solve "incompatibility" issues. No magic here, just science.

@miniuniworld · #13 2012-03-31, 8:12am

Thanks Pam! My daughter dropped a box of my work on the floor... I cried... but she is only 2 so it was my fault to leave it somewhere that she could reach....