These might be stupid Bead & Annealing Questions...... but can't find the answers... tossing n' turning in bed last night - not good...Ok here I go:
When you put the beads onto the mandrel to go on the bead holder ready for annealing in the kiln, does that new mandrel have to be coated in bead release again?
Does the new mandrel have to be smaller than the one used to create the bead?
Is it best to clean the newly made lampworked bead before annealing or cleaned after annealing?
Thanks in advance
Louise
the kiln temperature when annealing does not melt the glass just stabalise it so put as many un cleaned beads on a mandrel (any size,i use old bent ones, no release needed ) as you can fit kebab style and go for it ,just be carefull they dont touch especially if using silver glass and some others as they can get a bit tacky
I take it this means you are batch annealing then.
No you don't need bead release on the mandrel you are popping the beads onto to go in the kiln.
Smaller as in diameter? Doesn't have to be but I made my kiln mandrels from 1.6 mandrels so my beads would always fit on them but so long as the bead threads on it's all good.
Either or I've heard some say they clean their beads before batch annealing though most (and I never did either) don't clean the beads until after they are annealed mostly I think this is because there is no point cleaning a bead that may crack or strike in the kiln and turn to poo.
If you garage then the bead and mandrel go right from the flame straight into the kiln.
No daft questions 'round here, I asked exactly the same one when I started!! ;D
If I have to batch anneal a few beads, I just put them into the back of the kiln, no mandrels when I next have a garaging session. No stands, bead holders or anything else. Nor do I use a stand for beads that are being garaged. Very large beads I insert in kiln and twirl for some seconds to make sure that they re solid enough not to stick to another bead before letting the bead down onto the floor.
Thank you all :) Iwill be able to sleep tonight - hopefully ;)
...and beads don't have to be on a mandrel to batch anneal them. I put them all in a pyrex bowl.