Best Kiln?

[Debi Razz]

I was wondering if all of you experienced lampworkers out there could give any suggestions to a newbie looking to buy my first kiln. I have been looking at a ChilliPepper or a Paragon Blue Bird. Any comments?

I am just looking to anneal beads. I am not into PMC or fusing and really don't plan on it in the future. How important is a digital controller?

How do you learn which temperature to hold them at? How quickly to ramp the temp down? and do different size beads and different brands of glass need different temps?

If it helps, I usually torch about 1-2 hours during the week at night after kids in bed and then on the weekends, I tend to do anywhere from 3-6 hours.

Where can I learn how to anneal my beads properly?

Do you just keep adding beads to the kiln throughout the entire session at a certain temp and then hold and ramp down or what do you do during a session?

Any advice, help, suggestions would be so wonderfully appreciated! Thanks so much in advance!!

Deb

[j-boat]

I have a Chili Pepper and I love it and have heard nothing but good things about the Blue Bird too. I found the Chili at a great price and that helped me make my decision.

I asked my instructor (who also has a Chili) about the whole annealing schedule and she gave it to me. If you decide on the Chili, I'll pass it on to you.

[Emily]

Originally Posted by Debi Razz

I was wondering if all of you experienced lampworkers out there could give any suggestions to a newbie looking to buy my first kiln. I have been looking at a ChilliPepper or a Paragon Blue Bird. Any comments?

I am just looking to anneal beads. I am not into PMC or fusing and really don't plan on it in the future. How important is a digital controller?

A couple more questions: do you work with boro, or do you think you'll want to work with boro while you have this kiln? The reason I ask is because some people kiln-strike certain boro colors at temperatures higher than these kilns handle. These kilns will anneal boro (annealing temp for boro is 1050), but some people get color effects from boro that require temperatures of 1200 or above. This isn't to say that you can't do boro with these kilns -- just that there are a few tricks you can't try.

Do you think you'll want to do any sculptures that are taller than an inch-and-a-half or so? Both of these kilns have long narrow doors, so you'll have trouble putting anything tall into them. If you have visions of vases or perfume bottles in your future, you need a taller kiln with a front-opening door.

How do you learn which temperature to hold them at? How quickly to ramp the temp down? and do different size beads and different brands of glass need different temps?

Plenty of people here will give you advice on annealing schedules. For the 104 COE glasses (Moretti/Effetre/Lauscha), I keep my kiln at 968 F. The rule I was taught was to hold 15 minutes for every 1/4 inch of thickness of the bead. I usually have my digital controller set to hold for one hour, then to take 2 hours to go from 968 to 800. The strain point for Effetre is 840, and it's important to cool slowly until you're below the strain point. My kiln is firebrick and cools fairly slowly by itself, so after 800 I just have it turn off and cool by itself. The Chili Pepper will cool faster than a firebrick kiln, so I probably wouldn't just turn it off at that point -- I'd control the speed of the cooling to a lower temperature.

If it helps, I usually torch about 1-2 hours during the week at night after kids in bed and then on the weekends, I tend to do anywhere from 3-6 hours.

If you don't have a digital controller, you're going to have to stay up for at least 2 hours after you're done torching to babysit the kiln. If you usually stop torching, then do other things before you go to bed, this might not be a problem for you. If you like to torch until the last possible moment, then tumble into bed, you'll want a digital controller.

Do you just keep adding beads to the kiln throughout the entire session at a certain temp and then hold and ramp down (. . .) ?

Yes. Some people like to have the kiln holding at a slightly lower temperature, then have the kiln ramp up to annealing temperature, anneal, then ramp down. Boro users often do this, because temperature ranges are more critical to color development than they are with soft glass. Some of the new silver colors in soft glass are finicky about temperature, too, so people who have had trouble with those may also be vigilant about their kiln holding temperatures. I keep my kiln holding at 968, which is the top of the annealing range for Effetre/Moretti. Works for me.

[G.L.McBead]

I think the Aim 84D with bead door,mine came with a thing full of holes that fits across the back so I can put about 50 mandrels in.The price is on of the best also.
I wouldn't want a kiln that is not brick lined.
Oh and I have been useing mine for 3+ years with 0 problems.
G.

[Debi Razz]

I really don't anticipate getting into Boro at all and I can't imagine I would be making anything larger than 1 to 1-1/2 inches tall. I have only been torching about 6 weeks now, but I really want to start annealing some of the "good" ones (I use that term loosely, mind you).

I think I would definitely want to digital controller because I do torch up until the very last possible minute and then collapse in bed. Sometimes, I lose track of time and have come up only to find that it was like 1 a.m. and had to get up in 6 hours! Whoops. Better get a clock!!

Don't you have to wait a really long time for an AIM to be built? I have read a couple places where people have waited up to 3 months to get a kiln, is that the case?

Thanks for your help, too, by the way! It's all mind boggling about which kiln to choose.

[RSimmons]

I've got a Toolbox kiln from Glass Palette that I use a lot. Pre-programmed for soft glass, though you can change it if you really want to. It's been a good kiln - glad I got it.

Robert

[Judi_B]

I have a Chili Pepper and love it! When I first started, I needed to be able to move the kiln to and from my work area, so weight was an important consideration. Another consideration for me was that the Chili pepper only draws 8 amps. I have limited circuits available in my work area, so this was a plus. One more thought related to safety - relays in kilns can and do go bad. This can lead to uncontrolled heating which is a fire hazard with the Chili Pepper - the instructions state that the paint on the exterior of the box can burn at temperatures over 1100 deg. I don't know whether the fire-brick kilns present the same hazard or not. I do not leave the house or go to bed with my Chili Pepper running. The program I use takes about 3 hrs to get down to 400 deg, at which point I can turn the kiln off.

[anewdawn]

I got the BlueBird from Ross at ABR during Beadfest in Philly. First off he is a class guy and will take care of all your needs personally and you can call him and he will help you program the kiln.
It has digital control and $500 was great price. HIs customer service has me thinking of him as a friend.
I also see hi prices on O2 Concentrators as being best by far.........
I don't work for ABR- just spreading the good word because he deserves it.

[Hayley]

When I got my kiln a year ago, I knew I wanted something higher than a 2" bead door. I did a lot of research and ended up getting Mike Crowley's glass hive kiln. He is the best when it comes to customer service. The 18" w x 6" d x 4" h with two doors is the best kiln, IMHO. The kiln comes with pre-programmed digital controller.

http://theglasshive.com/BEAD%20ANNEALLERS.html

[anewdawn]

That was too rich for my blood, BUT its a monster.