Help, I need a kiln but have a limited budget!

[GlassOcean]

Hi,

Could you tell me whether or not a 2ns hand kiln from ebay would serve me as a stop gap until I ca afford a proper one?

I have seen this one but don't know if it will do bead annealing?

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=330172555535&ssPageName=STRK:MEBI:IT&ih=014

Do you know?

Thanks in advance

Kerensa.

[Bumpy Beads]

It certainly reaches the required annealing temperature, but I have two concerns;

• It doesn't appear to be programmable, which means you would have to either buy a programmer to use with it, or ramp it up/down manually... which is possible but tedious.
• It wasn't built for the UK power system. I'd ask an electrician for advice before buying.

I'm certainly not an expert, but I hope this helps.

[GlassOcean]

Lovely, thanks for replying.  I will look into it a bit more!!!

[hatvary]

It looks like a Kiln that I have you can google Winston Doull and find his site. He sells kilns for around 650 euro very easy to program, the only thing that might not be what you're looking for is that it isn't very big, and he lives in Germany.
It is cheap to run though about 0.06 eurocent per annealing they say, this oven is very popular here in Holland.

[Bumpy Beads]

I've just spotted that the header says "Controller" so maybe a separate one is included... but there is no mention of it in the description. 

[GlassOcean]

Thanks both of you, I will see how the auction goes, I may get it very cheap and that will be a bonus, I am too embarrassed to send my first solo beads (though secretly very proud of them!) to anyone to anneal for me!!!

I think to all others they would be fuglies!!!!!

[ralphus]

As I want a kiln myself, I quite often watch this person's kiln auctions and have found that they usually stay low right up until the auction and then shoot up to about £150. 

Hopefully, you'll be lucky and its one that nobody else has noticed!!

[GlassOcean]

I will keep a close eye on it then!
Thanks everyone
Kerensa.

[Redhotsal]

Have only had a quick look at this but two things spring to mind:

The exposed elements mean that you will have to be very careful - I would not recommend putting in your hot beads in case the mandrels come into contact with the elements. If this happened you will get an electrical shock. You will only really be able to consider using the kiln for batch annealling. The size of the chamber doesn't look like it will accommodate a full mandrel length anyway - and because you haven't got a bead door you won't be able to leave the mandrels poking out. Batch annealling is fine - but it will limit you in this regard.

Temperature range seems fine, but I don't see any digital controller (you'd have to verify this with the seller). There's a difference between a digital (programmable) controller - which will run through an annealling sequence without you getting involved and a kiln controller - the latter is a bit like the heat controller on a domestic oven. You can turn it up and down to control the temperature but you have to do it all by hand. I don't see a temperature readout on there either so you may not know what temperature the kiln is at at any one time.

Believe me you don't want to be manually turning the kiln temperature up and down. An average batch anneal process takes around ten hours and you don't want to be tied to the kiln for that time.

I may be wrong on this but these are the questions you need answering.

In my experience kilns hold their value in the second hand market and you basically get what you pay for so a cheap kiln will almost certainly be lacking something desireable and basic - like a digital controller. My advice is to save your dosh until you can buy exactly what you want and in the meantime find a friendly local glassmaker who already has a kiln. Most people are happy to put other people's beads in with their own during a batch annealling process - there are lots of people - me included - who will do this for you until you get the kiln you want.

[Robin]

hi

there are several kilns to look at:

the ultralite at www.ultralitekiln.co.uk  and

the kitiki mini-kiln and the paragon firefly at www.electrickilns.co.uk

they're described on the sites. after those, the sc2b (also on www.electrickilns.co.uk).

low cost kilns have less internal space, or a lower max temp, or less features, so you need to think carefully about what you want to do. also, for bead work as a prime use, the sc2b and bluebird are probably the most popular. mail me if you have any questions.

rob

www.paragonkilns.co.uk

[Lee - Kilncare]

I've just taken a look at the e-bay kiln.

Firstly RHS is correct, it certainly appears to have no safety switch on the door so electrocution is a risk.

Secondly, it is possible that the seller is referring to the regulator (white knob on the rear) when they mention control.

This method is a virtually manual way of firing with no temperature indication at all.

Thirdly, this is one old kiln. Not that it matters too much, but it is all the same.

Be carefull pal.

[GlassOcean]

Thanks everyone, I will keep saving then!!

Take care,

Kerensa.

[Clare Scott]

Kerensa,

If you need some beads annealing while you save, send them to me! Actually...Royal Mail are being a Royal pain in the a£s* but you are more than welcome...just PM me if you need any more help!

Clare