annealing weirdness

carolinainmymind · #1 2011-12-09, 12:23pm

Hi all-

I batch annealed several sets of beads last weekend. Two of them- one of mint lozenge, etched and one of calcedony came out of the kiln striated (like ivory does) around the middle. What the heck happened in there? (I use the batch anneal setting on my AF3P Jen-Ken)

Anne Londez · #2 2011-12-09, 1:19pm

I'm not sure about those particular colors but some colors darken during annealing, or rather continue striking. It's most obvious with Effetre opalino's. Maybe that's what happened ? Your beads may already have been striated with a low contrast and the darkening brought it out.

carolinainmymind · #3 2011-12-09, 8:43pm

OK, here are pics, before and after. I swear they are the same beads (I'm still learning photo lighting so the colors are a bit different due to photographer's ineptitude...color is truer on the second shot)

Before

and After

taneres · #4 2011-12-09, 9:00pm

That's Cim, right? It just does that. Some love those striations, some don't!

Kalorlo · #5 2011-12-11, 5:25am

I think the curdling and opacity have to do with how hot they get while annealing: I get that with Effetre opalinos too, and if I put the beads closer to the door, they stay more translucent.

Lisi · #6 2011-12-12, 5:48am

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kalorlo

I think the curdling and opacity have to do with how hot they get while annealing: I get that with Effetre opalinos too, and if I put the beads closer to the door, they stay more translucent.

I find that to be true with some of the CiM opals, like Chalcedony. So I batch anneal those beads and put them near the door, all in a row across the front and they turn out even.

carolinainmymind · #7 2011-12-12, 6:17am

Great! Thanks for letting me know what happened, I was a little confused. I guess now I have to be more careful about how I throw beads in the kiln.

jaci · #8 2011-12-12, 6:18am

You mentioned etched. They weren't etched before batch annealing? Were they? I don't know that it would make a difference. Just throwing it out there

carolinainmymind · #9 2011-12-12, 6:21am

The mint lozenge set was etched before, the calcedony was not. I considered re-etching the mint set, but from everyone's responses, I don't think it would help.

Lisi · #10 2011-12-12, 6:28am

I've batch annealed several of the CiM opals like Kryptonite, Chalcedony, and Rose Quartz and they don't get dull or etched looking, and will remain translucent if I keep them near the door.

I find it rather strange that lately we have had reports of problems with beads "devitrifying" in the kiln. Really, in all the years of making beads and coming to these forums, I have never read anything about that. I always thought devitrification was a torch related thing and it happened to EDP. I have never in nine years ever seen it happen to any other colors, and I've tried just about everything except the expensive silver colors.

Oops, my bad...there is one more besides EDP and it's Sedona.

taneres · #11 2011-12-12, 7:16am

But would you really call what's happening to these colors detrification? I would think of it more as kiln striking.

Lisi · #12 2011-12-12, 6:45pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by taneres

But would you really call what's happening to these colors detrification? I would think of it more as kiln striking.

I think they are believing that the dull etched looking finish is devitrification. Kiln striking on some of the CiM opals makes them go more opaque, is my guess.

Oh, does anyone know - the Effetre opalinos, do the pinks get darker in the kiln?? I always hated them because they went white and I didn't bother with annealing. I made a spacer or two and decided not to bother. Dunk...ssssssst.. lol

jaci · #13 2011-12-12, 9:36pm

Wouldn't you loose your etch if you etched before annealing on a proper schedule? And wouldn't the chemical residue burn off, be potentially very dangerous, and change your kiln atmosphere? I would think so. It just takes the smallest amount of chemical to inhabit a kiln and change everything. It's hard to change it back without changing the bricks after that happens. There was a thread about etching cream not long ago where someone mentioned that a sealed container in a plastic bag under the sink eventually ate away at the glassware in another part of the kitchen. Nasty stuff!

Lisi: If your pink goes white your working too hot....
I can't remember now (I'll check the studio when I go up on we'd) if its the pipelining or the alabaster I have more luck with staying pink. I think it's the alabaster. I love just using it to make messy wound on not melted on spacer looking beads! It's great looming with pixie dust too.

Ditto on the detrify new thing. Oh and add the new line of rechinbach to the detrify list, well at least the opal raspberry. I've heard of a few others from them doing that as well.

carolinainmymind · #14 2011-12-13, 3:13pm

The annealing schedule I used was the programmed batch anneal- ramp to 960, hold 1 hour. I don't think it gets hot enough to "slump" the glass and lose the etched surface.

As for the etch fumes, I hope it's not in my kiln brick! I rinsed them well after etching (maybe even used baking soda?) None of the other beads I annealed had any changes, although most were basic opaque colors. I think the striations may just be a CIM trait that I need to learn to work with.