Why is it important to kiln anneal a bead?
When a hot glass bead begins to cool, the outside of the bead will cool at a faster rate than the glass on the inside. This causes the bead to form tiny (or not so tiny) stress fractures. When a bead is kiln annealed, it is gently placed into a kiln while it is still very hot. It “soaks” in the heat for at least 25 minutes at a constant temperature of about 950F. This helps normalize the temperature throughout the bead. The temperature of the bead is then lowered over the next 6-8 hours. This process is controlled via computer which is programmed to optimize the strength and durability of all Caswell beads.
