batch annealing

[balnakeilglass]

Has anyone out ther had any experience of batch annealing? I normally put them straight in the kiln as soon as they are made but have recently bought a narrowboat and would like to make beads on it. The problem is , I won't always have electricity, so is batch annealing viable and how long can you leave them before annealing?

[cbeadies]

I batch annealed when I first started, some of the beads had been made several months before I got the kiln so you should be fine. I have a Beadcube kiln, it came with a programme for batch annealing already set up so it was very easy.

[sarah t]

you can leave them for ages before batch annealing ,follow your kilns program for batch annealing or there are several schedules on the forum so do a search

you may find larger beads dont survive the cooling in bubbles or vermiculite so you might need to plan what you make depending on your electricty supply so remember you can bring the kiln temperature up slowly with the beads for the batch ,hold the temperature and then add made there and then beads before you ramp down as usual

[Jennie Lamb]

I used to batch anneal everything when we had our shop and I used annealing balls and I would leave the beads in over night and never peeked at them once they were in the balls and I lost very few and I tend to make big beads!!   Good luck, it sounds like an idyllic place to create from!

[Pat from Canvey]

Thinking about waves, I wouldn't attempt any fine stringer work but do have fun on your purchase     

[spexy]

I had read that you could put them all in a pyrex dish to anneal - DON'T they can stick together. Thread them on mandrels like kebabs.

[balnakeilglass]

Thank you all for your info. Dont think I'll be too worried by waves on canals but will  have a try and see how I go.

[Blue Box Studio]

I batch anneal in a pyrex dish and never had any stick together 

[Margram]

I batch anneal in a pyrex dish and never had any stick together 

I used to do this with no sticking either...wonder if your kiln is set a bit high Spexy? However, I've read it can happen with rubino.

[Pauline]

My sister has a part share in a canal boat (bit like a floating youth hostel) and I spent a weekend last year of dreaming and planning having one to live in when I retire and I was wondering if solar panels would fire a kiln on a boat. her boat had electricity when the engine was running and battery power at night, which was fine if you moved each day using the engine to recharge it but a bit iffy for stays of more than 2 or 3 days.

[spexy]

No my kiln temp was fine. I did have a lot of beads with rubino in and I had some iris orange that virtually exploded.