|
Tips, Techniques, and Questions -- Technical questions or tips |
2009-07-05, 8:14pm
|
Senior Member
|
|
Join Date: Apr 08, 2007
Posts: 186
|
|
smallest mandrel problems
I just got back from a trip to indiana, where my sister and I made beads the whole week. we used different mandrels, she used the smallest sized, I used a medium size mandrel. at the end of the weeK she only had 4 beads that survived. all them cracked, a couple of beads I made on the smallest mandrels also cracked. has any one else had a problem using small mandrels? I am about to throw them away.
|
2009-07-05, 8:23pm
|
|
Life is change. Love it
|
|
Join Date: Oct 10, 2005
Location: Ontario Canada
Posts: 5,566
|
|
I use 1/16th mandrels for all my beads and never have a problem. Were you using smaller mandrels than that? Are you batch annealing or straight into a kiln? Pressing? There are so many variables, but mandrel size has never seemed a huge factor in bead cracking in my experience.
__________________
cRlyn, cause Traci says so
To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 5 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 5 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
|
2009-07-06, 4:01am
|
|
Striking-impared...
|
|
Join Date: Jun 13, 2005
Location: Hot 'n Humid SE Florida
Posts: 595
|
|
I use mostly 5/32 (one up from 1/16) and don't have a cracking problem.
The next question: what did the cracking look like? Straight along the mandrel (almost always thermal) or more of a webbing crack? A webbing-type crack would be compatibility. Any chance you all might have been using 2 different COEs or 104 COEs that are known incompatible with one another?
__________________
Gail
To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 5 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 5 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
|
2009-07-06, 4:48am
|
|
Puddy Cat Lover
|
|
Join Date: Nov 04, 2005
Location: DeMotte, IN
Posts: 1,592
|
|
Cracking doesn't only happen by not annealing properly. It could also be a COE problem. (Like Gail said) So, one question to ask is: What kind of glass were you using, and were all the glass the same or as close to the same COE as possible?
I'm so careful when I fuse or lampwork that the co-efficient of expansions of the glass are as close as possible. The longevity of the pieces or beads depends on 2 things. COE first, then proper annealing.
The glass I use may not cost that much, but my time is worth alot to me. It's heartbreaking to have spent so much time on something to have it fall apart on you.
J.
__________________
Jeanette Savina Cobb
To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 5 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. * To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 5 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. *
To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 5 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
|
2009-07-06, 6:11am
|
|
Rose colored glasses…√
|
|
Join Date: Jul 22, 2005
Location: Monticello, FL
Posts: 8,259
|
|
I use teeny mandrels, and have no problems.
__________________
To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 5 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. OMG I listed some stuff!!! Little devils ARE ice skating!!! To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 5 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 5 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
RIP Sunday; You can donate for Izzy's Future Trust @:
To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 5 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
Live kindly...'cause karma will bite you in the ass harder than you ever thought about nibblin'...
|
2009-07-07, 6:24am
|
|
Senior Member
|
|
Join Date: Aug 01, 2005
Posts: 2,159
|
|
I've used mandrels down to 1/29 and have not had cracking problems. The mandrel isn't the issue, check your annealing schedule, type(s) of glass and how long you let them cool before you went into the kiln. Remember that small pieces loose heat more quickly.
Robert
|
2009-07-07, 6:56am
|
|
Senior Member
|
|
Join Date: Jan 07, 2008
Location: Northern NY State
Posts: 1,618
|
|
If you're using teeny mandrels, are the beads too teeny? Sometimes I have cracking when the beads are just too smushed or too tiny.
__________________
Learning glass To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 5 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. , teaching kids To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 5 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. .
My Etsy To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 5 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
SRA
#H135
|
2009-07-07, 7:09am
|
|
state-eternal change
|
|
Join Date: Sep 09, 2006
Location: Sunnyvale CA
Posts: 710
|
|
Yes, there should always be as much glass on either side of the mandrel as the mandrel is thick. I.E..if your mandrel is 1/16th the bead should be a minimum of 3/16ths thick through, provided the mandrel is in the middle of the thickness. That, and warm that baby to a dull glow before putting it in the kiln - insurance, baby!
__________________
To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 5 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
|
2009-07-19, 5:02pm
|
Senior Member
|
|
Join Date: Apr 08, 2007
Posts: 186
|
|
I was trying sims messy color hempaluff or something like that, I did moretti blick with raku frit. the beads out of moretti black cracked right around the mandrel. not length ways but similar effect as a home window with a bb hole shot in it. the sims mess cracked in length as the mandral . I am not sure of the size of the mandrel , but it is small, perfect size for flex stringing wire to go through . It came in a glass torch kit i got years ago.
|
2009-07-20, 6:22am
|
|
Senior Member
|
|
Join Date: Aug 01, 2005
Posts: 2,159
|
|
The raku frit isn't the same COE as the Effetre back and you probably didn't have enough mass of black to absorb the difference. That kind of cracking is from incompatibility. The sims cracking is thermal.
Robert
|
2009-07-22, 10:58pm
|
Senior Member
|
|
Join Date: Apr 08, 2007
Posts: 186
|
|
Thanks for the in put RSimmons, I have to try the messy collor again. I recently did another black with raku frit and it came out.
|
Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)
|
|
Posting Rules
|
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts
HTML code is Off
|
|
|
All times are GMT -7. The time now is 10:13pm.
|