Resizing bracelet

[Gail Bunt]

A friend bought a glass cuff with an opening that is too wide for her wrist and the cuff keeps falling off. I think the cuff is 1/4 to 3/8" thick; will check when she gets back from vacation.

I don't have a bracelet mold or room for one in my little side-firing Paragon Calder kiln. Would it work to sit the cuff upright on the shelf with some fiber paper to support the ends, ramp to 1100 F, soak for 30 min., then pull or squash the ends of the cuff closer together using a couple of pliers or pair of tongs? The main thing is not to let the cuff start to slump.

500 1000
AFAP 1100 30
anneal

Or go higher? Or don't try it?

Gail

[Morganica]

Depends on what kind of glass it's made of--borosilicate will take quite a bit more heatwork than soda-lime to deform, and bracelets are made from both.

The ramp up to process temperature should be very slow, certainly a lot slower than 500dph. You don't know anything about the level of stress that might be in the bracelet, or potential hairline cracks/other issues. Also, if the bracelet is very thick and you ramp too fast, you'll wind up with a temperature differential between the inside and outside of the bracelet that could cause it to crack even if well-annealed.

You may also get some texturing or reshaping of whatever parts of the bracelet touch the kilnshelf or fiberpaper. There's also a (small, very outside) chance that some of the decoration or finish on the cuff was applied after firing--sandblasted bracelets can have anything from auto conditioner to shower sealer to varnish applied to seal them against fingerprints, and I've had a couple of pieces of glass jewelry that used oil paints. If there's anything like that on the bracelet, it will at best vanish during firing. At worst, it will react with the glass and cause a smudge or discoloration of some kind. (As I said, that probably isn't the case, but it's worth thinking about)

[Gail Bunt]

Thanks, Cynthia. I'll pass on the risks to my friend. If she wants to go ahead, I'll follow your advice. Would 100 dph be slow enough for the ramp up? I would also slow the anneal way down.

[Morganica]

Honestly, it's hard to say. That probably would be about right, but who knows? WIthout seeing the bracelet and knowing what it's made of--boro can take a much faster ramp up, usually, than soda-lime--who knows?

In addition, some glasses (particularly those used in torchworking) will change character with additional heat. Reds can go livery, opalines can turn opaque, orange and yellows can turn brown, etc. Staying under 1100F probably won't activate much but we're back to...who knows?

Personally, I'd either figure out a mechanical solution or buy another bracelet.

[Lynn Perry]

Gail, if your friend can contact the artist who made the bracelet, they may be able to do an exchange for a bracelet that fits properly. I think most of us do not want a customer to own a piece of our work which is not right for them and can be exchanged for something that is. I do think your friend would want to cover the cost of shipping, if that is required. Good luck.

[Gail Bunt]

Thanks so much, you two, for your advice. Clearly I'm out of my depth with refiring a bracelet. Will pass on the info to friend Judy. I think she has no way of identifying or contacting the maker, though.

Maybe there's a cold solution, like making a couple of wire spirals with loop ends, attaching jumprings and a toggle clasp to each to act as a safety chain, and gluing the spirals to each end of the cuff. Now jewelry, there I am totally out of my depth, but there's more latitude for experimentation.

Having been away from glass for 5 years, I'm thrilled to see the same wonderful artists sharing their expertise.