Lampwork Etc.
 
TrueDesign

LE Live Chat

Enter Live Chat

No users in chat


The Flow

Beads of Courage


 

Go Back   Lampwork Etc. > Library > Tips, Techniques, and Questions

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

Reply
 
Thread Tools
  #1  
Old 2017-01-14, 4:43pm
Nicbert Nicbert is offline
Junior Member
 
Join Date: Jan 02, 2017
Posts: 6
Default Cracking - more D Helix questions!

so I have moved on from my earlier problem with my torch and am now running a hot head off MAPP gas canisters. I bought some lovely helix rods of triton, okeanos, terra2 and i have been able to get some lovely colours from them - however theyre allllllllll breaking! so sad!
i have been using cooling bubbles in a crockpot so that i can batch anneal later as my kiln doesnt have a bead door (i am primarily a PMC worker so beads are a new obsession for me and im not prepared to trade in my kiln)
could it be these things causing an issue:
im using a thin mandrel and then double dipping to get a 5mm inner so that theyre able to be used (hopefully one day) on a pandora bracelet.could too much bead release cause cracking?
ive tried doing a thin layer of clear as my base, adding a small layer of the DH and then striking and encasing in clear.
i dont know what brand my clear is as i bought a batch of glass from a lady who had stopped working glass - i know its 104COE though. Is it worth switching to Aether DH?
Ive seen the Devardi Mini Bead Annealer - is it any good? worth investing a further £104 in?
any opinions or suggestions to help me get my beads off the mandrel in one peice so that i can actually get them into my kiln would be so appreciated.

thanks

Nicola
Reply With Quote
  #2  
Old 2017-01-14, 6:26pm
Speedslug's Avatar
Speedslug Speedslug is offline
Phill
 
Join Date: Mar 21, 2009
Location: Winnebago, MN
Posts: 2,489
Default

I, myself, have not often heard of folks having much success with cooling bubbles in a crockpot.

You don't mention what kind of cracking you are getting so I will assume that it is relatively straight running along the mandrel.
If so then it is going to be too much heat leaving the bead too quickly that causes that.

Make sure you are not spending any time admiring your work before sticking it into the bubbles and also make sure that you are giving the work enough time in the flame for the heat to even out and soak into the depths of the bead thoroughly.
Back of the flame is best and do give it a full 50 count of slow even heating then right into the hot bubbles in the crockpot.

Also don't try to put too many into the pot. Any jostling is going to allow the beads already in the bubbles to lose the warmed air pocket around them and that will cause them to cool too quickly.

Before I got my kiln I used a pair of "flame retardant pads" from the plumbing section at the hardware store.
They use them as a backing blanket to keep the plumbers torch from setting the walls on fire when soldering copper pipes and they come in something like 9 inch by 12 inch rectangles with some foil on one side.
I used two of them and sandwiched my beads between them making sure to not get closer than 2 inches to the last bead I stuck in them.

Just be sure to practice how long to let the glass solidify before sticking the bead in there because if it is sticky it can glue some of the fibers on to the bead permanently.

Good luck and be sure to use the search link above to find old conversations about this. I am sure there hundreds of pages about the topic here.
__________________
The Zombie Apocalypse is Upon Us.
Reply With Quote
  #3  
Old 2017-01-14, 6:47pm
Eileen's Avatar
Eileen Eileen is offline
Loving learning
 
Join Date: Oct 11, 2010
Location: Florida
Posts: 11,650
Default

Can you show a photo, with maybe a coin in there to judge size?
I am not sure about the mandrel with a thick layer of release, that is not something I have heard of causing problems, but maybe?
If the beads are fairly large, it is hard to cool them in bubbles without cracking being a problem. Do you have the bubbles heated? Are you working in a cold space? If you are up north and the air is cold, that would be a problem I think.
__________________
My current "hot" fantasy involves a senior discount on glass & tools!
Reply With Quote
  #4  
Old 2017-01-14, 9:53pm
KJohn's Avatar
KJohn KJohn is offline
Slogan Challenged...
 
Join Date: Mar 21, 2009
Location: Maricopa, Arizona
Posts: 6,273
Default

For that price, you are 1/4 of the way to a "real" kiln (or more, if you can find something second hand).

I would avoid double dipping, and make sure that the mandrels are clean and dry when you dip.

