Jen-Ken kiln problems?

malem · #1 2010-09-09, 10:58am

Hi,
I am shopping for a new kiln, small with a bead door.
I wanted an arrows Springs, but came accross this cool deal on a AF3 Jen-Ken.
I want this for boro sculptures and silver soft glass, soft glass sculptures to.

I have read some people have bad results with silver glasses of striking glass in Jen-Ken kilns?
is this due to the controller?is this issue with older models?
the one I am offered has a digital controler and is 9 x 9x 9. with 4" bead door.

thanks

killerbeedz1 · #2 2010-09-09, 11:22am

I have a larger jen ken with digital controller and bead door. I haven't had any problems with silver glass or boro.

Patsy

squid · #3 2010-09-09, 11:59am

I have a 6 x 6 JK with a bead door - I did have to lower my temp a little for silver glass, but that is all there is to it. It's still annealed just fine.

HWCGlass · #4 2010-09-09, 1:40pm

Aim. 99ls. only kiln i have ever owned. 12 years. 10's of thousands of pieces made. never anything but normal maintenance issues; switch, relay, etc. original retail price: 420 delivered.

malem · #5 2010-09-10, 10:23am

sounds good... I ordered the Jen-Ken
thanks!!

Otter's Flame · #6 2010-09-10, 10:43am

I own one of the Jen Ken's that you are talking about ad I have never had an issue with any of the silver glasses. I did silver soft glass for many years and now I work almost exclusively boro. Both the soft glass and the boro strike just fine in the Jen Ken. In a perfect world I would have designed wider bead door. For sculptures that wont fit in the bead door I have devised a pulley system to open the kiln from the top easily. This kiln has worked very hard for me and I have been beyond satisfied with it.

Having said that, any future kiln will be a Glass Hive kiln. I have used them on many occasions and their quality is top notch. I am also friends with Mike but I would buy a Glass Hive kiln regardless of the friendship... it is just an excellent piece of equipment.

playingwithfirebeads · #7 2010-09-10, 12:01pm

What otter said above about the Boro in Jen ken and Glasshive for my next if I ever need one. I have replaced two relays and one element in over 5 years. I am satisfied.

Bonny

Cosmo · #8 2010-09-10, 12:53pm

I use a Jen Ken Chili Pepper. I work it long and hard (heheheh...) and over the 4 years that I've had it I've had zero problems except for having to replace a relay a couple months ago. I usually run it 8-10 hours a day and run it at higher temperatures than it's supposed to be able to handle.

I will say this though... the temperature inside the kiln is consistently higher than what the controller says. A friend of mine has a business that tests and calibrates laboratory equipment, and he had this big fancy pyrometer that I think cost more than my car. I took my kiln over and he checked the inside of the kiln at various points while it was running, and found that the temp was 25-50 degrees higher than what the controller said. I adjusted the temps at the controller and it's been fine since.

malem · #9 2010-09-13, 5:57pm

thanks so much!
the kiln is supposed to arrive tomorrow!!!
this is very intersting Cosmo... that's a big difference
I am fortunate enough that my dear boyfriend could calibrate it for me. He works as an electronic's tech and does that sometimes at his job. So for sure I will have him check it!