What Sort of Cracks are These?

essiemessy · #1 2012-07-05, 5:00pm

Hello!

I made this lovely big bead yesterday. This morning it's got cracks all over it.
There are three layers to it: darkish rose pink trans base (Devardi - still testing), encased in Aion2, rolled over a ridged marver; then reduced and encased in clear. Then marvered into a fat bicone.

I've tried to read through the Devardi threads regarding cracking/compatibility and really, the only thing I can probably say for sure, is that I melted the bejeezus out of the base before adding the next layer (from a rod I was pulling down for stringers). Is it really that sensitive to superheating?

I'm not saying that the Devardi is to blame, , since the radial cracks appeared to start at the surface when I first discovered them.
Over a couple of hours, though, they've become visible deeper into the bead. But it's hard to see beyond the haze of the silver glass, so I'm unsure whether it's also cracked at the centre.

It could be from taking so long to marver it into shape, or something completely different. The cracks look anything but thermal. It's not annealed yet, either, though.
This is the only cracked bead from this torching session, and not the biggest of the bunch.

Is anyone familiar with such a result?

AKDesigns · #2 2012-07-05, 5:20pm

It's hard to tell really. With all the marvering and the size and the layers and the fact that it didn't go into a kiln straight from the torch, I'm betting on thermal cracking.

essiemessy · #3 2012-07-05, 5:22pm

Thanks, Amy - I suppose I was wanting to hear that

So, to be clear, thermal cracks can go around the bead instead of along the mandrel sometimes?
Yes, it did take a long time to marver into shape.

Hayley · #4 2012-07-05, 5:23pm

Definitely incompatibility and not thermal. All my beads made with Devardi and silver glass - and one with just Devardi and Diamond Clear - cracked like yours.

Hayley · #5 2012-07-05, 5:31pm

Here is a picture of one of the beads - all the spider web cracks developed over time and finally the bead broke in half.

All the beads went straight into the kiln and were not batch annealed.

Elizabeth Beads · #6 2012-07-05, 5:33pm

Agreed, compatibility, although cracking along the mandrel line can also be compatibility (as well as thermal).

Pinks of all kinds can be persnickety about being encased. Forget about encasing Lauscha pinks or Messy pinks, or do so at your own risk. Effetre pinks are better about being encased. I have not used Devardi with any success.

labelleperle · #7 2012-07-05, 5:46pm

The Devardi transparent rose pink as I recall, was particularly problematic for compatability. Every bead I made with the pink over Effetre White cracked, and on doing some research I found that I wasn't the only one with the problem. Shame, because it is a beautiful pink

AKDesigns · #8 2012-07-05, 5:47pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by essiemessy

Thanks, Amy - I suppose I was wanting to hear that

So, to be clear, thermal cracks can go around the bead instead of along the mandrel sometimes?
Yes, it did take a long time to marver into shape.

Thermal cracks can go any which way. Beads I don't like that don't go in the kiln just get tossed on my workbench. They crack every which way, not always straight down the mandrel. But I guess the consensus is the Devardi is to blame.

Elizabeth Beads · #9 2012-07-05, 6:40pm

It's true that may be a rather large bead to not go right into a hot kiln. It's hard to tell from the photos. So it's anybody's guess what caused the cracking.

I garage and I am very careful to keep my beads warm and I still get the occasional crack, mostly down the mandrel line, some curvy, and some superficial and just in one color on the bead. So many factors are involved.

essiemessy · #10 2012-07-05, 8:42pm

Here is the deterioration a few hours after the first pics:

I wish I could say that was a really cool new dichro in there

I'm not sure still - it could go either way. But I'm not that knowledgable.
I'm hoping the latest pics can shed some more light.
But, again, the cracks that showed up first, were the surface ones, so it could very well be thermal, despite insurance heat throughout the process. The last photo shows a part that looks like you could just pick it right out of there.

But ooh isn't it pretty?

Sometimes it's just one of those things.

Thank you all for your input

AKDesigns · #11 2012-07-05, 8:47pm

You could try doing the same combination except substituting maybe some Aurae for that pink Devardi.

essiemessy · #12 2012-07-05, 8:58pm

Oooh I hadn't though of using a silver base. Definitely worth doing. Just one question.. being a silver glass newb and all.. Do I reduce that too?
Aww nah - I should try that or not, too, eh?

allicat · #13 2012-07-05, 9:01pm

I made a bunch of beads from CIM clear and DH Elektra a few months ago. Most are whole as I type (and keep in mind at that point I did not have a kiln; all were cooled in a fiber blanket). Out of about 20, 4 or 5 cracked; some split widthwise, the others lengthwise. I am quite sure it was due to me looking at the pretty colors combined with the lack of a kiln. I have one that looks an awful lot like yours; if I can get a decent photo (hah!) I'll show you.