Baking Soda Finish
 

I have a question. I've made beads over the years that I thought would be fun to roll in baking soda as a finish before putting them in the kiln. I usually make the shape of the bead, roll it in baking soda, stick it in the flame for the residual soda to burn off, then put it in the kiln. And that all works great! The beads look like lava beads, they are awesome. BUT.... I've noticed that they seem to flake, shed, become dusty with minute particles of glass dust. I believe this is because the surface of the bead is compromised by the backing soda. I'd like to make more of these and sell them, but I don't want them to arrive in a bag of dusty glass to the new owner. And besides, wearing glass beads like that can't be safe.

Hi Alexis. I've made some of these over the years, but I found the 'trick', if you will, is to very lightly dust with baking soda. Most folks, I think, roll in baking soda with the glass almost molten. It picks up too much baking soda and so it continues to react with the glass for a very long time. I've got a couple that i kept that I've been wearing since the early 2000's that have never flaked or disintegrated. HTH

Give them a nice soak in vinegar, that'll help quite a bit.

Yes, I've also found that the way you have to apply it is by pinching a little and dusting the bead ever so lightly while turning the mandrel. I found that the beads I get too much baking soda on are way to abrasive to be worn. I think the reaction would depend on what the glass is too.

great advice, I always thought you had to use a lot of baking soda. I have the tut, and I should try this. It's such a gorgeous look. Thanks for asking, Alexis

I wonder if a salt shaker would give you a better control of the quantity baking soda applied?

I use an enamel sifter to dust a thiiiin layer on the flat side of a graphite marver and then roll the bead in that and tap all the excess off the bead.