Can't afford a kiln to anneal your glass? Is it too hot out to fire up the kiln for just a couple of beads? Do you travel and can't take your kiln with you? How can you cool your glass slowly without a kiln?
Annealing Bubbles!
Ok, let's be clear right from the start: no, this product does not 'anneal' your glass. What it does is allow the glass to cool slowly, minimizing the internal stresses. If you are making small, round beads (that you don't plan to sell), this is often enough. If you work with the ultra-soft glass (Satake, Kinari, Easy-Flow), this is often enough. If you want to make your glass now, and batch anneal later, this is often enough.
Like glass, these tiny, hollow micro-spheres are mostly silica. Silica (and glass) is a poor conductor of heat. When you place your hot beads into these bubbles, you create a tiny micro-climate that retains the heat for a long time.
This product replaces the use of vermiculite or fiber blanket. Unlike vermiculite (where you have to act like a kitty and dig a hole into which you can bury your bead), sliding a bead into this material is almost effortless. And, this material does not have the dust or fiber concerns that vermiculite or fiber blanket does.
You can use this material at room temperature, or you can place it in a Crock-Pot®.
We offer this product in two packages:
| Part Number | Size | Price |
|---|---|---|
| 06-0121 | Annealing Bubbles, in tin | (discontinued) |
| 06-0381 | Annealing Bubbles, in bag | $10.00 |