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

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  #1  
Old 2015-01-04, 5:30am
ekoocma ekoocma is offline
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Question New To Flamework with PROBLEMS

I'm new to this (since August 2014) and am starting to do nicer beads. I'm getting more concerned now that I keep having beads break. When I started I attributed it to not annealing so now I have a Paragon Bluebird. Running at 1000 for 4 hours (I don't do any more beads after 3 hours) and all beads go from the torch into the hot kiln. This gives me a soak for 1 hour. Next is a ramp down at 300 deg to 850, hold for 1 hour, down 300 deg to 700 hold for 1 hour, down at 700 deg to 600 deg for 10 minutes and then off.
I'm using Devardi glass. I've been able to do some encasing that actually has not yet cracked and most of my beads are under 1/2 inch.
For my last batch of 14 beads, 1 split completely (ivory with turquoise blobs) and one with multiple layer dots with translucent color over semi-opaque has a visible crack on a couple of the dots. The glass remains intact at this time so I'm wearing them until they break!
Anyone have any help for me? What is the normal failure rate on a batch of beads?
Thanks for your input.
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  #2  
Old 2015-01-04, 6:27am
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HannahRachel HannahRachel is offline
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You might be waiting too long before you put them into the kiln. You need to pop them in right after they stop glowing. The other possibility might be the Devardi. Many of the folks here will tell you to switch to Moretti.
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  #3  
Old 2015-01-04, 6:46am
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Eileen Eileen is offline
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Can you post a picture? Are the cracks running along the mandrel line, or more spider webb/lightning all over cracks?
Just for comparison, my little Chilli Pepper I have set at 930ish I think (unless I have glass that needs more heat) to hold for 10 hours, then when I put in the last bead I skip to anneal for an hour (925) and then come down 145° to 500 and off. So it makes me wonder if you're coming down too quickly at 300.
Do the cracked beads have any glass in common?
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  #4  
Old 2015-01-04, 7:11am
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echeveria echeveria is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ekoocma View Post
one with multiple layer dots with translucent color over semi-opaque has a visible crack on a couple of the dots.
Thanks for your input.
This sounds like incompatibility. That is not uncommon with glass colors that can be described as translucent and semi-opaque.

There may be people that can confirm whether your specific combination is a known problem if you list specific colors.

The ivory and turquiose should work fine, at least it does for Effetre.

I ramp down at 400 per hour, so I don't think 300 should be a problem. My beads are generally on the small side though. One day I am going to summon the fortitude to really read Jim Kervin's chapter on annealing.
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Old 2015-01-04, 7:32am
Floorkasp Floorkasp is offline
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After about a year of lampworking, and never having any cracking issues, I tried some Devardi glass. I made a set of beads with opaque/semi opaque and then a translucent line across melted in. All of them had cracks appear in the line. All beads were in the green/turquoise range. Some came out of the kiln cracked, others cracked in the next few days. Don't think Devardi glass and I are going to be friends. Apparantly it needs to be worked cooler and slower than I am used to.
Considering you have been working with Devardi before this problem, it may have nothing to do with the glass, but I still thought I'd let you know my experience.
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  #6  
Old 2015-01-04, 8:03am
ekoocma ekoocma is offline
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I appreciate all replies! Thanks everyone. I'm going to try a different soak temp (maybe I should ask Devardi what they recommend). I think I'm getting them into the kiln without too much of a cool-down.
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  #7  
Old 2015-01-04, 8:06am
ekoocma ekoocma is offline
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Eileen, the opaque broke along the mandrel line. The crack without breaking are at the clear dots. I will try to do some photos. I'm actually better with the computer and camera than the torch!
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  #8  
Old 2015-01-04, 8:32am
ekoocma ekoocma is offline
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Default Photos of my cracked up creations.

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  #9  
Old 2015-01-04, 8:52am
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echeveria echeveria is offline
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Two on the left look thermal, and one on the right compatability
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  #10  
Old 2015-01-04, 9:05am
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if you want to know if the bead is hot enough
put it under the table to see if it has a glow if not too cool
black is harder to see
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  #11  
Old 2015-01-04, 10:33am
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Quote:
Originally Posted by echeveria View Post
Two on the left look thermal, and one on the right compatability
Agreed

Came back to mention that thermal can happen at the torch too, listen for a little "tink" sound to see if it's happening even before you get it in the kiln. If so, you can gently heat it back up & heal the crack... gently gently at first, out in the far flame.
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  #12  
Old 2015-01-04, 10:53am
Floorkasp Floorkasp is offline
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Have to say, some of your cracks look very similar to my issue with the Devardi glass. Not trying to start a 'let's bash Devardi' thread, just wanted to share with you the seemingly similar issue. I never continued with the glass, but perhaps you may want to get a hold of some other glass and see if you have the same issue? Or try to work cooler, like Devardi suggested to me when I showed them these pictures?


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  #13  
Old 2015-01-04, 7:23pm
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We work/garage at 975 (your 1000 should be OK)- After last bead the day is done, and a short soak, usually about 20 minutes or so, we drop down to 940 and soak 1 hour. Then down to about 800 and another hour soak. Then slowly drop to 700 and off. We do use a brick lined kiln, so that final off at 700 still retains heat for a long time. What I see missing is the anneal soak at around 940 in your schedule.

We use effetre and silver glasses (DH) - We did buy a large batch of Kugler 104 clear, which was wonderfully clear and bubble free, but found that we were loosing about 40% of our beads, mainly cracking along the mandrel line. So we have quit using that glass.
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