Need kiln help

sharpcanoe · #1 2016-03-12, 9:11am

I may have a chance to buy a paragon SC3 cheap and in good shape. It does not have the bead door and not sure if paragon sells a bead door to put on a used kiln. They sort of state when you buy a new kiln from them you can buy the door but the door is not for a used kiln.. not sure why they state this (maybe the kilns change a little bit every year). The question is if I get this kiln then can I do beads and put the beads in a blanket/other method of chilling and remove the mandrels when chilled and once a week I can turn kiln on and put all the beads without mandrels into the kiln to anneal them . This would be like if I didn't have a kiln and take my beads to someone else to anneal them. or would all my beads crack before I got to put them in the kiln for the annealing? Is it a good idea to buy this kiln for beads and can I use it the way I am thinking about annealing the beads?

ESC · #2 2016-03-12, 9:46am

I have no clue on the kiln, maybe somebody who has one will chime in, but you certainly can use it as a batch annealer. Did this for years before I bought a kiln. The only restriction is the size of the bead. Really don't want to make anything more than about 1/2" in diameter and expect it to survive the fiber blanket.

yellowbird · #3 2016-03-12, 10:12am

I wouldn't get that kiln
because of reason listed above

Chocake · #4 2016-03-12, 10:39am

you can always contact Paragon and ask them.

Speedslug · #5 2016-03-13, 2:04am

M short look at Paragons web site showed that they make one that comes with a bead door so perhaps you can just order that as a replacement part sometime n the future.

I know I have seen bead makers use racks in that model and they just open the door and put the hot bead in as they work and then run an annealing cycle at the end of the day.

Arnold Howard · #6 2016-03-14, 5:31am

You can buy a bead door for a used SC-3. The instruction manual shows how to change the doors. You will need a drill and a Phillips head screwdriver. If your kiln does not have the manual, I will be happy to mail you a copy. Just send an email request to ahoward@paragonweb.com

Or you can download the manual at our website.

http://www.paragonweb.com/ManualInfo.cfm?CID=1

Sincerely,

Arnold Howard
Paragon Industries, L.P., Mesquite, Texas USA
ahoward@paragonweb.com / www.paragonweb.com