why o why do most of my lentils split straight down the middle
(http://i402.photobucket.com/albums/pp103/littlewib/009-6.jpg)
Hi Tish
Lentils that crack down the middle like that are cracking due to thermal shock - they aren't being kept warm enough while you are making them.
Do you batch anneal? Lentils can be very tricky to batch anneal, because this shape is much more likely to thermal shock than others, because the layer of glass near the mandrel is very thin.
You may find that you continue to have this problem until you get a kiln and can garage as you go along.
Hi Tish I have that problem as well with larger lentils, so I only make them when the weather is warm but even then I have the heater tray on under the bubble tin.
thankyou ladies so make round beads 1st to heat up the bubbles and stick the heating on full blast til i get a kiln
I have one of those electic plate warmer trays and I keep my bubbles tin on that.
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Hostess-Alficionado-small-hot-tray/dp/B000QTH1N4/ref=pd_cp_kh_1 (http://www.amazon.co.uk/Hostess-Alficionado-small-hot-tray/dp/B000QTH1N4/ref=pd_cp_kh_1)
they are tricky without a kiln but if you give them a blast of heat so they are at least the same ish temp all over when they go into the warm bubbles they stand a better chance
hmm I find a small tea pot warmer with the little candles in works as well - much cheaper ! light the candle when you start a session and leave them in there till the end of the session and blow the candle out ( or the candle burns out ) and leave them in there for about 30 mins longer and they cool slowly
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Chafing-dish-candle-food-warmer/dp/B000Q6J24S/ref=sr_1_2?s=kitchen&ie=UTF8&qid=1332951847&sr=1-2
I batch anneal and make a lot of lentils; make sure that you 'waft' (I'm sure that's the technical term ;)) the bead several times through the flame to even out the heat, before counting to five (or whatever you count to!) and putting it in your bubbles/ vermiculite. I used to have the same problem, but with the good old 'ppp', rarely have a breakage now.
my slow cooker is always cold, and I don't heat the bubbles in any way; the few degrees that I would be able to heat it up to would IMHO not be enough to make a difference. If you think, the strain temperature point of soft glass is 454 degrees, much under that and I don't think it's likely to stop cracking, so I don't bother.
Hope this helps.
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:) I don't know what thickness of mandrel you are using but I find that with some shapes it may help to use a thinner mandrel.
And make sure that you give the bead a really good warm up all over before you finish, then slowly draw it up through the flame rather than pulling it straight out into the air.