Annealing Bubbles

[Liesly]

This is a very green newbie question but................ Do I need to warm annealing bubbles or is the whole point that I can use them as they are?

How long should I wait before I put the bead into the bubbles - do I just plunge straight in?...... Not sure why I am so concerned I am sure my first attempts won't be worth keeping anyway!

I have just had some delivered and there are no instructions with them.

I also have a Bead Cube but I am too scared to turn it on 

I have lurked for ages whilst gazing across at my hothead....

Liesl

[Hazer]

I'm a newbie too, but I use the annealing bubbles as is, in a large bowl, and it seems to work well - I haven't had any cracks due to the bubbles being at room temperature. Generally, I flash the bead in and out at the top of the flame when I've finished, wait a second, then put it into the bubbles. I've found that if I do it when the bead is too hot, I get pits where the bubbles embedded in the glass!

(I'm sure you already know this, but just in case, the annealing bubbles don't actually anneal the beads; they work like a fibre blanket or vermiculite, so getting your Bead Cube set up is the best option )

Good luck, and have fun

[Liesly]

Thanks for the advice

I think I may take the plunge this evening... I liked the idea of using the bubbles until I have  a few beads to anneal at once, I guess I will garage beads once I get going and have more confidence.

Thanks

Liesl

[Kalorlo]

Hold your bead in shade (possibly under the table) until you can see it's no longer glowing. Then put it in the bubbles and you know it won't get squished.

[Jennie Lamb]

Hiya Liesl......I use annealing bubbles too and agree with all that has been written thus far on their use! I also own a Bead Cube and tend to Batch anneal my beads and my advice would be :


DO NOT BE AFRAID    

Your Bead Cube should be all pre-programmed for Garaging or/and Batch Annealing and it is SO easy all you have to do is press the button!  

I find the whole setting the kiln and working out Tempratures really difficult, my brain does not work well with numbers (unless its CASH!!) and it goes into melt down if I have to change settings..sad but true and nervewracking if I am experimenting with glass or colours!  But I think the Bead Cube is lovely and simple!

So my advice is hit that button and go for it!!

Good Luck
Jenniex

[Kalorlo]

I agree with Jennie! My BeadCube arrived today - I did a test run with it empty first, and made sure I could follow what the controller was saying and did things like stopping one program and starting the other when I noticed I'd begun with the batch one and it really wasn't necessary to have it heat up that slowly when it was empty...

Now it's batch annealing a biiiig pile of beads