Melting beads into cabs-what temp

simvet02 · #1 2010-03-22, 8:12am

I have some beads that broke in half and am considering melting them down into cabs. I've cleaned them really well and want to use my fusing kiln.

What temp. do I need to take the glass to or melting?

I usually fuse with 96 and know how high that needs to go but wondered if 104 would need just a bit less.

thanks,

squid · #2 2010-03-22, 8:24am

I would try 100 degrees less for 104 and look at it - if it looks ok then anneal, etc. If not, bump the temp 50 degrees for 10 minutes and then look again, etc.

simvet02 · #3 2010-03-22, 9:19am

Thanks Squid, This is actually for a friend in the UK. Unfortunately she has one of those ceramic kilns that turns off when you lift the lid. I have no idea what kind of programing she uses.

I know the strain point is about 860 so she is going to have to ramp down slowly through that.

I'll have her try 1450F first and then go from there.

AutEvDesigns · #4 2010-03-22, 9:29am

Actually, I'd have her go lower than that. When I've made cabs from my bead halves, I want to say I was at 1300F for around 5 minutes. It doesn't take much, even for a bead 3/4" in diameter, though it does depend how flat you want them to get. Mine flattened a little less than half their original height.

When I get a chance to run out to my studio I'll look at my kiln program and I'll also see if I can get a picture of one of the beads I melted.

squid · #5 2010-03-22, 9:34am

But it turns back on when she closes it, right?

simvet02 · #6 2010-03-22, 9:41am

It does Squid but I'm not sure if the program starts over or goes back to where it stopped. I have to ask her.

Thanks Julie, I told her to start at 1350F, most of the bead halves I sent here were barrel beads so they aren't very large. That may even be too high. I told her to just try a few to start. This will be interesting...LOL I have some here so I may try it too.

squid · #7 2010-03-22, 9:52am

they usually pick up where they left off

AutEvDesigns · #8 2010-03-22, 10:36am

I couldn't find any I did with 104; these happened to be cabs I made out of COE90. Fusing the beads to glass turned out to be a bad idea, but it shows how they slumped down.

I ramp up to 970 at 1200 degrees per hour, ramp up to 1300 at 1800 degrees per hour, hold for 5 minutes (the cycle can be shorter or longer, but you need to look to check; I'm guessing that Squid is right that the kiln will restart once the door is closed). I cool at full speed to 970, hold at 970 for an hour, cool at 120 degrees per hour to 840 (past the strin point). Since I have a brick kiln I just shut it off and let it naturally cool, but I know that ceramic kilns cool faster, so that portion may need to be adjusted.