Can you anneal lampwork beads in skutt hotshot pro kiln?

[loulabelle]

Hi I'm looking to buy a kiln to make fused glass jewellery, work and fire pmc and maybe anneal beads. I have been playing round with a mircowave Kiln ( I know, I hear you cry, why why why) to say I've been disappointed is an understatement. Massive air bubbles and exploding glass - not pretty.  If anything however it's made be realise how much i want a proper kiln and as I'm only going to be able to afford one once then I want to get it right. I'm thinking about getting a skutt hotshot pro any thoughts? Also when I've got to grips with it was wondering if i could anneal lampwork beads in it?

Loulabelle

[Zeldazog]

Hi Loulabelle

Yes you can anneal beads in a Hot Start Pro - fab kiln, I own one - but you will only be able to batch anneal as the kiln isn't suitable for opening whilst it is in mid program, being a top loader, and quite frankly it would be blummin awkward with bead mandrel in one hand and heavy lid in the other!

I think there's already a batch annealing program on here somewhere.

You'll get plenty of beads in it though!

[sarah t]

if you are planning to do smaller pieces ..check out bead cube ...kiln care ......

and there are lots of threads on here about other kilns pros and cons ...

[Zeldazog]

Just re-read your post, and might want to consider something like the Paragon SC2  or Caldera, or Kilncare's Bead-cube as well.

Not to say that the Hot Start isn't a fab kiln, it is - but if you're sticking with jewellery sized pieces, it's a biggie (although it's very cheap to run) - depends on how many pieces you're thinking of making at a time.

But the two Paragon kilns can have bead doors so that you can anneal as you go  (but you can still fuse and fire PMC or batch anneal in them) and the Bead-cube is a cracking little muffle style kiln that you can also anneal as you go, enamel, silver clay or fuse in, although its the baby size kiln of the bunch.

Take a read through the threads here:  http://www.frit-happens.co.uk/forum/index.php?board=62.0

There is pages and pages of discussions to look through on the merits and disadvantages of each.

..... and Sarah beat me to it!