clear glass?

[lejjewellery]

Everytime i use clear glass, weather it is to encase or make a bead, it cracks  . I don't know what i am doing wrong  , I'm cooling it down slowly in the flame and flame annealling it but just can't seem to stop them cracking both in the flame and in vermiculite.

[Krysia@No98]

what does the crack look like?  does it run from hole to hole ore does it look like crackle glaze...

[squirsygirl]

because it's clear, you can't see the 'glow' for as long as some others/  I suspect you're letting it cool far too much.  Plus, flame annealing is a bit - uurm -  hit and miss?

f not that - is it a compatability issue?

What kind of glass are you using - 'clear' and 'not clear'?

Kirsty

[MangoBeads]

It definately sounds as though you are cooling too much 

[lejjewellery]

Thanks everyone, sorry not replied sooner i'm away at the minute and can only get a conection on my laptop now and again  .
The crack runs from hole to hole, i'm not sure about the 'clear' and 'not clear' thing. I'm a newbie  all i know is i ordered clear from tuffnells if thats any help??
I'll try keep it hot when i get home and see if it works  , thanks again
Jo

[Trudi]

Yep - sounds like a thermal crack, try not letting it get quite so cold!

[Krysia@No98]

I agree with Trudi.

Personally when I have that problem it's because I've spent too much time waving it about and not kept warm in the flame.  (or as with some of my chickens I spent too much time on the detail and didn't keep the bodies warm.)  They were saying at the flame off that there is a 15 second rule.  ie it should be in the flame at least once every 15 seconds.  I used to put my beads in a blanket before I got the kiln and to try and get less cracking I used to cool the bead for a bit in the very tip of the flame before tucking them in.

HTH

[Dragonfire Glass]

clear is tricky because you can't see the glow

[Ian Pearson]

Take the warm glass out of the flame and move it below the bench you are working on and the contrast of darkness/shadow against the glass will highlight the "glow". Should all be one colour like an orangey type.

Ian