I'm sure the answer is out there, but I'm in a hurry!
I'm about to run a batch anneal for a friend (waves to friend ;D) and I just need to check how best to get her 3 trillion babies in the kiln at once!
Can I just pile em up on the floor (SC3) or should I put them in something? And is a pile okay, actually its more like a mountain - it is alright for them to all be touching isn't it?
If I can put them in a bowl, what kind? Can I use an oven dish?
(I've only ever done one batch anneal before and I'd hate to get this wrong :()
I'm def not an expert or vaguely know what I'm doing but - I've seen a pic on here or wetcanvas of an sc2 with a heap of beads annealing all piled up and touching too. :o
Though I play safe and arrange them not touching on 2 shelves
Hi Julie,
The annealing temperature (520 deg C) is well below the coe104 glass slumping temperature, and you can safely put the beads piled together on the floor or in a steel/copper/crockery container. Just remember to ramp up fairly slowly.
Just be careful if there are enamels, rubino, or some frits, they can be sticky even at annealing temps.
Thank you, Mary, I didn't know that (apologise, Julie), and shall remember that for another time. :)
I pop all mine on skewers like kebabs. I balance the kebabs on a broken kiln brick. Putting them all together in a big pile in a bowl or something like that probably isn't a good idea. The glass is all clumped together and the heat won't be able to penetrate efficiently and some of the inner beads may not be sufficiently annealled.
Thanks for the advice gals.
Its gonna be impossible to do this without them touching (have you seen how many there are?!! :o) but there's certainly no enamel in there, maybe a little frit.
I think I'll maybe spread one layer on the bottom of my rack, then chop down some skinny mandrels for the kebab idea - but that's gonna have to wait till tomorrow now .. I'm a teensy bit busy today ;D
Oh no I'm so sorry, i get so absorbed in it I don't know when to stop, I'm sure people do pile them up, and I promise not to be cross if anything happens to them. ;D
katie,
send some to me, i have a little wire rack that i balance my bead kebabs on,
being a nosey person would love to see what you have been up to ;)
sandy
Ok thanks I'll send you the next lot ;D I do tend to get a bit carried away and end up with a box full, lots of them are just little beads though and of course some of them are just crap but sometimes theres a few lovlies I'm proud of in there. I'm trying to use different people to anneal them for me each time so no one gets to fed up with me ;D