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Tips, Techniques, and Questions -- Technical questions or tips

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  #1  
Old 2007-06-12, 4:24am
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angie angie is offline
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Default advice on larger beads breaking?

ive just made a good looking bead that i was proud off
it was a 20mm button bead, and it broke straight down the middle i was gutted!!!
can someone please tell me why it happens to the bestest bead or the more detailed bead, as ive noticed if it was just a plain colour bead it would survive, but because it had flowers in it ....it broke.

is it because im working to long on the flowers?
any advice please
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  #2  
Old 2007-06-12, 6:05am
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The Pear Door The Pear Door is offline
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Thermo shock is what causes the down the middle break. If the heat isn't even throught the bead it will crack as it cools unevenly. Or...you admired it too long before putting it in the kiln.

You may be able to heat it back up in the kiln and repair it.
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  #3  
Old 2007-06-12, 6:24am
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that what Vikki said, and the bead knows.It knows how pretty it is and therefor it will break ( murpheys law)
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  #4  
Old 2007-06-12, 6:32am
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angie angie is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by The Pear Door View Post
Thermo shock is what causes the down the middle break. If the heat isn't even throught the bead it will crack as it cools unevenly. Or...you admired it too long before putting it in the kiln.

You may be able to heat it back up in the kiln and repair it.
Just made another and the same things happend, ive made lots of these 20mm button beads before but ive never had this problem happening before except for the odd one!
BTW i put all my beads in vermiculite as i bulk anneal all my beads!
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  #5  
Old 2007-06-12, 6:42am
Mopnglo Mopnglo is offline
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Angie,

I have to bulk anneal as well because my kiln is huge and doesn't have a bead door. I've found I have better results with vermiculite if it is heated at least an hour in a crock pot (the vermiculite). Then making sure that my bead is heated evenly, place it on the outer edge of the crock pot. Of course Murphy's law still play a big part in it, it's still hit and miss, but my crackage (is that a word?) has lessened.
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  #6  
Old 2007-06-12, 6:59am
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Mopnglo View Post
Angie,

I have to bulk anneal as well because my kiln is huge and doesn't have a bead door. I've found I have better results with vermiculite if it is heated at least an hour in a crock pot (the vermiculite). Then making sure that my bead is heated evenly, place it on the outer edge of the crock pot. Of course Murphy's law still play a big part in it, it's still hit and miss, but my crackage (is that a word?) has lessened.
Terri i use the crock pot too, and ive never really had problems, im now thinking maybe its the rods im using, plus frit. i used a morretti pink (broke)and tried pink slipper (Also broke), im now trying white with pink on top and see if that works.

i just have a funny feeling its my colours....maybe im wrong i dunno
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  #7  
Old 2007-06-12, 7:10am
Mopnglo Mopnglo is offline
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It very well could be the colors. I don't know enough about glass to have an educated answer, but I know I can't work trans aqua without them cracking and I work them the same way I have other glass. I'm beginning to think in the glass business I need to have some kind of physic reading to learn what colors I'm compatible with.
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  #8  
Old 2007-06-12, 7:13am
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angie angie is offline
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same here LOL.

ok the white & pink also broke!!
now im thinking its the frit im using , so im trying without frit and see if its that!
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  #9  
Old 2007-06-12, 7:14am
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Peach Blossom Beads Peach Blossom Beads is offline
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Your beads are too big to NOT be put straight into a kiln, plus they're pressed. Most pressed beads, like lentils and buttons will most definitely thermal crack if you don't put them straight into a kiln. Also, most large beads will thermal crack, too. So, you have everything working against you.

This all coming from someone who NEVER had breakage before getting a kiln, unless the beads were pressed. And not all of those broke, but a lot did.

If you don't want to suffer heartache then don't make them. Either that or be prepared that you're going to lose half. The ONLY thing you may be able to do is to be sure you get some great insurance heat in the beads and then the second the surface cools stick it in the vermiculite. Don't wait too long, just long enough so that the vermiculite doesn't stick.

Sorry your beadies broke.

Edited: If you're using frit, you probably want to stop. With frit in the beads, now you really do have EVERYTHING working against you!
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  #10  
Old 2007-06-12, 7:55am
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[quote=taramag;1215312]Your beads are too big to NOT be put straight into a kiln, plus they're pressed. Most pressed beads, like lentils and buttons will most definitely thermal crack if you don't put them straight into a kiln. Also, most large beads will thermal crack, too. So, you have everything working against you.
QUOTE]

If this is the case taramag why has it just started doing it? ive never had any problems before nothings changed, and ive always pressed? it has to be something im doing or it would have happened before and like i said in earlier post i usually get 1/8 that broke, not everyone, its just a bit strange!!
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