Broken glass leaves

[Carolyn Hipskind]

Since it is the fall season I've made dozens of leaves in all shapes, sizes and colors of 104 glass, created a necklace & accidently dropped it from counter height to a tile floor & all the leaves broke! They did break in different places. I did a "test drop" of six leaf beads from different batches from a variety of glass companies....again they broke apart! I did a test drop of rounded shapes of similiar glass & they bounced like always. My leaves ran in size from 1 1/2" X 1" to 3/4" x 1/2" and average 1.5 mm to 5 mm in width but are thinner where I've created veins or pinched the edges of the leaves to create a realistic appearance. The leaf beads were annealed in a kiln at 960 degrees for at least an hour some longer, then to 840 degrees for 10 min. & then to room temp. So am I expecting too much out of this shape of glass? Do other people that make leaves have similiar experiences with breakage. Can you sell a bead that breaks?! Any response would be most helpful. Carolyn

[PaulaD]

I would be sure to reheat the leaves gently after pressing and anneal longer and slower.
Paula

[squid]

I am surprised that you are surprised they broke.

[Carolyn Hipskind]

I'll try a different annealing process. Thanks for the suggestion.
I am not only fairly new to lampworking but apparently naive to boot.
Carolyn

[Karen Hardy]

Ummm...I don't know how to tell you this, but when you drop glass


it breaks



seriously, the leaf shape is pretty delicate. I made a few of them, and
my mother, who is pretty hard on jewelry, tossed them in with her other
jewelry. In goes the pendant, out comes the frit.

Certain shapes are always going to be more brittle. Florals, leaves, anything
with lots of sticking-out-bits. Just make sure to include a card with you
piece stating that THIS IS GLASS, and needs to be treated gently.

[Karen Hardy]

Originally Posted by Carolyn Zard Hipskind

I'll try a different annealing process. Thanks for the suggestion.
I am not only fairly new to lampworking but apparently naive to boot.
Carolyn

Awww sweetie, you're NOT naive. Unlike painting and drawing, making
glass is a BIT more complicated - and it's real easy to feel stupid or naive
when you first start out. I still feel that way many times. I mean, If you're
watercolor painting a landscape, at no point does it say that you have to
anneal it (???) in a kiln (???) to prevent stress cracks (???) . This is one
of the most challenging hobbies EVAH. And I've had a gazillion hobbies!

Luckily, you're here in a very cool place with lots of people who are glad to
answer any question you might have. The only reason anyone is going to
pick on you or make fun of you is because we have ALL been there. Trust
me, it's a "laughing WITH you scenario". Don't take it personally. Any mistake
or error you've made, we've duplicated a thousandfold.

Anyhow, HOWDY! I'm glad you're here! Can't wait to see pics of those leaf beads you're making!

[myrdlebp]

AW, Karen! That's so nice and OH SO TRUE!

I have been fasinated with glass ever since I can remember and I finally have the chance to get into lampwork and OMG, I have never been stumped by an art medium until glass!

Good luck with your leafs Carolyn!

[Kalera]

I had a lovely necklace I made years ago with leaves I purchased from another beadmaker, and my mom accidentally dropped it onto my linoleum floor. Most of the leaves broke, and I know they were properly annealed.

They're thin and fragile, so the leaf shape just can't handle the abuse a round can take.

[ginkgoglass]

Tile is notoriously bad when you drop glass on it; I doubt your annealing process is the problem.

Even with boro if you have a pointy thin place like the tip of a heart it will break off if the piece hits the tile just right. But as Kalera said, I have dropped round beads on tile and they just bounce bounce bounce without a crack.

[Karen Hardy]

Originally Posted by ginkgoglass

Even with boro if you have a pointy thin place like the tip of a heart it will break off if the piece hits the tile just right. But as Kalera said, I have dropped round beads on tile and they just bounce bounce bounce without a crack.

HAH! One of the first lessons I learned about boro is that when you are DONE,
do NOT leave a pointy tip on your rod. It tends to act as an arrow when dropped
just right, and leaves a nice, boro-rod shaped hole in your foot . Owwwww.

[Karen Hardy]

Originally Posted by myrdlebp

AW, Karen! That's so nice and OH SO TRUE!

I have been fasinated with glass ever since I can remember and I finally have
the chance to get into lampwork and OMG, I have never been stumped by an
art medium until glass!

Good luck with your leafs Carolyn!

Ok, first of all, It's LEAVES! (rolling eyes). ....
(it's my new mandate to give everyone shit whenever I can )

Seriously, someone needs to start a new thread called "Really ugly shit we
made when we were first beginning." I have about 1000 entries. Not to
mention an entire "bowl of shame" with beads that didn't make the cut.

[PaulaD]

I have one more suggestion for Carolyn. Maybe make them a little thicker around the mandrel.
Paula

[LyndaJ]

They break when then fall on carpet, too. Only set of broken glass I've for which I still feel regret.

[beadsoncypress]

tile and stone floors are deadly to glass....ask my beautuful boro bracelet...the pieces are in my jewelry box,,,,,,,

[Carolyn Hipskind]

I did make a few leaves today that were thicker & have them in the kiln at a lower temp. for a longer period of time. Also paid attention to keeping all parts of the leaf warm during the forming process. Thank you all for your sympathic responses and for sharing your experiances. Yah, I do feel a little stupid but wiser for the lesson in glass. I'm thinking this is why I love the whole process of this art, hobby or whatever you want to call it. It is never ending in challenges. Keeps the brain active. Carolyn

[squid]

I hope my response didn't make you feel stupid - it wasn't intended that way and I am sorry if it came out like that.

[firedancer]

Karen: How awesome the way you interjected. You go girl!! When you are new to this forum, or do not post often, it is easy to take type written words wrong, when you can not see the facial expressions. I try to watch what I type, and re read it often, to analyze, how it really sounds. I agree though, this forum, has been the most awesome for me, as I live in a remote region, and have nobody in my area, who does lampwork.And even though I re-read often I am still the typo queen.

[Byrdbeads]

Originally Posted by Carolyn Zard Hipskind

I did make a few leaves today that were thicker & have them in the kiln at a lower temp. for a longer period of time. Also paid attention to keeping all parts of the leaf warm during the forming process. Thank you all for your sympathic responses and for sharing your experiances. Yah, I do feel a little stupid but wiser for the lesson in glass. I'm thinking this is why I love the whole process of this art, hobby or whatever you want to call it. It is never ending in challenges. Keeps the brain active. Carolyn

Why would you have the anneal temp lower? What temp are you annealing at? Lowering the temp wont keep your leaves from breakin and could make them more prone if too low. Leaves are very delicate and dosnt matter how long you anneal them they are still going to break if they are dropped on the floor. Same as droppign a plate on the kitchen floor, it breaks.

[Findlay Clan]

Tile is notoriously bad when you drop glass on it; I doubt your annealing process is the problem.

Even with boro if you have a pointy thin place like the tip of a heart it will break off if the piece hits the tile just right. But as Kalera said, I have dropped round beads on tile and they just bounce bounce bounce without a crack.

My wonderful DH was admiring one of my hearts, pretty little thing that he thought had some dust on it. In his very "gentle" way he squashed it on his leg to "BUFF" it off. SNAP! ooops.

Grrrrr Yep thickers a little better.