Is it possible to batch anneal small boro beads?

[Lisi]

The reason I ask is because I am aware that many of the colors strike in the kiln. I want to minimize the too light and too dark problem if I'm making sets of all the same beads. I especially like the rubies and the amber purples. I would like to use those as frit over base colors. I'm not sure which base colors yet. There are a few colors in soft glass that I have to batch anneal to get consistent color, like the iris ambers and copper rubies.

I assume that because boro doesn't shock and shatter as much as soft glass does, will that mean they can be safely cooled to room temp, and then annealed later? I use the "annealing bubbles" from Artco, and these hold the heat much longer than vermiculite or the fiber blankets. I'm not sure what temp I will anneal at, and that will depend on which frits I use.

How does star white hold up to batch annealing? I thought I read somewhere that the color had some problems. (was "boiling" it??) The beads I plan to make will be around 13mm and less. Pretty small.

[torchgirl]

Go for it, you may loose one or two but I've do it with good results.

[Alaska]

Batch anneal all the time for small beads without issue. Cool using a set of ceramic blankets. Yes, some beads will crack, but it has been very few.

With NS 54 see below. However, it will crack if next to the mandrel. Solve by placing a turn or two of clear first (Simax used here) and then white. Or NS 54 can be mixed with clear depending on the desired effect. Large beads with NS 54 are more problematic than smaller ones.

From the NS website:

""NS-54 Star White is a creamy fully opaque white. It is an indispensable color in the palette for all applications. It is great for sculpture, stringers, blown work, and backings for all transparent colors. With several reformulations Star White has been turned into an easy color to work. It is atmospherically stable meaning it can be worked in any flame without the color being affected. To prevent any boiling issues, heat NS-54 Star White slowly and gently. Once the color is glowing it can take a lot of heat. The trick is patience with a soft flame! For additional information about NS-54 Star White refer to Northstar Newsletter issue 15.

[Lisi]

Thanks to both of you, I appreciate it!