Batch Anneal tacky beads in Bead Cube

[Beansprout]

After pretty much every batch firing I do in my bead cube, all my beads tack together. I use a Denby ceramic dish.

Shall I try lowering the max temperature to about 510 or 500?

[Trudi]

How high are you going now?

[flame n fuse]

I find that both my kilns seem to work 'high'. So, yes, why not try reducing the temperature (and just try a few beads at first). (I work at about 490).

[Nikki]

I thread my beads onto mandrels kebab style and have no problem, is the little temp thingy (very technical) moved it should stick out towards the centre of the kiln

[AnnaSpanna]

I've batch annealed in a bead cube before and I just spread the beads out directly on the floor so they didn't touch each other. I would recommend loading up some skewers (old bent mandrels work well - just bend up an end so the beads don't slide off) and prop them like you would normal mandrels when garaging. Don't go above 520.

[helbels]

I garage at 490 and ramp up to 520 to anneal.

[Essex Girl]

After similar problems with my kiln (and SC2) and after advice by Paragon, I have had to reduce the programs by 30C to stop the beads sticking. 

[cbeadies]

I thread my beads onto mandrels kebab style and have no problem, is the little temp thingy (very technical) moved it should stick out towards the centre of the kiln

I don't have any problems with my bead cube, I just use the settings that it was pre-programmed with and it anneals at 520 degrees.
Do check that the little metal temperature tube is inserted correctly at the back of the kiln, I noticed that mine had slipped once or twice so I always check it now before putting the kiln on.
Hope things get sorted. 

[flame n fuse]

if the beads are sticking together then the kiln is running hotter than it says it is - a common problem. Suggest you try setting a different max temp of about 20 - 30 degrees less and lower the rest of the programme similarly.

[Beansprout]

Thanks all- I'll check the program to see what the max temp is.

I don't make bead-beads, I do off mandrel stuff so I cannae put it on skewers, hence the ceramic pot!

Is the annealing temp 480? Just double checking so that I don't reduce it lower than that!

[Beansprout]

Changed top temp to 510 and changed the soak time to something less ( I can't remember), I also changed the point that it turns the power off, I think it was 250, I changed it to 300 or 350. Just to get my beads out a bit earlier!