Best kiln

[connieq]

I have been using a hot head, and am ready to buy a kiln. I want one that can anneal beads, fuse glass and do PMC. Any advice? If you were starting over, and trying to be thrifty, what would you do? Should I go ahead and get a different torch? I have found a source for propylene in a refillable 25 lb tank. I have to leave now, but I'll be checking back soon. Any opinions or info is extremely appreciated!

connieq

[Captured Light Glass]

I am on a HH too and I would recommend the Paragon Firefly - it is quite affordable at around 350.00 and you can anneal, fuse and even do small pottery.

In my opinion, your kiln is more important than upgrading your torch. I actually bought my kiln before I ever bought my torch. But that is just my opinion and interested to see what others say.

[Emily]

I have to disagree with the recommendation of the Firefly. Paragon is pushing it as a low-cost "do-everything" kiln, and I think it's a poor choice as a bead annealing kiln.

The Firefly is a very small top-loading kiln that does not have a bead door. It is too small for a mandrel to fit inside, even a short mandrel. If you got it, you would be limiting yourself to batch annealing. Some beads, such as some larger beads, sculptural beads, and sometimes encased beads, may not survive being cooled in fiber or vermiculite and batch annealed later. There's nothing wrong with batch annealing for the beads that will take it, but when you're spending the money for a kiln, don't make a choice that will lock you into batch annealing. Top-loading is also a problem. Some people do manage to put mandrels into a top-loading kiln, but it's far from an ideal situation. Heat rises, and when you open the kiln, you're getting a blast of almost 1000 degrees on your hand. You may end up having to put on a glove when you're putting a mandrel into the kiln, and that takes time when you're juggling a hot bead. You're also reaching into the kiln blindly unless you're willing to get 1000 degrees on your face. For bead annealing, you should choose either a front-loading kiln or a kiln that has a bead door.

A front-loading kiln is most convenient for PMC, but you can certainly manage with a top-loading kiln. You just need to take the top off and wait for the kiln to cool down at least somewhat before you take your pieces out.

The Firefly has an infinite switch/pyrometer combination. An infinite switch controls how much current goes to the heating elements in the kiln. A pyrometer is just a thermometer that tells you what the temperature is in the kiln. An infinite switch will have settings like Low-Medium-High, or 1 through 10. You won't be able to set it for a specific temperature and have it hold that temperature. When you get a kiln with an infinite switch/pyrometer, you have to do some test runs and learn where to set the knob so that it holds the temperatures that you need it to hold.

There is nothing wrong with an infinite switch/pyrometer combination for annealing beads. If you have the money, however, a digital controller (programmable controller), which is basically a computer, is much more convenient. Unfortunately, a digital controller will add at least $200 and probably more like $300 to the cost of the kiln. (Don't worry -- if you can't afford it right now, you can get a kiln with an infinite switch and add a digital later. That's what I did with one of my kilns.) With a digital controller, you can program the kiln to go to a certain temperature, take a certain amount of time getting there, stay at that temp for a certain amount of time, go to another temp, take a certain amount of time getting there, stay at the second temp a certain amount of time, and so on. With an infinite switch, you need to keep an eye on the kiln and adjust it manually. When you need it to cool at a controlled rate after you're done with the "soak" at annealing temperature, you need to turn down the knob a little bit manually every so often -- maybe every ten or fifteen minutes over a couple of hours. It's doable, just less convenient.

One important thing to bear in mind since you want to do PMC is that standard PMC fires at 1650 F, and any form of PMC should be fired at 1650 for maximum strength. For that reason, you should look for a kiln that will operate safely at that temperature. Some kilns that are designed strictly as bead annealers aren't meant to go that high (because the glass would be soup at that temperature). Don't worry -- you'll still have plenty of choices.

Another thing to be aware of is that not all glass kilns are meant to be bead kilns. You may see some front-opening kilns that have their elements along the sides and back, directly across from the door. Usually those kilns are designed for annealing off-mandrel work. They're not a good choice for bead annealing, because of the risk that you could stick a mandrel into a heating element when putting it into the kiln. Sometimes those kilns have the elements encased in quartz, which removes the risk, so they're fine for mandrels. There are some other models that have a bead door at the bottom and a blank space directly opposite it with no elements. Just be aware of the issue when you're kiln-shopping.

There are a number of small kilns that will run on an ordinary household circuit (15 amp), but usually if there's anything else plugged into that circuit they'll trip the breaker. Of course, there are larger kilns, and then there are MUCH larger kilns . . .

Stay away from kilns intended for ceramics. They're too big and too deep (and even more expensive) and don't have the kind of controls that we need.

Do some shopping around, because prices do vary. Don't forget to factor in shipping. Sometimes websites will quote the price of the kiln and the price of the controller separately, so pay attention to that.

