Anyone Know about got one of these Technical Supermarket UK.

[bbb50uk]

Hi I need to buying a Kiln to batch anneal, as i have loads of beads that have hanging around for years!! and never done. I saw this company Technical Supermarket Uk. advertising bead Kilns at a very reasonable price they look good Temperature goes quite high so i could use for silver clay as well, has anyone got one, used one, knows about these in more detail? advise thoughts please. Thanks b

[Zeldazog]

Hi I need to buying a Kiln to batch anneal, as i have loads of beads that have hanging around for years!! and never done. I saw this company Technical Supermarket Uk. advertising bead Kilns at a very reasonable price they look good Temperature goes quite high so i could use for silver clay as well, has anyone got one, used one, knows about these in more detail? advise thoughts please. Thanks b

Do you have a link to the site, or to the kilns?

No where near enough information here.  The temperature they reach is just one part of a kiln, do they have thermo-couples, pyrometers, digital controllers? A basic enameling kiln would get hot enough for bead annealing, but some don't even give temperature read outs, never mind controlling it, which makes correct annealing nigh on impossible.  Even with a read out, you'd have to babysit a kiln through it's cycle to make sure it does all the correct ramps and holds. 

[bbb50uk]

hi more info help please. thanks.

http://www.technicalsupermarket.com/component/option,com_virtuemart/page,shop.browse/category_id,424/Itemid,4/
BDK-850: Programmable Bead-Door Kiln with a Window & Accessories
THIS IS A PROGRAMMABLE, 850 C (1562 F) BEAD-DOOR ELECTRICAL MUFFLE KILN WITH 40-MM (1.3/5") QUARTZ WINDOW, ACCESSORIES AND 32-SEGMENTS TEMPERATURE CONTROLLER TO PRE-SET ANY REQUIRED TEMPERATURE BETWEEN THE ROOM TEMPERATURE AND 850 C (1562 F) AND HOLD IT A.......

https://furnaces.tools/kilns (also do same) 'Programmable bead-door kiln with a window and accessories BDK-850
This is a programmable, 850C (1562F) bead-door electrical muffle kiln with 40-mm (1.3/5") quartz win..'

[Zeldazog]

Well, it does appear to have a digital controller, although if you do a quick google for the company, you will find links to a few forums saying the controller is difficult to program.

The walls look very thin on this to me, so I would think it might struggle to retain heat - with a thermocouple, it will keep it's programmed temperature, but will be costing money whilst it does so, I'd expect.

I'd like to know where the elements are on this one.  In UK manufactured kilns, there is a supposed to be a cut off switch that stops the electric if open the door, so that you cannot touch a live element (when you're poking a metal mandrel in!).  Considering they claim made in the UK, I'd expect better English... it reads more like it's been translated.

I have to say, when it comes to equipment such as kilns, I do wonder if you get what you pay for and if it seems too good to be true, it probably is.  A decent controller alone will cost more than these kilns do, I have to wonder why?  I feel confident to leave my Kilncare running without watching it, and happily went to bed when my Skutt was at home.  Not sure I'd feel the same with this one!

That said, I haven't used one, or even seen one in the flesh, so I cannot comment on it's build quality, usability or durability.     



You say it's for batch annealing - have you considered getting someone from here to do it for you - I think there's a list somewhere of people willing do this.

[tuffnell glass]

Hi,
    We always offer to anneal beads as long as you send us a SAE and give us a day or two. We do it for free too.

Best wishes ,
Martin
Tuffnell Glass

[Moira HFG]

The first link won't open for me. Looking at the second, it seems that the elements are all at the back, so I don't think you'd get very even heating.

Sometimes cheap alternatives are fine; and sometimes they're just a waste of money. I'd be inclined to spend the same amount on a secondhand Paragon SC2 or Beadcube. They crop up here, on eBay and on Facebook fairly regularly.

[Lee - Kilncare]

I could not possibly comment on another competitors kiln, it's quality or it's likelihood to get anywhere near the CE standard that is claimed.....I simply could not comment.

However, you have got to be kidding me!!!!!

[oliver90owner]

Zeldazog is getting close.

Only 750W - Sc2 is well over twice that power - so heating times might be a good deal slower, especially at the higher temperatures (may not be too bad for annealing temps).

Weighs 5.2kg versus 16kg for the Sc2.  This can be down to several reasons - size, metal guage, insulation type, etc.

I suspect the elements may be far cheaper than those for a kiln which could heat to nearly 1100 degrees.

Might well do the job for annealing, but might be rather restrictive for higher temps.  Operating at silver clay temperatures - 800ish - might be getting close to its sensible temperature ceiling for longevity, but I might be wrong on that.  I won't be swapping the Paragon for one of these,  that is for sure.  Whether I would buy one just anneal glass might be another matter.  The internal measurements of the Sc2 is restrictive enough for me, too, and this one has rather less head space.

RAB

But there are other things to consider, of course.  Spares, service etc.

Choice is down to the purchaser, I suppose.