Hotplate as a Rod Warmer
 

Another newbie question... I have some thick rods that I think would be best to pre-heat and wanted to know if anyone has used an electric hotplate to warm their rods. Pros?? Cons?? How??? I tried to look through and search the existing threads but didn't see anything about using a hotplate.

Hi Tara, I have never tried it, but I think I have read that others use one.
I did find a couple of threads, here's one for you:
http://lampworketc.com/forums/showth...otplate+warmer

I have also read that people have used waffle irons. I thought curling iron heaters were the most popular.

I have like Lorraine, but my glass goes directly on the hot plate and my rod holder is on a garden saucer upside down to make it higher

Remember the Old trays for keeping appetizer!s warm, they are electric, probably during the 80's . You can find them at the salvation army etc. I use one of those.

Me too. I got some for $1 each.

I often slip the ends of glass rods into my bead kiln to warm them up prior to introducing them to the flame.

I have used an old crock pot with annealing beads. It works quite will and you can use it for keeping beads warm if you batch anneal.

Not sure if you are using soft or Borro that you are preheating but considering the kiln temperature is around 960 for soft and 1050 for Borro I don't think a hot plate or crockpot will got the rods hot enough to preheat effectively. Most kilns have bead doors that you can preheat with. There are also rod warmers that look like curling iron warmers but get much hotter. Also remember when using a crockpot to anneal beads they go in hot and the warm insulation slows the rate they cool.