I am looking at kilns and confused as heck.
I am a newbie lampworker, not that good but currently I just cool beads to avoid thermo shock, I have no eay to anneal them, obviously if I ever hope to sell beads ir creations made with them I need to anneal them so I am looking gor prodominantly an annealing kiln but I have did a teeny bit of fusing using one of those microwave fuseing pots and I love the look of slumping, I fell in love with a blue slumped bottle cheese board at a fair I did in september and I'm still regretting mot buying it.
Space is questionable, we don't have a garage but my husband is building me a wooden workshop in the garden for my torch etc. A kiln could possibly be sited in there assuming the pissible coldness isn't an issue.
I have been looking at beadcube but I couldn't slump bottles in it as too small and I worry I would outgrow it. I saw a kiln on ebay that seems similar to beadcube but half the price so I wondered about that to start then upgrade but I do worry about the quality of kiln at that price. I currently use pmc a lot but torch fire.
Hi Lilacpixie
This is a question that comes up time and time again, and there is no one answer. Basically, there isn't any ONE kiln that will do everything - if you look at a kiln big enough to fuse wine bottles, you won't be able to anneal as you go - and it would be such a big kiln, you'd be making beads everyday for a month or two before you got enough to batch anneal. I'd be happy if I had several kilns to cover all jobs ;D ;D
Basically, you have to decide what the MAIN use of it will be, and go with that.
The kiln on Ebay - did it have a full digital controller? That is usually a major part of kiln cost - you can fuse and anneal in a kiln with just a pyrometer, but you need to sit and watch it and adjust it through the whole programme.
If you have a look through the boards, you will see that many people have asked the same question - no-one can answer it for you, but you can get a good review of the most popular kilns, the pros and cons of different ones, etc.
I would say go with a beadcube to start with, it will do most of the things you want to do (but not slump wine bottles!) it is an excellent kiln from a very reliable company with top class after sales service. If you do outgrow it and decide you want something bigger someone will snatch your hand off at the chance of getting a beadcube second hand, they VERY rarely come up for sale! ;D
I've a Paragon SC2 which I bought because someone else was going to 'rent' it for silver clay, then never did. Had I had more space, and right now I think I would find the space I'd go for a Kilncare Maxi. Nothing wrong with the SC2 (and I might well decide to sell mine in the future but not today) but I think I would prefer a bigger kiln and the bead door on the SC2 is smaller. Having said that the SC2 slumps small bottles OK. Oh and Kilncare are in the UK. I think they now make an SC2 sized kiln if space is a premium. Just my twopenneth.
I'll chip in here, because I'm still fairly new, so this is a recent experience for me!
I would start by thinking what you are likely to want to do in the next 12 months. Make a list of features you want, in order of importance - eg bead door, controller, 20 x 20cm for small slumping; 30 x 30 cm for larger slumping, cost of firing. Then look at the various products available and a decision should emerge.
I started with a Paragon Quikfire off Ebay. This is small kiln with no controller which is fine for batch annealing small beads, and making small slumped earrings and dishes.
And now I've just bought a second-hand Fusion 7 in which I plan to make larger vessels. I'll still use the Quikfire for small stuff, no point in heating a large kiln for 6 pairs of fused earrings!
From what you say, a Paragon SC2 or similar would be a good start for beads, PMC and small slumping; it's worth looking here and on Ebay, Gumtree and Preloved but they don't crop up very often. If you want to move onto larger slumping, you'll find more secondhand options available.
Good luck, and enjoy!
Moira
Thank you. I looked at the sc2 as well. Next 12-18 I plan no more of the same, making beads, maybe some fusing of cabs for jewellery. I can't se me slumping large pieces a lot in the shorter term. I've been looking at work spaces for inspiration. Inthink its between bead cube, sc2 and the random ebay kiln from a sellerin aberdeen.
I've just had a look at the Aberdeen one. I haven't heard of that make, or of the seller. I wonder how much help they'd be, if it went wrong? Also it is very tiny. It might be worth paying a bit more, to get more space, and good after-sales service.