Evenly heat the bead in the outer tip of the flame before cooling in the ceramic bubbles. You might try switching to ceramic blankets. I did this and batch annealed for years when I learned, but didn't have much luck with pressed beads or larger beads. So I would avoid those and upgrade to a kiln with a bead door as soon as you can if you decide you want to pursue this and do the larger or more elaborate beads. It's just one of those unavoidable expenses.

To be specific for the devardi mini annealer, it is HOT & can be difficult to monitor, only a few beads at a time fit and I personally feel it is dangerous. I gave mine away, and would only use something similar now for a rod warmer if I didn't use my kiln for the rods. It is a waste of money IMO for what you want to use it for.
__________________
Kristin ~

Facebook:
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.

Etsy:
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.
Reply With Quote
  #5  
Old 2017-01-15, 11:03am
Katia Katia is offline
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Mar 14, 2015
Location: Moscow, Russia
Posts: 131
Default

Nicola, make a very simple test - make several beads approximately of the same size as you do your beads just from your clear without any decorations, let them cool and have a look if you have cracks. If you have them - there is no compatibility issue because you use just clear and the problem comes from rapid cooling.

If you decide to buy DH clear, look for Zephyr seconds - excellent quality for discounted price. Aether is reactive clear and changes the color of some glasses (this effect can be desirable but not always).

Regarding the mandrels - it is better if you buy the sizes you need from a welding shop and cut to 10-12 inch lengths. You'll spend less bead release which also costs something.

What kiln do you use for PMC? May it be upgraded (for Paragon SC2 there is an option to buy a bead door for 100USD or so, for example)? As Kristin said, it is 1/4 of a real thing, so it is better to save this amount for the real kiln.
Reply With Quote
  #6  
Old 2017-01-16, 12:12am
Ravenesque Ravenesque is offline
Naysayer
 
Join Date: Sep 22, 2009
Posts: 1,203
Default

Agreed with everyone.
We need pics or size idea.
It could be the clear, because it's 104 doesn't mean it plays nice.

That 'annealer' isn't. It's a source of contention, but it's just not an annealer.

Way back in the day when I had someone batch anneal for me, I used fiber blanket. I took aluminum foil and made a sort of a 'box' for it and placed a heating pad under it, it just seemed to work really well to cool it down more slowly, plus I didn't have to touch the fiber blanket. I rarely had cracks and if so it was more surface decoration. I never used the heating pad when I wasn't right there though.
Reply With Quote
  #7  
Old 2017-01-21, 8:51am
Leigh-in-AK's Avatar
Leigh-in-AK Leigh-in-AK is offline
I'd rather be torching.
 
Join Date: Oct 03, 2008
Location: Nikiski, Alaska
Posts: 505
Default

You might have gotten a batch of the ASK clear, which we know is not always compatible able with other 104.
__________________
Leigh

Art is the only way to run away without leaving home.
~Twyla Tharp
I know where I am. I've been lost here before.
Reply With Quote
  #8  
Old 2017-01-27, 2:53pm
Nicbert Nicbert is offline
Junior Member
 
Join Date: Jan 02, 2017
Posts: 6
Default

just to update you lovely people - i have now got the fibre blankets from tuffnels and im having much better luck - i think that my mandrels were sloshing about in the crock pot and losing the hot air pocket.
Only glass im still having an issue with is Okeanos DH but triton, terra 2 and luna are all going well.
my thick rods of clear have been replaced with 5mm rods so thats better too!
Reply With Quote
  #9  
Old 2017-01-28, 1:00pm
Speedslug's Avatar
Speedslug Speedslug is offline
Phill
 
Join Date: Mar 21, 2009
Location: Winnebago, MN
Posts: 2,489
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Nicbert View Post
just to update you lovely people - i have now got the fibre blankets from tuffnels and im having much better luck - i think that my mandrels were sloshing about in the crock pot and losing the hot air pocket.
Only glass im still having an issue with is Okeanos DH but triton, terra 2 and luna are all going well.
my thick rods of clear have been replaced with 5mm rods so thats better too!

Good to hear.

Thanks for keeping us informed.
Some one years from now will read this and be saved some frustration because of this update.
__________________
The Zombie Apocalypse is Upon Us.
Reply With Quote
Reply


Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)
 
Thread Tools

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Forum Jump




All times are GMT -7. The time now is 8:24am.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.7.5
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.
Your IP: 3.238.87.31