Which type of kiln should I buy?

[Blue Box Studio]

George has kindly been annealling my beads for me but I'm thinking of getting my own kiln in the near future (Santa will be coming early - he's missing my birthday by being in the US and stupidly said 'name your price what do you want to make up for it?' although I suspect I might have to make a small contribution).  So, so many kilns so little knowledge.

I'd been veering towards a Paragon as so many have them and say they are great.  I am open to other makes though.  It obviously needs to do the job for me, some kind of programmer is a must.

I will mainly make beads but would like to try fusing small pieces at some time, and a friend who will want to borrow the kiln does fusing so, can you fuse in a kiln with a bead door?  Or do I need to go without a bead door and cut down mandrels, batch anneal or whatever if I want to make anything other than beads.  Probably a daft question but I don't know if the bead door closes off.

Really a question for those of you with a lot of experience (i.e. not me) if you were to have your kiln buying time again what would you do the same/differently.  Give me the benefit of your knowledge or hindsight.  I'm still at the stage of not knowing what it is I don't know.

Thanks, Sue.

[elburnzo]

i have a paragon sc2 with bead door and i manage to fuse glass in without any issues. having said tht i now want a second kiln to fuse larger pieces in but if its only for fusing small jewellery pieces the paragon is great. I've also used it for art clay as well without any issues.

[sarah t]

bead cube a great little stater kiln and can go to high temperatures so can be used for slumping small pieces etc ...and then basicilly the biggest one you can afford   .... cus you will always need it ...eventually

i am just starting to outgrow my bead cube and am saving for a maxi ...but i will keep my cube as the maxi does not go to the higher temperatures

[Zeldazog]

Quick reply as am about to set off to friends in Brum, for the IFG...

Most important, decide what you want it for MAINLY.  No one kiln covers everything really, so you have to decide your priority.  Then, read through the all the threads in the forum that have discussed kilns, you'll find lots of opinions and comments on the merits and disadvantages of each of the most popular ones, both from when people were looking and what they have found since they bought their kiln.

Things to think of, aside from what you want to pay and what you want to use it for - WHERE it will live, have you got space, do you need to be able to move it around, that kind of thing.

HTH!

[Blue Box Studio]

Space!  I hadn't thought about that so good point.  There's not a lot of spare worktop space in my studio.  It will be mainly for beads and the fusing probably wouldn't go larger than coasters, just small things really.  I'll do a bit more research, not heard of bead cube before.  Thanks.

[Nikki]

I love my bead cube

[Blue Box Studio]

OK peeps, I've done a bit more research and narrowed my search down to either the Bead Cube or a Paragon SC2.   I could fit either into my shedio.  I don't really want to find I need to buy a bigger/better kiln a year along the road.  Ignoring the price difference, I'm stuck on which to buy (well, Santa is buying).  I'm going to want to make small fused items, coasters that sort of thing but mainly my beads.  I couldn't find a weight for the SC2 - might make a diffrerence as where it'll sit on the worktop is supported only in places by kitchen cupboard or 2x2 timber supports, which is why I rulked out the heaver 20kg ones.

Has anyone tried both and got an opinion?  Is there much difference in running costs?  Anything else I've not thought about?

Cheers,

[cbeadies]

I agree it is difficult to decide ....I have just bought a Beadcube, mainly because of price / size and being UK made, easy to contact Kilncare for help if needed.
It is very tiny though, but that will probably suit me as I will use it mainly for beads. I understand that you can fuse small items in it. Have not had time to try it out yet due to holidays, but hope to very soon.

I notice that you are quite near to me ( South Bristol), you are welcome to come round and have a look at it if that would help!

[Blue Box Studio]

Cbeadies, I might take you up on that offer, thank you. 

[cbeadies]

PM'd you. 

[jammie]

I love my bead cube too. It depends a bit on how many beads you could make it a time as it is small but there's a thread on here about how many beads will fit in a bead cube. 

[Redkite]

I bought my SC2 before the Bead Cube came out, and I would recommend it as being very flexible (enamelling, annealing, fusing, precious metal clay etc). It has a vent hole so you can make hollow PMC objects using cork clay that burns away during firing and it has a larger internal space than the bead cube. I don't think you can go far wrong with it if you (or Santa!) can afford it - 2nd hand ones for sale are rare and hold their price well. I would recommend getting the bead door, which you can fix closed if you're doing other things with it, but makes it easier to anneal beads as you go (especially if you get the mandrel rack from Tuffnells)

But if you want something just for annealing beads, the bead cube is cheaper, made in UK and Kilncare have a very good reputation for customer support.

[Blue Box Studio]

I'm going to have a look at Jill's Bead Cube Monday and Warm Glass sell Paragon so hopefully I can mosey over there Friday and have a look before making a final decision.  My head sys Bead Cube but my heart says Paragon because it has more space - but then space is a premium in my workshop, especially if I have to leave space around for air to circulate / not scorch the MDF walls.

If I go for a Paragon, do I need one with a window as well as a bead door?  Do I want to look through the window and would it be like the cooker door, not terribly easy to see through?  I can see the point with ceramics but not for bead annealling and no idea about fusing (yet).  I'm forunate that I could afford either (if Santa doesn't cough up); I sold a lot of jewellery making tools to make room and fund this.

PMC hasn't yet really grabbed my attention, saw a demo when it first came out and made it look like paying with plastercine!  I need to see someone do something really lovely with it then I might get that bug too. On second thoughts, no more new ideas please.

[Redkite]

I believe the window is sold as being useful for fusing and enamelleling. but you don't need to watch beads annealing and I think the windows are very small and not that easy to see through, but mine doesn't have one, so I don't know.

Once you see both models in action, I'm sure it will be obvious which is the better one for you!

[Krysia@No98]

I have a paragon SC2 with bead door.  I am planning to use it for slumping at some point (I've had it nearly a year now and haven't quite gor round to it yet)

there is also the Promethius which Martin sells, this is a wee bit bigger then the paragon (To be honest if this had been available I would have probable gone for this one, but that could easily be far to much stargate and for those none sci fi nerds amongst  you, it was the name of one of the ships.  I do appreciate that this is a very week reason for buying a kiln...) but in all other ways the same.