Presses: Big lentil types

[Magpie]

I usually have the press on the torch top marver, mainly coz I then know I'm not going to stick my hand in the flame trying to get the top on the bottom!

[Josephine]

Are you remembering to warm both sides of the bead, not just the side you are decorating. When I make my big tree beads I stop work on the decoration frequently and really bathe the back of the bead in the flame. I do it further out in the flame so the heat isn't to directed/intense then flip back to the side I'm working on.

[Krysia@No98]

Yup, and paying particular attention to the mandrel and round the edge

[Krysia@No98]

I do have a kiln,  I don't have this problem with smaller presses.

I generally make stuff on 1.6.  It feels really funny making stuff on bigger rods.

I have been heating along the line of the rod.

the problem isn't that it cracks as I first make the bead it's then I have been decorating it and popped it back in the press, between the time of making the original bead and then decorating it and then going back to the press the press has cooled down and takes far more heat from the bead and that causes the bead to crack, unless I get the bead all soupy which I really don't want as I've just decorated it then it will crack. I have found that putting the press on the torch top marver has helped the press retain the heat and makes it less likely to crack before I press it post decoration.