kiln advice

Started by sandmor1, January 26, 2014, 04:29:43 PM

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sandmor1

Hello

I am a complete novice with fused glass but since being given a microwave kiln for Christmas I am completely hooked.

I am getting on pretty well and after I bought a glass grinder I have been able to work out a method of fire polishing to improve the look of my pendants.

But.....as you can imagine, I now want a proper kiln.

A huge one that I can "grow" into would be perfect but that is not going to happen.....my funds are very limited. (I am retired)

I am thinking of either the Skutt Firebox8 or the Paragon Caldera rather than a front loader but I would be very grateful for any advice regarding kilns as I have absolutely no experience of them. I know that if I go to a dealer, I would get advice but I would really like to hear from the people who are actually using them every day.....the pros and cons

Thank you

Sandra

jeannette

There are quite a lot of threads on this that you may also want to peruse, but I will share my experience with you.
Buy the biggest kiln you can afford, you will always want bigger.
Think about where is will be located and how you will access it.

I love my kiln, it's a Hobbyfuser, an older model that I got off ebay and appeared brand new when I collected it - allegedly had only been fired six times - so I was lucky.
What I don't like is it's not big enough, but most of the time it is. When it gets to Christmas and I am firing wreath after wreath, I wish I could do a few at a time. But it's fine for jewellery and nice bowls etc. Not very tall, I can't do drops that big in mine (not that I have tried yet - too much else to do).
What I really don't like is that it's a top loader and I wish I had a clam style. It's on a stand and when trying to load up a complicated piece, in the cold, I find it hard to lay up. I can fix this in two ways - one is lower the kiln (but I am sharing a space and this is not possible) or I can get a clam shell. I might get a bigger clam shell...

Anyway, haven't used a front loader. But you probably can't go wrong with any kiln, you will just adapt :)

Exciting!

flame n fuse

bear in mind that bigger kilns will need a special electrical circuit from your fuse board (a bit like an electric cooker) - check this when choosing.