stopping beads from cracking

[darm]

does anyone have any tips? i have only made a couple but they all cracked grr. i finish them take out fo the flame and then pass through a few more times so they cool evenly then but in vercimulite. i cna noly assume id ont put throught he flame enough to cool even any other ideas?

[♥♥Tan♥♥]

are they encased or do they have frit or stringer decoration, sometimes this can make a difference?

[darm]

one had

clear glass
frit
clear glass s

so yes to frit and am assuming it is encased lol

the others were just plain beads

[♥♥Tan♥♥]

was it just the frit and encased ones that cracked?

Most frits arent completely compatible, thats why they recommend a light coverage, and when I was using vermiculite I lost more frit and encased beads to cracking than anything else


Try some small plain spacer beads and then work up in size until you know what plain size cracks, then do the same with frit and encased, at least then you will have a visual guide of what size beads you can make without the disappointment of putting all that work in and losing them!!

[Billie]

Might be the size of the beads..?  I've had a couple of bigguns crack in verm but I think I'd allowed them to get too cool at various times while working them. 

Are you mixing different glass?

[♥♥Tan♥♥]

Shes gawn....run screaming for the hills with all me useless info following her

[Billie]

LOL...  She'll be back... They ALL come back... mwah, ha, ha!  Once this lampworking malarkey is under your skin abandon hope all ye who light that torch... 

It's a bummer when a good bead cracks though 

[♥♥Tan♥♥]

I used to have a session and stick them in my slow cooker with vermiculite put the lid on and go and sit down,,,,,,,hubster and I would sit in the living room listening to the pings as they cracked

[Shirley]

I cool them very slowly in the flame, gradually moving out, turning all the time, until the glow has disappeared. The only beads I have had crack in the vermiculite are some with a fairly heavy silver content. I wonder whether you are trying to get them in the vermiculite a bit too quickly?

[Redhotsal]

They may actually be cracking before you get them into the vermiculite?
Also - you need quite a lot of vermiculite covering the bead - you need to have a pot big enough so that there is at least 2 inches of vermiculite on top of and below the bead.

[Caroline]

i finish them take out fo the flame and then pass through a few more times so they cool evenly then but in vercimulite.

how cool are you letting them get before you pass them through?

[darm]

im back lol

ok so i will add more vercimulite tot he pot

try with just plain beads to start

i dont let the beads get that cool before iw ave it through the flame again