Why the Heck Can't I Make a Decision on a Kiln?

[Flamechick]

You've heard it all before - I can't freaking make up mind which freaking kiln I want to buy - I want them alllllll! I'm driving myself crazy! Everywhere I go, there I am. Argh! Am I just nuts, or did any of the rest of you have problems making a decision? I think I know which one I want, but I'm having a hard time making the plunge. Help! I need a push!

Thanks,

Amber

[lainee733]

you will when you are ready. took me awhile to decide, and alot of comparison shopping

[Flamechick]

Thanks Lainee. I think I'm about ready. I'm looking at the Arrow Springs AF138-T4. It's interior is 13" wide x 8.5 depth x 6.5" tall. It has two 6"wide x 4" tall doors. I plan on primarily annealing beads, and doing some fusing. I think I'm just having a hard time investing in something this pricey and worrying that I will later wish I would have got a bigger or smaller kiln for whatever reason. I guess I'm worried about buyer's remorse.

Thanks,

Amber

[hummingbird3172]

LOL...I didn't have that hard of a time...I had to stay within a tight budget....I have the AIM 84BD with the bead door (without the digital controller). It has been a breeze to use, very easy for me to control. Good luck looking!!! :grin:

[lbjvg]

I researched the buying of a kiln for months, made a spreadsheet of all the kiln models, manufacturers, distributers, dimensions, prices and so on - and still made a poor decision. Fortunately, I was able to return it and buy another more suited to my needs.

Electrical requirements (power draw) turned out to be important. You may have to have a dedicated 20 amp line installed.

Other than that, it boils down to what you are going to do with the kiln - anneal beads only? Fuse also? Boro sculptures?

People have opinions about construction materials (brick versus fiber frax and combos thereof) and exposed versus unexposed elements.

If you do get a brick kiln and have it shipped - Do Not sign the shipping papers until you have Completely unwrapped it, opened the door and inspected the bricks for breakage or cracks. You will never get the shipping company to pay attenion to you after you have signed those papers, so inspect carefully first. If I ever buy another brick kiln, I will buy it at a real shop and pick it up myself.

A digital controller will be money well spent in any case.

[cghipp]

Paralysis of analysis! Okay, here's the push: I think you're making this into a more important decision than it really is. Does the one you've picked out have a good reputation? If you want a digital controller, does it have one or can you add one to it? If you want a bead door, does it have one? If you want firebrick, is it? If you want portability, is it portable?

As with practically all the other equipment we use, a kiln will hold its value pretty well. If you decide you don't like it or you outgrow it, you can sell it later. Sometimes you just need to start using one to figure out what you really need!

Courtney

[yeepers]

I got my kiln from Mike at Glass Hive and it's the BEST! I got the bead annealer with double doors and digital controller. I can't say enough how great the service is and the quality of the product is superb.

http://www.theglasshive.com/

Enjoy!

-Yee

[Mr. Smiley]

I second the glass hive kilns! They rock! The best built kiln I've seen and Mike and Deb are great people... :D

[tgslampwork]

And I third the glass hive kilns...I also struggled withthe decision, but I have been thrilled with my purchase from the day I started using it.

And now...back to the game - GO SOX!

Kim

[Flamechick]

Hey all - thanks for your input. I have actually looked at the Glass Hive kiln. And that is one of the kilns that I have been debating over. My problem is that I want both of the kilns. I would love to have the Glass Hive kiln near my torch set up for several reasons: 1) It won't take up a huge amount of space, 2) Lots of room for beads, 3) it won't use up as much energy when I will probably be annealing more than I will be fusing, 4) I don't need to get a 240 outlet put in, 5) more portable 6) costs less than the arrow springs. What I like about the Arrow Springs kiln: 1) I haven't heard one negative thing about AS kilns 2) if something goes wrong with the digital controller, I can just UP the digital controller, and not the whole kiln, 3) I can fuse bigger pieces 4) only the bead doors have the obnoxious fiber cloth 5) quartz encased heating elements 6) 3 year warranty on oven and controller (to be fair, I don't know what the warranty is on the Glass Hive kiln) 7) the digital controller holds more programs, plus I've heard the FUJI controller is a PITA, and I am a techno flunkie.

If any of my above assumptions are in error, I would be gratefull for any comments.

Thanks,

Amber

[lbjvg]

Don McKinney sells a toolbox kiln http://www.glasspalette.com/Equipment.html which I eventually bought. It has the absolute lowest power draw of any kiln I've seen. It has a bead flap and the top opens for top access. It does not fuse.

The fugi controller is inscrutable, I agree, but mine came preprogrammed to anneal moretti glass so I didn't have to fiddle with programming it.

[Kaye]

nope...we just went with an aim 84bd I think it is with the electronic controller...we got it for $500 and it had a great bead-door....and the price was right, since I didn't plan on doing anything but beadmaking and garaging my beads as I made them...I didn't need anything more. Its been a great kiln, in February we have had our first one four years, and we now have a second one to.