using a standard SC2 for beadmaking!!! help

[Rockpooljewels]

Hey Lovely people,

Any advice on how to anneal in a standard door SC2? I have always used kilns with bead doors in the past, and though I can buy a bead door for it, I am loathe at present to spend £145 on one. Do I have to cut down the mandrels so they will fit in?

sounds like a daft question but I am sure others have encountered this problem before me

Mandy xxx

[Shirley]

I know people who have cut down their mandrels so they can open the door and garage each bead as they go. I guess if you are quick you shouldn't lose too much of the heat while the door is open.

Others would batch anneal, but then you have a greater risk of losing beads while they cool.

You can buy bead doors for kilns, I think.

[Rockpooljewels]

thanks Shirley, yeah you can buy bead doors, am considering it because I dont want to batch anneal, my big beads would not survive without being garaged...its a bit of a dilemma, but I think I might have to give in and get one!! bit of a pain but heyho ))) x

[Shirley]

It's probably worth the investment. It will increase the resale value too should you decide to getter something bigger later.

[Rockpooljewels]

Thanks Shirl xx

[julieHB]

I annealed in my standard SC2 for 3 years before finally buying a bead door. If you keep your kiln shelf inside you lose very little heat when you open and add the beads. I cut down all my mandrels so they would fit. Thicker mandrels could get hot to work with, though, so keep that in mind. I hated to fork out for the bead door as well, but it was worth it!

[Rockpooljewels]

Thanks Julie,
It would have been cheaper to just buy a new kiln..lol..think I will have to grit my teeth and go for it, been trying to figure out what I could use to hold a short (hot) mandrel, and can't come up with anything that would keep the mandrel turning evenly..bit of a bugger too cos Rob only has the dearer doors in stock at the moment and I can't wait for anything me

I wonder if anyone out there has ever tried to modify the solid door and turn it into a bead door? mmmm hubby is quite useful with stuff like that, it might be worth a shot in the dark, if it fails then it's new door time lol....it will fail I know it xxxx