Is this safe to use as a milli warmer; hotplate

[Moth]

Looking at items like this one on eBay. (http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=7565083800&fromMakeTrack=true) Says it gets up to 600 degrees F.

My only concern is that the face is small, so I can't really use it for preheating rods or anything, but I think it would work nicely for small bits like shards and milli.

Anyone using one of these for this purpose?


~~Mary

[Dale M.]

Yah... BUT if you had something to prop up ends of rods (minature saw horse) the ends you need to heat could still sit on top of "hotplate"...

Dale

[Mr. Smiley]

Look for one a little bigger. I've got one step up from that and it goes over 700 degrees. It's really nice for heating up canned food in a hotel room. Hurricane season here will teach you all kinds of neat stuff. :D

[alissa]

i just bought a belson ceramic heater thing that's used for curling irons - it's amazing. sits at 900; perfect for preheating plus garaging beads when you're trying to cut foil, answer phone, pull necessary stringer, etc.

They make two sizes; I have the small.
http://store.imperialsales.net/gh5000.html

i'm sure a hot plate would work for preheating, but not for temporarily keeping works in progress from shocking. it was soooo worth the $.

[Moth]

Thanks guys!

I am going to get one of these, and I am going to look for one with a slightly larger face. Every inch counts, right? LOL

Alissa, I have seen those curling iron heaters and I think I've read about several lampworkers using them and they are swell. My problem is table space. I need something small, and generally I use my kiln for keeping works in progress from cracking, although I have sketchy success in reheating them up to flame temp. LOL.

Pretty much, my use for it is preheating milli and small components and the ends of my larger rods of clear that I strip for encasing and implosions.

I DO like that your jobber goes up to 900 though. That would be perfect.

Rethinking my studio set up as I type this. This is what I get for building a studio based on current work and not allowing myself room for growth. The whole studio is only 5' by 6', so space is in demand. My table top is obscenely narrow and filled with stuff.

Gonna have to work on that.

Thanks for the help everyone.
~~Mary

[Melodie]

I keep a 5x5 graphite marvering pad on top of my burner to add some extra space.

[ukumpukie]

Could you use a clothes iron turned upside down? Maybe make some sort of bracket to hold it level. Just a thought.
Alan