I agree with a previous post if you try to have one kiln to do everything it will always be a compromise so initially decide what you want to do most of and get a kiln for that job.
What ever kiln you buy will be too small in a month, buy the biggest you can afford for slumping.
The nabotherm are good from warm glass I have a 190. The scutt kilns are good value I use a couple all the time and they are great but for beads I wouldn't be without my Maxine.
If you are buying a second hand kiln check the controller it may be for ceramics which is not ideal for glass, not enough segments as potters don't need to control cooling as carefully. You can buy very good controllers to upgrade from Stafford Instruments for about £250 but you would have to decide if its worth it.
If you're doing beads get a door. I've found the more I've learned the more I'm beginning to use it although I couldn't see what I would use it for in the early days. It's great for mandrel implosions and if you get stopped for something halfway through a bead you can pop it in and keep it warm!
Another thing to think about is if there's anyone near to you that has a larger kiln you could hire to do larger things? I regularly hire out my large kiln to other makers as it's just not feasible for everyone to own big kilns. I also trade off for other equipment loans or help in the studio so it needn't be a massive expense and as well as the use of the equipment, it's another brain to pick for experience in firing and other things.
Depends on the time factor and how long you can wait to get a kiln.......Tuffnells are having a " kiln village " at Flame Off this year if you can get there.
I presume it's a " show and tell " of all the ones they stock if that helps.
Corinne.
Given what you have said, I would go for a bead cube as you can anneal as you go, batch anneal and do small scale fusing (small bowl or coaster but not a bottle). The controller for the bead cube is the same as the one for the Maxi so you could upgrade without the cost of the controller and have two kilns for different purposes.
Kazx
I treated myself to a beadcube a couple of months ago and love it. It is compact so fits neatly on the desk and as I only get time to melt for a couple of hours it's the perfect size. Before I got it I used to batch anneal in my fusing kiln but could only make small beads as larger ones cracked. Like others have said you need to decide what your priority is and choose a kiln that will suit you. Kilncare are an excellent company to deal with. I've had my fusing kiln for over 2 years and never had a problem with it.
Hi Guy's,
Major bit of ignorance is about to come shinning through. I am very new to this but people keep talking about "Slumping" what is this. I would like to make beads to sell or for my wife to turn into jewellery. The bead cube would do this fine yes??
Thanks in advance
Rob
Hi Rob
I'm no expert, but slumping is (I think) when you heat glass to a higher level of temperature than you would do when beadmaking, so that the glass literally "slumps" down and can then assume the shape of a mould etc. It's somethat that is done by the glass fusers when they make bowls etc. If you only make beads you'll rarely (if ever!) need to do it.
A Bead cube is wonderful for beads when starting out, I had one and loved it (and now love my Maxi), but I am only ever after annealing and not anything else (so of course I cannot give advice re fusing or slumping); BUT I would give a bit vote for any kiln from Kilncare (http://www.kilncare.co.uk/), as others have said, they are British, and their after sales care is phenomenal, any problem, any worrries, any being blond moments (and I have had loads) they are just fantastic and you know what you are getting from them.
Another vote for the bead cube here. I actually sold my SC2 and replaced it with a cube, and I haven't regretted it for a moment. The neat little footprint and separate controller, along with the fantastic Kilncare service made it a very easy decision for me.
Another beadcube lover here - but I wouldn't advise getting one if you are planning on specialising in large focals, as you would soon fill it up I think x
I am on my second bluebird, love the space it gives
Hi Folks
I have a beadcube for all my lampworking and it holds a good 4 hours worth of bead making.
I also have a Skutt Hot Start Pro for all my fusing / slumping/ pate de verre etc
They both have their place and I wouldnt be without either of them.
Hope that helps
Sandra
:)
Thank you everyone. I think its between a bead cube and an sc2. I am waiting for my shedio to be ready before purchase so I have time to narrow my choice. At the moment I use a hot head with the bottle for practics, shedio means bulk gas ;) and h8pefully something resembling a bead I can picture =)