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

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  #1  
Old 2016-07-09, 11:56am
RenaInTN RenaInTN is offline
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Question Bead breaking in half

I tried finding a thread that would help with the problem I'm having, if I missed one, please let me know where to find it!

I am having problems recently with round beads breaking in half, right along where the mandrel is. My situation is this:

Glass has come from multiple sources, most without labels, so I don't know the brand. Overnight, three of five beads broke. I put the beads I made into a heated Fondue pot that has vermiculite in it (I have a metal pie plate that I use for a "cover" with the mandrels sticking out. When I finish up, and have cleaned my area, the last thing I do is unplug the pot.

Two of the three that broke had a white core that went on shocky and has smudgy areas running through it. The other one had a black core but seemed to go on fine.

I have a couple theories (but I'm a newbie, so... )

Could it be the glass itself? Or is it usually "operator error"?

Is the use of a fondue pot instead of a crock pot not getting the vermiculite hot enough? (though I've seen some threads where folks don't even put the heat on).

Is it possible I'm heating then cooling it too much? Some of the glass I used for decorating the exterior seemed like it might flash, so I was bopping it in and out of the flame.

A 60% failure rate is discouraging, especially when the bead comes out just as you wanted it, just not in two halves!

I'm using a Minor with Propane and an Oxy Con (5).

Any thoughts would be appreciated.

Thanks!
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  #2  
Old 2016-07-09, 12:34pm
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VivianLampwork VivianLampwork is offline
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It's a thermal crack. The beads are cooling off too fast. Make sure you heat them up real well before putting in the vermiculite.
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Last edited by VivianLampwork; 2016-07-09 at 12:36pm.
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  #3  
Old 2016-07-09, 12:45pm
RenaInTN RenaInTN is offline
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Ahhh, operator error... thought so! Thanks, I'll give that I shot!
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  #4  
Old 2016-07-09, 12:49pm
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http://www.lampworketc.com/forums/sh...+thermal+crack
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Old 2016-07-09, 2:07pm
RenaInTN RenaInTN is offline
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Vivian,

I just read through the thread you linked. Thank you! It also raised some points that I hadn't thought about, so I appreciate you searching that out!

Best,
Rena
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