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OT Kiln ? for bead makers



 
 
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  #1  
Old May 7th 04, 06:58 PM
KDK
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Posts: n/a
Default OT Kiln ? for bead makers

Do any of you use a kiln that does NOT have a bead door? I'm in a bit of a
kiln quandary. I have a Paragon kiln (haven't used it) that I bought for
bead and PMC stuff. It has a controller but no bead door. Now I've decided
I need a portable kiln for PMC if I'm going to be teaching (the Paragon
weighs 70 lbs). So - then I see the opportunity to get a brand new AIM with
controller and bead door 500. So my quandary is - sell the paragon and buy
the AIM and have a bead door? Or suck it up and use the paragon without the
bead door. I plan on annealing as I go not batching.

Agh.

Kathy beadho K


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  #2  
Old May 7th 04, 07:18 PM
Kandice Seeber
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Posts: n/a
Default

IMO, a bead door is preferable if you are annealing as you go along, because
it lets out less heat. Without the bead door, depending on the kiln you
have, opening the larger door can cause a lot of heat to escape. It really
depends on the kiln though. I haven't used either of the kilns you talked
about, so I can't help there. Good luck!

--
Kandice Seeber
Air & Earth Designs
http://www.lampwork.net
"KDK" wrote in message
...
Do any of you use a kiln that does NOT have a bead door? I'm in a bit of

a
kiln quandary. I have a Paragon kiln (haven't used it) that I bought for
bead and PMC stuff. It has a controller but no bead door. Now I've

decided
I need a portable kiln for PMC if I'm going to be teaching (the Paragon
weighs 70 lbs). So - then I see the opportunity to get a brand new AIM

with
controller and bead door 500. So my quandary is - sell the paragon and

buy
the AIM and have a bead door? Or suck it up and use the paragon without

the
bead door. I plan on annealing as I go not batching.

Agh.

Kathy beadho K




  #3  
Old May 7th 04, 11:09 PM
Christina Peterson
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default

I'm pretty sure you'll want 2 kilns.

Where will you be teaching, and what length of classes? At home? At a bead
store? If I teach, I can use the classroom and kiln at the bead store.

When I took classes, the teachers brought two full sized kilns, but the
classes were from Fri afternoon to Sun evening. Portable kiln. That just
makes me nervous. Visceral reaction, which may or may not be justified.

Tina




"KDK" wrote in message
...
Do any of you use a kiln that does NOT have a bead door? I'm in a bit of

a
kiln quandary. I have a Paragon kiln (haven't used it) that I bought for
bead and PMC stuff. It has a controller but no bead door. Now I've

decided
I need a portable kiln for PMC if I'm going to be teaching (the Paragon
weighs 70 lbs). So - then I see the opportunity to get a brand new AIM

with
controller and bead door 500. So my quandary is - sell the paragon and

buy
the AIM and have a bead door? Or suck it up and use the paragon without

the
bead door. I plan on annealing as I go not batching.

Agh.

Kathy beadho K




  #4  
Old May 7th 04, 11:25 PM
KDK
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default

I'll definitely have 2 kilns (only because there isn't one that I can
carry/lift that I can do beads on a mandrel in)- just trying to decide if I
should keep my paragon (no bead door) or get the AIM kiln with a bead door
for beads (I can also use either one for PMC).

By portable I meant something that I can carry by myself. I can't lift a 70
lb kiln (my current paragon). The Sierra kiln is 30 lbs (I can carry 30
lbs) and 8x8x6 inside dimensions. Sierra actually makes one that only
weighs 20lbs but it's a 4x4x ish on the inside a bit small.

Kathy K


"Christina Peterson" wrote in message
...
I'm pretty sure you'll want 2 kilns.

Where will you be teaching, and what length of classes? At home? At a

bead
store? If I teach, I can use the classroom and kiln at the bead store.

When I took classes, the teachers brought two full sized kilns, but the
classes were from Fri afternoon to Sun evening. Portable kiln. That just
makes me nervous. Visceral reaction, which may or may not be justified.

Tina




"KDK" wrote in message
...
Do any of you use a kiln that does NOT have a bead door? I'm in a bit

of
a
kiln quandary. I have a Paragon kiln (haven't used it) that I bought

for
bead and PMC stuff. It has a controller but no bead door. Now I've

decided
I need a portable kiln for PMC if I'm going to be teaching (the Paragon
weighs 70 lbs). So - then I see the opportunity to get a brand new AIM

with
controller and bead door 500. So my quandary is - sell the paragon and

buy
the AIM and have a bead door? Or suck it up and use the paragon without

the
bead door. I plan on annealing as I go not batching.

Agh.

Kathy beadho K






  #5  
Old May 8th 04, 12:09 AM
Kalera Stratton
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default

I used a top-loading fusing kiln to anneal for some time, and frankly,
it sucked rocks.

If it's a front-loader, it won't be as bad, but even if it's deep enough
to get the whole mandrel in, it will be fairly unpleasant and probably
require a leather glove.

-Kalera
http://www.beadwife.com
http://www.snipurl.com/kebay


KDK wrote:
Do any of you use a kiln that does NOT have a bead door? I'm in a bit of a
kiln quandary. I have a Paragon kiln (haven't used it) that I bought for
bead and PMC stuff. It has a controller but no bead door. Now I've decided
I need a portable kiln for PMC if I'm going to be teaching (the Paragon
weighs 70 lbs). So - then I see the opportunity to get a brand new AIM with
controller and bead door 500. So my quandary is - sell the paragon and buy
the AIM and have a bead door? Or suck it up and use the paragon without the
bead door. I plan on annealing as I go not batching.

