How to Make an Annealing for Beads
Annealing beads is a process of bringing their temperature down slowly after creating them. Allowing beads to cool too quickly puts stress on the glass, which weakens it and puts the beads at risk of cracking later on. Beads may even crack during the cooling process if cooled too quickly. The temperature at which the bead actually anneals is called the "soak time." This is the time it takes the entire bead to become one uniform temperature inside and out. Once the bead reaches this state, the slow, steady cooling process can begin. Annealing beads takes about nine hours, depending on the size of the beads.
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Instructions
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Preheat the kiln to 970 degrees F while you are still working the beads. This is the common annealing temperature for beads; however, your annealing temperature will vary slightly for very large or very small beads. The larger the bead is, the higher the starting temperature should be.
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Allow beads to cool on the mandrel for one minute after they are completed. This prevents the beads from flattening on one side as they rest on the kiln floor. Place the beads in the kiln.
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Close the kiln and allow the beads to soak for 30 minutes. Adjust soak time as necessary depending on bead size. Set soak time to accommodate the largest bead in the kiln.
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Reduce the kiln temperature by 100 degrees after beads have soaked. For instance, reduce it to 870 degrees Fahrenheit if you started at 970 degrees Fahrenheit. Let the beads to cool at this temperature for one hour.
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Reduce the kiln temperature another 100 degrees. Allow the beads to cool for another hour.
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Continue this process of reducing the kiln temperature by 100 degrees every hour until you reach 170 degrees Fahrenheit. Allow the beads to cool for one hour at this temperature, and then turn off the kiln.
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Let the beads cool for another hour after the shutting off the kiln. Then, crack the kiln door and allow the beads to cool to room temperature.
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Remove the beads from the kiln. The beads are now ready for jewelry making or display.
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Tips & Warnings
Different heat cycles are necessary for different types of glass. Make sure to use the proper heat cycle for the type of glass you are working with.
In general, beads must be soaked for 15 minutes per quarter inch of thickness.
It's almost impossible to over-soak your beads, so tend toward a longer soak time to protect against cracking.
Set the kiln temperature at intervals ending in 70 degrees, so when you reach the end of the annealing process, your final temperature will drop from 170 degrees to 70 degrees (room temperature).
Always exercise caution when working with the hot glass and hot kiln. With kiln temperatures so high, a severe burn can happen instantaneously.
Take caution when opening the kiln as the gust of hot air can be just as damaging as direct contact with a hot surface.
References
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