Seeking Kiln Advice
 

I'm going to upgrade my kiln very soon. The one I have for glass is to
restrictive in space and I want to do some large pieces.

I wanted to know if anyone had some good suggestions, experience, etc. for a
kiln. I would like it to have at least a 12" height, and at the very least
17" wide.

Money is somewhat limited, I can't spend $4,000 for a super duper model, but
I can look at pieces under a thousand. I would like to have a kiln
controller with the kiln and would like advice and experience as well.

Thanks!

Starlia

I've been checking out the various websites listed in the postings.
However, I wanted real world experience with kilns from this group. I would
appreciate any knowledge and likes/dislikes about your kilns. I feel I will
make a better decision with the knowledge of others.

Starlia
"Beads1947" wrote in message
...
Check out the forums at www.warmglass.com. There's also a link to Centre
de
Verre. I bought my Jenn-Kenn kiln from him - Marty is very helpful.
Patti

My kiln, the Big Blue Fusebox, is perfect for me. It's big enough to cook
dozens of beads, and is also big enough for fusing, should I decide to. It
has a bead door on the front, which is essential for me, because it makes
getting into safer and more convenient when working on beads. The entire
top also opens, if you want to fuse. The kiln came with a seperate digital
controller, which has two programs ready - one for basic annealing and one
for a slow ramp-up if you need it.
I think the new model has the controller already attached, but mine is a
seperate piece.
The kiln keeps the heat in very well, even when you open the bead doors. So
far, I have only had one incident with it involving a power outage, and all
turned out okay in the end. (power went off in the middle of an anneal
cycle, and when power came back, kiln ramped back up and stayed at 950.)
The kiln heats up very quickly (unless you use the slow program to ramp up)
and stays at the set temp very well. I think Frantz sells the kiln and
controller for under $1000 at their site.

Hmmmm - that's about it. Good luck!

--
Kandice Seeber
Air & Earth Designs
http://www.lampwork.net
"saucy" wrote in message
...
I've been checking out the various websites listed in the postings.
However, I wanted real world experience with kilns from this group. I
would
appreciate any knowledge and likes/dislikes about your kilns. I feel I
will
make a better decision with the knowledge of others.

Starlia
"Beads1947" wrote in message
...
Check out the forums at www.warmglass.com. There's also a link to
Centre
de
Verre. I bought my Jenn-Kenn kiln from him - Marty is very helpful.
Patti

I got a kiln at a garage sale for $300. It is a ceramic kiln with no
controller to speak of (off, lo, med & hi). It has a chamber that is about
14" across. Even one of the elements has come loose and is on the floor of
the kiln. I have done slumping, fusing and vitreous paint firing with it.
I did get an analog pyrometer.
My kiln isn't the "best" for glass, but it works and I would probably
still be waiting to do fusing if I had to wait to have enough money to get
the "best" kiln for glass. Remember, a kiln is just a really hot oven. No
more, no less. Since then I have gotten more kilns (about 10 at last count)
and only a couple are real honest-to-goodness glass kilns. But the
Egyptians and Venetians didn't have kilns as good as mine and their stuff
came out okay. Good tools are great, but any tool that works is better than
no tool at all.
You probably will want to keep your smaller kiln hooked up as an annealer.
Otherwise, do what your budget allows. Keep an eye out in the local paper
and garage sales. You can get a real deal sometimes.


--
There are no mistakes, only unexplored techniques

"saucy" wrote in message
...
I'm going to upgrade my kiln very soon. The one I have for glass is to
restrictive in space and I want to do some large pieces.

I wanted to know if anyone had some good suggestions, experience, etc. for
a
kiln. I would like it to have at least a 12" height, and at the very
least
17" wide.

Money is somewhat limited, I can't spend $4,000 for a super duper model,
but
I can look at pieces under a thousand. I would like to have a kiln
controller with the kiln and would like advice and experience as well.

Thanks!

Starlia

In article ,
"saucy" wrote:

I'm going to upgrade my kiln very soon. The one I have for glass is to
restrictive in space and I want to do some large pieces.

I wanted to know if anyone had some good suggestions, experience, etc. for a
kiln. I would like it to have at least a 12" height, and at the very least
17" wide.

Money is somewhat limited, I can't spend $4,000 for a super duper model, but
I can look at pieces under a thousand. I would like to have a kiln
controller with the kiln and would like advice and experience as well.

Thanks!

Starlia



Evenheat makes very good, very affordable glass kilns. I've had one
for... my gosh... over six years, and never a bit of trouble. Bullseye
uses Evenheat kilns for their compatibility test firings, or at least,
did when I worked there... I consider that a good testament to their
durability.

You might also try posing your question to the WetCanvas glass forum,
http://www.wetcanvas.com.

--
-Kalera
Mom of Juliet, 5, Sam, 3, and Ophelia, born 5/31/03
Wife of the incomparable Moxley of www.spaceplex.com
See us at www.strattonhome.org

Try Centre de Verre, link is on the warm glass site at www.warmglass.com.
There is a lot of good kiln info there. I have a Jen Ken kiln I'm very
satisfied with which I bought from Marty at CdV, but it's a smaller one.
Patti