My new year pressie to myself is a new small kin for annealing. I already have a large kiln for glass fusing and was wondering which would be best for my beads Sc2 or bead cube?
Thanks everyone - looks like the bead cube is favourite so far!
Ordering my bead cube today - thanks for all your advice x
I can only tell you that I love my bead cube, but sometimes wish I'd gone for the maxi, as it is quite small. Hope that helps some. :)
Have had an SC2 with bead door since May, but prior to purchase I ignored some advice from someone who had already given me some very sound advice on my silversmithing equipment buying ;), and I didn't buy the Beadcube she suggested.
Having been to the By George, it's Lush weekend, one of Julie's kilns was the Beadcube, and I was very surprised to find that the internal space was more or less the same as the inside of my SC2. The external space saved was amazing though.
If you had NO kiln and maybe wanted to do other things small scale fusing, silver clay, etc. I would say buy the SC2 but if you already have the kiln you mention, then I would have no hesitation in recommending the Beadcube, if it's just for beads.
Linda x
I love my cube, and you can do small scale fusing, enamelling and metal clays with no problems at all. It was the tiny footprint and separate controller that made it such a simple choice for me, and I still love it. It's a fair bit cheaper too.
I love my bead cube too, its surprising how much you can fit in espec with a rack inside! :)
I have an sc3 without a bead door as I was advised the bead door wasted electricity, unfortunately it makes it too small for normal mandrels so I have had to get a rack and shorten my mandrels and put them in at an angle, but still can't get many mandrels in at once. batch annealling is fine as you can make bead kebabs and do loads at once
I have tried a bead cube and found it too small, I currently have an SC2 and can definitely fit in a lot more than the cube, but still am finding it on the small side and have the yen for a maxi.
Linda, did you really find the internal space was similar? I felt it was about half the size, and having just checked there is a huge difference in internal space between the two, although I personally feel that much of that space is wasted in the sc2. The cube is 120mm x 130mm x 70mm internal diameter, where the sc2 is 16" x 6" x 4.5" - I hate doing the conversions! In the cube though, the rack is designed to make the most of every centimetre of space, and this isn't the case in the Paragon kiln.
If I did get a maxi, I think I would still keep my SC2, as I would still use it. If you get the opportunity to try out various kilns, I would definitely do so, otherwise it's so much a matter of personal taste, and dependent on the size you work, what you want to use it for etc. However, the service at kilncare is absolutely second to none, and this is definitely something to consider.
You've already got your big kiln for big jobbies, and you've used the beadcube once or twice ;) at my place - go for the beadcube. It takes up much less space and as George says, the separate controller is a really great feature. In my experience the controller is more likely to fail (although still very unlikely!) and if it does, its so much easier to send back than a whole kiln.
I have a beadcube too, it is so easy to use and so far has been trouble free. I do sometimes wish I had gone for something a bit larger, but for the moment I am happy with it, my torch time is quite limited.
If you do decide on the SC2, I notice from another thread in 'For Sale' that Warm Glass have very good prices at the moment, if that is of any help! :) (Probably will just make it more difficult to decide!! :))
http://www.warm-glass.co.uk/paragon-sc2-with-bead-door-free-uk-shipping-p-2778.html?wizid=q9u5kpn1m1mue7b3e3ua2akgt4
(http://www.warm-glass.co.uk/paragon-sc2-with-bead-door-free-uk-shipping-p-2778.html?wizid=q9u5kpn1m1mue7b3e3ua2akgt4)
Well, I have 2 SC2s with bead door (one in France and one in Northern Ireland) and I'm a big fan. :) It's a perfect size for what I do and my bf can anneal his silver clay in it too.
Do you do a lot of lampworking? Is it your main "thing"? If you've already got a fusing kiln, my guess would be, probably not - in which case I'd go for a bead cube.