OT Kiln ? for bead makers

I have a top loader I used for quite and while and it worked well for me.

"Cheryl" wrote in message
...
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/

I think you'll be happy with that choice. From what I've heard, the AIM
is a very good kiln, and you will *definitely* be happier with a bead
door!

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


KDK wrote:
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

LOL! OUCH, a drop-down door! And I thought life sucked when I was using
a top-loader!

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


Cheryl wrote:
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/

On Fri, 7 May 2004 13:58:22 -0400, "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 (snip)
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.
Kathy beadho K

IMHO, there is no such thing as too many kilns, or beads, or
gemstones, or..........
I was going to sell my smallest kiln. I haven't used it in 3 years.
But now I'm glad I didn't. With the larger studio there is room for
it, and I've even thought of uses for it! Just because you're
annealing as you go now doesn't mean you won't want to
batch anneal later. Or you won't get into something that will
require the kiln you have.
My biggest concern now is which kiln do I want for my
new one.....how big do I want to go? Damn! decisions,
decisions.....inquiring electricians want to know how big a
circuit to install for it, but I haven't bought it yet!
Barbara
Dream Master
www.dreamweaverstudio.com

If you want to make God laugh, tell him your future
plans.
Woody Allen

Well I getting the AIM - I'm a bit on the accident prone side , so it will
probably be better!!! I can just see it now- hot bead on a a mandrel,
trying to find gloves or a hemostat.....

Kathy K
"Cheryl" wrote in message
...
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/

I have the paragon SC676
http://www.hotglassbeads.com/kilnproducts.htm

I think it's probably a great kiln - but no bead door and I can't lift it to
carry it places.

Kathy K

"starlia" wrote in message
...
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

hee hee - well 3 kilns might be overkill right now - especially since 2 are
very similar in design. But then again I'm slack I might never get around
to trying to sell the paragon

But you are oh so right about beads and gems....

Kathy K
"Barbara Otterson" wrote in message
...
On Fri, 7 May 2004 13:58:22 -0400, "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 (snip)
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.
Kathy beadho K

IMHO, there is no such thing as too many kilns, or beads, or
gemstones, or..........
I was going to sell my smallest kiln. I haven't used it in 3 years.
But now I'm glad I didn't. With the larger studio there is room for
it, and I've even thought of uses for it! Just because you're
annealing as you go now doesn't mean you won't want to
batch anneal later. Or you won't get into something that will
require the kiln you have.
My biggest concern now is which kiln do I want for my
new one.....how big do I want to go? Damn! decisions,
decisions.....inquiring electricians want to know how big a
circuit to install for it, but I haven't bought it yet!
Barbara
Dream Master
www.dreamweaverstudio.com

If you want to make God laugh, tell him your future
plans.
Woody Allen

hot bead on a a mandrel,
trying to find gloves or a hemostat.....

Who uses a glove??

LOL - I'm just FAST!!!!


Cheryl
DRAGON BEADS
Flameworked beads and glass
http://www.dragonbeads.com/