Advice on kiln for small projects involving glass fusing and enamelling.

I get what you are saying, interesting, maybe I will just have to
invest in another smaller kiln if I am keen on enamelling.
Thanks anyway.

Its a Gallenkamp hotspot. It was 2nd hand from the Bath Tech College
auction when they closed down the engineering department. Its not
sophisticated, it only uses an energy controller rather like many
pottery kilns for heat input control. It does though have an accurate
thermocouple and temperature meter on the front. The internal dimensions
are about 4" high x 5" wide x 6" deep. You could look for kilns on ebay
or google. Actually google "gallenkamp hotspot" and it comes right up
with a UK result.

There is an enamel kiln on ebay at the moment
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/HORST-UHLIG-KI...temZ8247561438

You could consider building a small kiln, its not difficult and need not
be expensive, particularly for a small one like most enamelling kilns.
This does though depend on your knowledge, skills and available tools.

Robyn wrote:

What is your small front loading heat treatment kiln called? Was it new
or second hand and where did you get it?

No, I don't know about the LGC so that is very useful info for me. I
did a two day workshop with a glass artist in Bristol and that is it
basically, also self taught. I am keen to do more workshops and there
is 'Creative Glass' in Bristol that I could go to for courses but at
the moment funds are low, especially if I am looking to buy a kiln.

thanks again

Can I make do with a top loading kiln for enamelling?
What is the highest temperature required for enamelling?

I think you will have problems with a top loading for enameling.
Do this:
Cut a cardboard box about the size of a kiln with a door hinged on one edge.
Make a dummy piece with a pattern with salt, sugar, talc, or enamel on a
piece of metal or thin cardboard.
Try to set the piece into the box with the lid on top without disturbing the
pattern.
Then try to pick it up.
While easy with a front opening with a metal spatula, it is much harder to
get in and out with some kind of L shaped tool.
I have tried doing this with fused glass bits and enameled glass and it is a
real hassle.

--
Mike Firth
Furnace Glassblowing Website
http://users.ticnet.com/mikefirth/
"Robyn" wrote in message
oups.com...
Hi all, I have been making fused glass jewellery for the past 6 months
and have been hiring out a kiln and am now very keen to buy my own.

I want a kiln to experiment with fused glass jewellery and slightly
larger pieces in tile or slumping form. I am also going to take a few
introductory classes in enamelling in the near future to learn to make
jewellery and small tiles. Thing is as I have no experience yet with
enamelling I am not sure whether a top or side loading kiln is best for
both fused glass and enamelling. I prefer a top loading kiln for glass
fusing and don't really want a side loading kiln at all.

Please can anyone advise me on the following:

Can I make do with a top loading kiln for enamelling?
What is the highest temperature required for enamelling?

Look forward to your advice.
Robyn from Bristol

"Mike Firth" wrote in message
...
Can I make do with a top loading kiln for enamelling?
What is the highest temperature required for enamelling?

I think you will have problems with a top loading for enameling.
Do this:
Cut a cardboard box about the size of a kiln with a door hinged on one
edge.
Make a dummy piece with a pattern with salt, sugar, talc, or enamel on a
piece of metal or thin cardboard.
Try to set the piece into the box with the lid on top without disturbing
the
pattern.
Then try to pick it up.
While easy with a front opening with a metal spatula, it is much harder to
get in and out with some kind of L shaped tool.
I have tried doing this with fused glass bits and enameled glass and it is
a
real hassle.

--
Mike Firth
Furnace Glassblowing Website
http://users.ticnet.com/mikefirth/
"Robyn" wrote in message
oups.com...
Hi all, I have been making fused glass jewellery for the past 6 months
and have been hiring out a kiln and am now very keen to buy my own.

I want a kiln to experiment with fused glass jewellery and slightly
larger pieces in tile or slumping form. I am also going to take a few
introductory classes in enamelling in the near future to learn to make
jewellery and small tiles. Thing is as I have no experience yet with
enamelling I am not sure whether a top or side loading kiln is best for
both fused glass and enamelling. I prefer a top loading kiln for glass
fusing and don't really want a side loading kiln at all.

Please can anyone advise me on the following:

Can I make do with a top loading kiln for enamelling?
What is the highest temperature required for enamelling?

Look forward to your advice.
Robyn from Bristol



I have no idea why no one else has suggested this...
you have 2 uses for the kiln, fuse with it as a top loader, when you want to
enamel, turn the kiln on it's side.

Nothing says you can't do it, you will have heat all around, you will need a
1/2 shelf to go from one edge to the other at the bottom of the parallel
vertical sides, still want to have the little angles cut out so heat from
the bottom can rise above the shelf area, need some sort of "catch" to keep
the door closed, position the hinge up top.

This seems like an obvious idea to me, but maybe I'm twisted, or just cheap.