Agh.

Kathy beadho K


  #6  
Old May 8th 04, 01:37 AM
KDK
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default

Thanks Kalera.

The Paragon is a front loading, but I think it will be a pain to try to put
mandrels in (I was lured by the nah you don't "need" a bead door). I think
i'll get the AIM and sell the Paragon.

Kathy K
"Kalera Stratton" wrote in message
...
I used a top-loading fusing kiln to anneal for some time, and frankly,
it sucked rocks.

If it's a front-loader, it won't be as bad, but even if it's deep enough
to get the whole mandrel in, it will be fairly unpleasant and probably
require a leather glove.

-Kalera
http://www.beadwife.com
http://www.snipurl.com/kebay


KDK wrote:
Do any of you use a kiln that does NOT have a bead door? I'm in a bit

of a
kiln quandary. I have a Paragon kiln (haven't used it) that I bought

for
bead and PMC stuff. It has a controller but no bead door. Now I've

decided
I need a portable kiln for PMC if I'm going to be teaching (the Paragon
weighs 70 lbs). So - then I see the opportunity to get a brand new AIM

with
controller and bead door 500. So my quandary is - sell the paragon and

buy
the AIM and have a bead door? Or suck it up and use the paragon without

the
bead door. I plan on annealing as I go not batching.

Agh.

Kathy beadho K




  #7  
Old May 8th 04, 01:38 AM
KDK
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default

Thanks Kandice. The more I learned about bead making, the better a bead
door sounds. Think I'll go for the bead door buy!

Kathy K
"Kandice Seeber" wrote in message
...
IMO, a bead door is preferable if you are annealing as you go along,

because
it lets out less heat. Without the bead door, depending on the kiln you
have, opening the larger door can cause a lot of heat to escape. It

really
depends on the kiln though. I haven't used either of the kilns you talked
about, so I can't help there. Good luck!

--
Kandice Seeber
Air & Earth Designs
http://www.lampwork.net
"KDK" wrote in message
...
Do any of you use a kiln that does NOT have a bead door? I'm in a bit

of
a
kiln quandary. I have a Paragon kiln (haven't used it) that I bought

for
bead and PMC stuff. It has a controller but no bead door. Now I've

decided
I need a portable kiln for PMC if I'm going to be teaching (the Paragon
weighs 70 lbs). So - then I see the opportunity to get a brand new AIM

with
controller and bead door 500. So my quandary is - sell the paragon and

buy
the AIM and have a bead door? Or suck it up and use the paragon without

the
bead door. I plan on annealing as I go not batching.

Agh.

Kathy beadho K






  #8  
Old May 8th 04, 03:52 AM
Cheryl
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default

Do any of you use a kiln that does NOT have a bead door?

yes - mine is a very old enameling kiln that I "converted" to beadmaking use.

for me - the trick is I have to cut mandrels that are short enough to fit
inside the entire kiln with the door closed.
Luckily this is a pretty "deep" kiln - so my mandrels are about 8 to 9 inches
- and I put them in diagonally -- works for me.


Cheryl
last semester of lawschool! yipee!
A HREF="http://www.dragonbeads.com" DRAGON BEADS /A
Flameworked beads and glass
http://www.dragonbeads.com/

  #9  
Old May 8th 04, 03:54 AM
Cheryl
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default

but even if it's deep enough
to get the whole mandrel in, it will be fairly unpleasant and probably
require a leather glove.

ummm - yeah - it's a bit warm at times... LOL

I solved it by getting a really LONG pair of loop hemostats - which I grab the
mandrel with and then use to shove the whole works into my kiln --
However - mine has a DROP DOWN front door -- so the heat rising UP off the kiln
brick can be pretty intense-- I've learned to be QUICK! G

Cheryl
last semester of lawschool! yipee!
A HREF="http://www.dragonbeads.com" DRAGON BEADS /A
Flameworked beads and glass
http://www.dragonbeads.com/

  #10  
Old May 8th 04, 06:10 AM
starlia
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default

Which paragon do you have? I have the Caldera and just love it.

"KDK" wrote in message
...
Thanks Kalera.

The Paragon is a front loading, but I think it will be a pain to try to

put
mandrels in (I was lured by the nah you don't "need" a bead door). I

think
i'll get the AIM and sell the Paragon.

Kathy K
"Kalera Stratton" wrote in message
...
I used a top-loading fusing kiln to anneal for some time, and frankly,
it sucked rocks.

If it's a front-loader, it won't be as bad, but even if it's deep enough
to get the whole mandrel in, it will be fairly unpleasant and probably
require a leather glove.

-Kalera
http://www.beadwife.com
http://www.snipurl.com/kebay


KDK wrote:
Do any of you use a kiln that does NOT have a bead door? I'm in a bit

of a
kiln quandary. I have a Paragon kiln (haven't used it) that I bought

for
bead and PMC stuff. It has a controller but no bead door. Now I've

decided
I need a portable kiln for PMC if I'm going to be teaching (the

Paragon
weighs 70 lbs). So - then I see the opportunity to get a brand new

AIM
with
controller and bead door 500. So my quandary is - sell the paragon

and
buy
the AIM and have a bead door? Or suck it up and use the paragon

without
the
bead door. I plan on annealing as I go not batching.

Agh.

Kathy beadho K






 




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