Crucible Kiln Thread

Tink · #1 2007-02-18, 10:44pm

Is anyone else here using a crucible kiln?

I have a Jen-Ken with three small crucibles in it. I've been melting System 96 nuggets. Anyone else playing with one? I thought maybe we could start some conversation about it.

Phoenix · #2 2007-02-18, 10:57pm

I play with big furnace work when I can and my dream is a crucible kiln for work at home - I'd love to hear what you are all loving- tools, brands etc - it just opens up a whole new world of work!

Tink · #3 2007-02-18, 11:12pm

Yay! Someone to talk to about this! LOL!

I decided early on that setting up the crucible kiln in my 100 year old basement was NOT a good idea. It gets pretty darn hot. It's out at my friend Donna's studio. Here's a pic of it all ready to play:

Part of me would like ONE pot instead of three. There are, however, some advantages to having three. For one thing, I could have three different colors of glass all melted and ready to go. Also, when you gather from one of the pots, the remaining melt in that pot can get some bubbles in it. You can circumvent that problem by gathering from a different pot each time. That allows the bubbles to fine out again.

I know that there are some other crucible kilns out there, but I don't know much about them.

I have a Don McKinney tabletop glory hole, too. It is AWESOME:

Donna is getting ready to use the crucible kiln to do some casting. I pulled up my anal-retentive notes from our last session, and it made me think about how much fun it was. I really need to get out there and mess around with it some more. Here's a pic of John from that last play day:

Phoenix · #4 2007-02-18, 11:28pm

Love the pics Tink! I already have fun going to the furnace with ideas from the torch and vice versa- I would love to have it me a quicker process- but also to see how close I could merge the two.

I was so close recently- planned on moving my studio into a warehouse- but when I started selling glass full time it seemed a bit too much to get the studio also- I get itchy just thinking about it though!

Are you working paperweights and marbles or larger vessels in yours?

I have tons of furnace glass here also that I can't sort for selling to lampworkers- I'm bringing some to a furnace this weekend- but how fun would it be to melt in a mini?

Darn- I'm gushing- I'd love to see more and I hope others pipe up who are working like this- I know Drew Fritts mentions using his to encase his marbles- maybe some of our marble makers are working with them?

Tink · #5 2007-02-18, 11:54pm

We've done a little bit of everything with it. John's specialty is off hand (furnace) work, though he's a great flameworker. I'm primarily a flameworker, but also know my way around the hot shop. Donna.... Well, Donna can do EVERYTHING, but she is primarily a caster and fuser, though she's a dandy flameworker. Between the three of us, we pretty much have the bases covered.

I need a bench. See the table the glory hole is on? That's my marvering table and where I do everything. Standing up. Which is murder on my back. I want a bench to sit at so I can work the way I normally work in the hot shop. I found one at http://denverglass.com/access.html but it's $350.

Paragon has The Vulcan, then there's the AIM model(s) and the Jen-Ken. Probably more, but I can't remember right now. LOL!

Phoenix · #6 2007-02-19, 8:09am

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tink

We've done a little bit of everything with it. John's specialty is off hand (furnace) work, though he's a great flameworker. I'm primarily a flameworker, but also know my way around the hot shop. Donna.... Well, Donna can do EVERYTHING, but she is primarily a caster and fuser, though she's a dandy flameworker. Between the three of us, we pretty much have the bases covered.

I need a bench. See the table the glory hole is on? That's my marvering table and where I do everything. Standing up. Which is murder on my back. I want a bench to sit at so I can work the way I normally work in the hot shop. I found one at http://denverglass.com/access.html but it's $350.

Paragon has The Vulcan, then there's the AIM model(s) and the Jen-Ken. Probably more, but I can't remember right now. LOL!

Sounds like a great, fun group of people!

The bench where I play was rigged up by a local welder -everything else in the shop is Denver- but the bench is a a steel frame bench which was cheaper made locally and easier to get customized- may be wortha couple calls around.

My back of the napkin plan doesn't involve a bench in the early stages, but I will need a roller as an interim

Dennis Brady · #7 2007-02-19, 8:22am

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tink

We've done a little bit of everything with it. John's specialty is off hand (furnace) work, though he's a great flameworker. I'm primarily a flameworker, but also know my way around the hot shop. Donna.... Well, Donna can do EVERYTHING, but she is primarily a caster and fuser, though she's a dandy flameworker. Between the three of us, we pretty much have the bases covered.

I need a bench. See the table the glory hole is on? That's my marvering table and where I do everything. Standing up. Which is murder on my back. I want a bench to sit at so I can work the way I normally work in the hot shop. I found one at http://denverglass.com/access.html but it's $350.

Paragon has The Vulcan, then there's the AIM model(s) and the Jen-Ken. Probably more, but I can't remember right now. LOL!

AIM has a 14" and a 17" model crucible kiln. Both are 240 volt and fire to 2400F.

Cosmo · #8 2007-02-19, 8:32am

I've actually been considering getting into this. I am completely jealous of furnace workers and the large amounts of encasing they can do so easily. I also love furnace marbles, and want to make some myself.

I hope I can try one of these kilns out sometime soon. They look like just what I need.

Tink · #9 2007-02-19, 8:37am

It really *is* awesome. The thing is, there's a lot of prep and babysitting involved. Plus, once you get started, there's no turning back. You gotta use up all the glass or at the very least clean out the crucibles before you shut down. It's really hard for me to find three consecutive days to devote to playing with it.

