Skutt kiln any good for beads?!?!?!

[bluefairy]

Evenin all, I'm looking at getting a Skutt HotStart Pro kiln as I'm mainly into my glass fusing, but really interested in getting into lampworking (your lot's fault, you've all inspired me) does anyone know if this kiln would still be ok for annealing beads?

[Les]

I've never come into contact with these kilns, but from experience, any kiln that can be controlled to heat and cool steadily and slowly should be OK for annealing beads

I've been bulk annealing in a VERY old and rusty ceramic hobbykiln for ages. It's not even got a digital controller, just an old fashioned power input dial at the back, and an old dial to set temp and soak time. As it's a brick lined kiln, it stays hot for aaaaggggges and just cools naturally... great for batch annealing

xx

HTH ?

[Hamilton Taylor]

We have two of these, and I once had occasion to anneal a bunch of twizzle sticks (basically, beads on  the end of a short cane) in one. I came back in the morning and they were all very lightly tacked together. Most were rescueable, but some weren't.
I think that either the kiln went over temp for a short while, or the direct exposure to a large area of very hot element resulted in fast radiant heating. I have a pyrometer, but have yet to get around to testing the kiln temp yet. I reckon that if you place the beads on the kiln floor, under a kiln shelf so they only get ambient heat, it should work fine.

Re-reading all that, I'm not sure if it helps you make a decision, but hey-ho.

Sean

[bluefairy]

That's great, thank you 

[Zeldazog]

Helen, I've got one of those, but I don't lamp-work (yet!!) - I can't see why you couldn't use it, and personally I haven't had a problem with over firing (I wasn't sure recently if I had cos I had problems with kiln wash sticking to my fusing, but think that was down to bad practice on my part)

You would only be able to batch anneal though, I wouldn't have thought it feasible to keep opening the lid to pop a bead in - it does got a bit hot when you try and lift the lid!