strabge cracking and reduction frit question

[Suz01]

Hi Folks,

I know this has something to do with the cooling rate etc but.... a few of my beads lately (especially very small spacers) are having a very thin shard crack off around the hole (so it like a little ring). often when I make several spacers on a mandrel, but have noticed it a few other times. Any ideas, specifically what is causing it?


Also, I have been plating with some reduction frit lately, and besides being so frustrating cos it seems to do a different reaction on each bead (is driving me mad trying to amke any match) but am having trouble lately making it reduce properly. The problem seems to relate to cooling. Originally I was using the reducing flame (covering holes on HH) when the bead was hot. Thsi wirks pretty well, but then have too cool down in air, before vermiculite, as if I put high in flame to 'cool' I will lose metallic look, right? So I started cooling a bit first, and then reducing. It looks like it turns, so I remove, cool and put in vermiculite, but then the bead turns out plain (no metallic). What is the best way to approach this with HH.

Thanks,
Suzanne