Phoenix · #10 2007-02-19, 1:04pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tink

It really *is* awesome. The thing is, there's a lot of prep and babysitting involved. Plus, once you get started, there's no turning back. You gotta use up all the glass or at the very least clean out the crucibles before you shut down. It's really hard for me to find three consecutive days to devote to playing with it.

The three days is a good point- I will need to make an event of it when I get mine going (not if)

The AIM is the one I had looked at- mostly because I have a kiln from them so it was convenient to look there first.

Chad- here's one of my first furnace marbles- great fun and about 2.5 inches

I would love to mix techniques on marbles- I haven't gotten there yet though

Cosmo · #11 2007-02-19, 1:41pm

Yeah. That's the sort of thing I want to make. I'm in love with Eddie Seese's marbles (http://www.eddieseeseartglassmarbles...age/522696.htm) and I would love to be able to make something similar.

Phoenix · #12 2007-02-19, 3:19pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cosmo

Yeah. That's the sort of thing I want to make. I'm in love with Eddie Seese's marbles (http://www.eddieseeseartglassmarbles...age/522696.htm) and I would love to be able to make something similar.

I hadn't seen those before- off to window shop and dream- thanks!

Cosmo · #13 2007-02-20, 9:07am

I own a couple of his marbles (and one that his wife made). They aren't far from me. I keep wanting to go up there and check it out in person, but it hasn't worked out yet...

Phoenix · #14 2007-02-21, 9:38am

Tink- when you crucible- have you tried mixing in any 104s in small proportions? The guys I work with don't always pay much attention to coe- but they don't use any 104 accents- I'm thinking that might be fun- if we can put 96 on a bead, we should be able to put 104 on a vase that's done with 96

unless my imagination is working overtime- always a possibility

FlameFilly · #15 2007-02-21, 10:10am

Quote:

Originally Posted by Phoenix

'm thinking that might be fun- if we can put 96 on a bead, we should be able to put 104 on a vase that's done with 96

unless my imagination is working overtime- always a possibility

You might be able to if you use it in thin or small amounts and have it encased on both sides w/96...depending on the thickness of the glass, or possibly as thin surface decoration. I've never tried it though, just speaking from experience with incompatable yellow's and such w/96 - furnace glass.

...sigh...We have a whole hotshop dis-assembled in our garage. Seeing a gather of glass on the end of a pipe makes me wish for hot glass again, BUT we had/have 150 lb crucibles and were running on propane. If we ever rebuild again I would go with a small.. . 30lb electric furnace that you can empty in a day and charge in a day and doesn't need to be babysat 24/7. That way you can have fun and not be consumed with the needs of the studio

Phoenix · #16 2007-02-21, 10:17am

Quote:

Originally Posted by FlameFilly

You might be able to if you use it in thin or small amounts and have it encased on both sides w/96...depending on the thickness of the glass, or possibly as thin surface decoration. I've never tried it though, just speaking from experience with incompatable yellow's and such w/96 - furnace glass.

...sigh...We have a whole hotshop dis-assembled in our garage. Seeing a gather of glass on the end of a pipe makes me wish for hot glass again, BUT we had/have 150 lb crucibles and were running on propane. If we ever rebuild again I would go with a small.. . 30lb electric furnace that you can empty in a day and charge in a day and doesn't need to be babysat 24/7. That way you can have fun and not be consumed with the needs of the studio

Wow- yeah, if I was going big I think I would need to have a herd of interested people- the old art commune/compound

My current thought is dropping a couple 104 rods in an optic mold- so just using them as encased stripes - I'll pick some nice thin rods and make them a small portion and test it out.

Tink · #17 2007-02-23, 11:04am

Nice furnace marble!

I've never really considered using 104 with the 96. Just didn't seem prudent, plus we have a lot of compatible color to use with the 96 pillows anyway.

Here is a link to my personal notes on using the Jen-Ken Crucible Kiln:
http://blackswampglassworks.com/cruciblekilnsetup.doc

Phoenix · #18 2007-02-23, 11:08am

Thanks Tink- I am wondering about the 96 colors in a crucible kiln- there are some colors (iris colors are a great example) that are much different in torch and furnace work- with a crucible kiln and mini furnace- are you seeing these colors at furnace color?

Tink · #19 2007-02-23, 11:15am

We haven't melted any pots of Reichenbach or Kugler, if that's what you mean. I have used the glory hole to pull cane from some color rods. But I also use the torch when I use the crucible kiln and glory hole.

Phoenix · #20 2007-02-23, 1:22pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tink

We haven't melted any pots of Reichenbach or Kugler, if that's what you mean. I have used the glory hole to pull cane from some color rods. But I also use the torch when I use the crucible kiln and glory hole.

I use Reich frit on beads and furnace work- and some colors are just so different that I was curious what to expect when you start mixing methods- or if the mini glory hole is different with colors than either other method- just looks like something else to play with eventually

Mountain Snail · #21 2014-02-20, 10:06pm

The Don Mckinney glory hole is what I have my eye on. Is it possible to use that without a crucible kiln? I want to use the spectrum96 studio nuggets.

Thanks.

LemonwoodStudio · #22 2014-02-21, 11:28am

Uh-oh ... this sounds very interesting!!

... !!! I think I would be divorced ...!!!

ArtcoInc · #23 2014-02-21, 4:09pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mountain Snail

The Don Mckinney glory hole is what I have my eye on. Is it possible to use that without a crucible kiln? I want to use the spectrum96 studio nuggets.

Thanks.

(Answered in the other thread ...)

http://www.lampworketc.com/forums/sh...2&postcount=18

Malcolm

Mountain Snail · #24 2014-02-21, 6:01pm

Thanks Malcolm!