Technical question on bead release

[Anne_Londez]

I've hit a bad batch of bead release and I was wondering if anyone knows if when bead release starts cracking while drying whether it is because it lacks silica or clay. Thanks !

[RobertS]

It sounds to me like it's more likely there is a binder of some sort missing or not functioning properly (maybe degraded). Does it have an odd odor? If the clay was missing it would look a lot like murky water rather than bead release.

Robert

[Debby_Weaver]

I know this sounds dumb, but try really mixing it up well - maybe with some sort of mixer. Maybe some element needs broken up better? Or maybe not, but that is usually what I do. Especially when you get big quantities (which is how I get mine), heavier elements seem to settle to the bottom.

Debby

[Vince]

I've had small containers of bead release degrade over time and never found a good solution to the problem and ended up simply throwing it out. If you get obvious separation you can usually use Debby's tactic and mix it up well and that will work. Given the wide variance in bead release formulas it would be impossible to venture a really informed opinion about how to cure the problem without knowing the original formula. In some cases simply adding water and re-mixing will restore it as frequently a too thick or viscous bead release will crack as it dries. I keep my "active" bead release in a tall plastic bottle with a largish discard bead inside. The bead acts as a mixer when the bottle is shaken vigorously and will break up clumps of material and disperse it evenly into the mix.

Vince

[Nina"Sam"Hibler]

One other tip
Even though I don't think it is the problem you are having.
Don't use softened water to dilute your bead release.

We have such hard water in San Antonio most everyone uses a water softener but the soften water over many dilutions seems to effect the bead release.I use bottled or just the plain hard water now.

[smurfy5]

I was struggling with bead release because I liked how easily the clay based seemed to clean out clear from the center... but also liked how easily my beads would come off of the mandrel when I used graphite based bead release... so I mixed Bucket o' Mud with Fusion and I have been really happy with it. I also store my bead release upside down because I can shake up the stuff that has settled more easily instead of having to mix it up from the bottom.
I didn't realize softened water could be a bad thing too... do you use distilled water instead?
-Kirsten Rasmussen

[Nina"Sam"Hibler]

I use bottled water or the un-soften water at the house.

[Anne_Londez]

The batch that's gone bad hasn't changed in appearance, that's what so frustrating as you can't tell it went bad until the mandrels dry. I do too think that over time the components separate and I've tried mixing it really well and it seems to help but it's still touchy. I'll add a bead to it to help the mixing too, thanks for the tip Vince !

[Kuehlmorgen_D]

Hi Anne

Which brand is it? Different brands like different thickness of the coating. Fosterfire likes to bee extremely thinn to work propperly. A thicker coating will do the discribed cracking (either while drying or while preheating). Shrinking while drying seems to be an "exess clay" problem. Try to add 5-10% of fine diatomeous earth for that. Try it just with a very small sample because it might cause other problems... Other possible additives: Alumina, hydrated alumina, quartz powder, graphite powder (premix with alcohol) or the old mudd from cleaning mandrels and beads.


Dietmar