I have an Aim 84BD kiln, which is a small firebrick kiln that has a removable ring that has a bead door in it. I can take the ring out when I'm firing PMC or slumping glass so I'm not heating empty air. I bought it originally with an infinite switch/pyrometer, and later added a digital controller. (My digital controller is a Fuji, and is a model that isn't made any more.) I like the Aim 84BD, and would recommend that you consider it as one of your possibilities. I bought mine directly from Aim. www.aimkilns.com.

90540

I also have a Paragon SC-2, which is a little kiln that's lined with some sort of rigid fiber stuff. The SC-2 was originally designed as a PMC kiln, I think. Mine has a bead door, but it wouldn't be my choice as a primary bead annealing kiln because I don't feel like I can get very many beads in it. The dimensions of the interior aren't much smaller than my Aim, on paper at least, but it feels a lot smaller in practice. I like the digital controller, though. It's very easy to use. One thing people don't like about the design of these kilns is that if something goes wrong with the kiln itself (like with an element), you have to send the whole thing back and it's an expensive repair.

90539

Other kilns you might want to consider would be the Paragon Caldera (with the ring that has the bead door), the Jen-Ken bead annealers, and the Skutt GM10F. I'm sure there are more, but I'm blanking on the names right now.

Here's a link to a Caldera:

Paragon Caldera (http://www.wholelottawhimsy.com/wo/p/context/shopping/Product;jsessionid=aV90Uj2Qt2T5?c=4429912&p=3114264)

Here's a page with a bunch of kilns (just to show you some options):

http://cdvkiln.com/menuglas.htm

Arrow Springs' kilns are also very popular. They have quartz-encased elements:

Arrow Springs kilns (http://www.arrowsprings.com/html/kilns_controllers.html)

[Megan]

I have an AIM 84BD and its been the best starter kiln. You can anneal and fuse in it.. Made of firebrick so it holds the heat a lot better and longer.. Its also extremely affordable..

[Captured Light Glass]

Actually, the bead collar for the Caldera fits the Firefly and that is what I have been using. I can anneal as many as 30 beads at a time (long, short, big and small). My mandrels are 12 inches long and I just insert them into the bead collar and no issues.

However, since I am not fusing I did switch to the Chili Pepper due to being a smaller annealer and more convenient for my bench.

The reason I recommended the Firefly is that you can fuse too as she mentioned she wanted to do that as well.

I do agree with the manual control it is a PITA and highly recommend a digital if you can afford the added expense, it is well worth it.

[G.L.McBead]

I have the 84BD with bead door and I can fit 50 or more beads in it.
I have not seen any thing I would trade it for.In fact I'm going to get a front loader for marbles but will keep useing the Aim 84 for beads.I have been useing my AIM for about 3 years with no problems.
G.

[Mishy]

This is great information, thank you everyone. I'm shopping around for a kiln and there are way too many choices for a new person to figure out.

Thanks again!

[cherie]

I have a paragon caldera w/ a bead door and I just love it.

[Cosmo]

The best kiln is the biggest one you can afford to buy and run. Kilns aren't something you want to replace every year or whenever you outgrow them...

I have an AIM 99LSD and have not once regretted buying it...

[chrissy]

Who can tell me how much energy the caldera uses?

Thanks

Chrissy

[cherie]

It runs on household current..120v

[beadworkstudio]

I have this one and love it, except bead space is somewhat limited. It's about the same as other 110 V multi-purpose kilns, though, and it's really easy to program.

http://www.skutt.com/glass/products/beadkiln.php

Just thought I'd throw another option out there. :)

[Tobias]

I have a caldera and it generally works fine for me. I make pendants 99% of the time so I place them inside from the top. I can fit around 20 in each load. I don't like using it for mandrel beads from the bead door because it isn't very wide and I can't manage to fit very many in it at once. I don't stack my glass either like i've heard people do.

[CelesteK]

I had a limited budget to play with, so I also purchased my kiln before any of my other beadmaking tools. I ended up with one of the Jen-Ken bead annealers. The manufacturer (I think that's who it is) sells the seconds--slight damage to the outer casing--on E-Bay for a great price. It is a top-loading kiln and the elements are exposed. I use an oven mitt that I have handy to put in my beads. It is not thick enough and I will be getting welding gloves at some point. I use a mandrel rest and that keeps the mandrels at enough of an angle that I don't get them in the element. I also have a kiln shelf that I can set up that sits above the element. With the mandrel rest I have put as many as 16-20 beads in at once. It's kind of hard to count when I'm trying to get them all in at once and not cook myself.

[mikeshelbo]

go for aim!

[Wonker]

I gotta say the 99LSD is very versatile.