Cracked silver beads!!

[garishglobes]

I've been having problems with cracking encased silver beads, and its driving me nuts!!
I switched to Diamond Clear, used it over Northstar and all was fine for a while. But the latest batch I have, or the silver in them, or this weather, or my lousy technique, or the cosmic forces or something means that increasing numbers are cracking! Here's the latest example:



I've tried to put wonky arrows to show crack lines.
These are Diamond Clear over Northstar Rembrandt and Chagall plus a tiny amount of fine silver, encased with thin swirls of Rembrandt and Chagall on top. The lentils aren't huge at 18mm, and I don't usually have any problems with cracked beads unless I'm encasing. In theory, this combination, which I did specially because it was all Northstar with only a tiny bit of silver, should be fine. So..why is it cracking?!! 

[sparrow]

I know it's no help to you, just to say I've had encased beads crack on me too.....Lauscha clear over a mix of mainly Effetre and a teeeensy bit of Reichenbach Sorry to hear they cracked, they're gorgeous!

[clasicat]

Gorgeous beads what a shame they have cracked  I had a problem when I mixed Northstar and Effetre they all cracked too  mind you that might have just been my rubbish bead making lol Hope you get the problem sorted

[garishglobes]

Thanks folks! Hmmmm, I'd understand if it was a mix of glass types, though I'd still be frustrated! - but I'd decided to go for one type only specifically to avoid the cracking. I'm now wondering if it is possibly just *this* batch of Diamond Clear - either that or glass imps!

[Redhotsal]

I know that Claire (Rowanberry) had a spot of bother with Diamond Clear lately - not sure if it's a batch issue or not? You could try asking her?

It's a shame - those beads looked gorgeous. 

[*rowanberry*]

Diamond Clear.... grrrrrr grrrrrr mutter....
I had a 100% crack rate using this one batch of it! Me thinks its a dodgy batch. Though Sabine had some from the same batch without issues didn't you Sabine?

Just a thought... I had a cracking problem last week (as well as my mind that is ) - and worked that out to being caused by working with my shed door open on a windy day. Either the wind was cooling my beads down quicker than I was used to when I was working - or it was getting in under the bead door of the kiln. Approx £150 worth of stock died due to cracks last week, and with a bit of detective work (thanks Sally!), I worked it out to be mainly that (and for some of them accidentally using diamond clear instead of lauscha, the diamond clear is now in the bin to be sure!).

[garishglobes]

£150 of stock.. oh, my goodness! Wow, thats frustrating - and really awful. Poor you!
So, this does look very much like a dodgy batch? I work indoors so I don't think there's been extra wind or cooling over the last couple of weeks or so. The only change really would be the atmospheric humidity, given that it hasn't stopped raining for what seems like an eternity.
I'd be upset to bin the Diamond Clear - I ordered a bit more than usual because the previous lot had been doing the job. Surely manufacturers shouldn't be producing dodgy batches and sending them out?
Claire, does that also mean you found the Lauscha encased without the same crack rate?

[*rowanberry*]

I rarely encase silver glass, but have done it with CiM, Vetrofond and Lauscha before and never did it crack as much as the diamond clear that I have, lol!

I am deeply in love with Lauscha and it always seems to behave with me generally, as well as being stunningly clear.

[BeadyBugs]

Yeh, I've had trouble with the Diamond Clear I bought too - haven't used it since.  Again, not sure if it was part of the dodgy batch.

I hope you sort it though, it's such a pain to lose so many beads like that, especially such lovely ones.

And oh gosh Claire - I'd have been spitting chips too!   

HP x

[sparrow]

Yes, Claire got the Diamond Clear from me  I'd bought 4lb while I was in America, so had surplus, and Claire traded 1lb for some other glass. Strangely, my DiamondClear is fine (from the same batch, but it's not as clear as I'd hoped), and it's the Lauscha that's cracking for me........... 

[turnedlight]

I can't encase my raku 104 - it cracks every time I get any sort of colours.. I've been using vetro which seems ok most of the time.

Don't suppose anyone will give me any tips on the northstar colours? I've had no luck, I must be doing it wrong.