does anyone know how to build a glass kiln?

[berryst]

I have been looking at glass kilns for my artist wife. The cost a a few square foot glass kiln is pretty spendy....any ideas out there?
berryst

[Wiley]

Re: does anyone know how to build a glass kiln?

Are you looking for a kiln /furnace for slumping or one for annealing (she a bead maker?) or an honest to goodness furnace for crucibles of molten glass for casting or blowing?

Hard to beat the price of a second hand side load Paragon for annealing (electric). Or top load for slumping (I have a High Fire Paragon (top loading) for enameling on tiles and slumping). If you are looking at a furnace for blowing or casting then you are looking at some big bucks for gas (cost of propane) or quartz rods and a sizable electric bill.

I've hand wound ni-chrome wire for elements in my muffled furnace and I don't think there is a significant savings in the size you are wanting unless you are in need of a special shaped furnace as I was. Especially if you count your labor and materials have skyrocketed since then as well.

You're into second hand and Craig's List and what with the economy headed for or in the toilet, there should be alot of hobby stuff coming on the market. What's available in "The Little Nickel"? That's where I would look as well as checking the bulletin board at Seattle Pottery Supply (although deals there move pretty fast). You could always post a "Looking For" ad. And check the bulletin board at Pratt Fine Arts Center in Seattle, they have a great school for hot glass work and the students know where the deals are.

I just gave away a very small (inside 4"x4") enameling kiln to a bead maker friend for annealing beads. He was looking for a small oven to save the cost of firing his side load Paragon when he had time for making only a few beads. I picked it up at St. Vinny's in Bremerton for something like five bucks. Deals are out there.

Wiley

[berryst]

Re: does anyone know how to build a glass kiln?

I should have known that you would know about this Wiley you are pretty creative. Yes, I am a bargain hunter and have searched craigs list....will keep looking.

What she need is the slumping and annealing variety of kiln... pendants and plates.

I just couldn't help thinking that they look pretty simple and that building from scratch would be cost effective

Berryst

[Johnny the oven man]

Re: does anyone know how to build a glass kiln?

Not that hard, Ri26's on the base, ceramic fiber blanket or boards for the roof and walls. Best to use a "top hat " design, or a hinged box lid. Gas fired would be expensive to use, wire elemented the best.

[berryst]

Re: does anyone know how to build a glass kiln?

johnny
Have you ever seen plans?
I've only seen the brick variety but a fiber blanket or board sounds pretty easy.
They look so simple it just can't be that difficult....famous last word on the WFO forum

berryst

[Johnny the oven man]

Re: does anyone know how to build a glass kiln?

Go to Mayne Island Glass Foundry they have videos available.

[Wiley]

Re: does anyone know how to build a glass kiln?

Interesting site..lets see he wants around $45 to $50 for his videos then there is the cost of materials and the time to build basically what is something with small resale value; and lets see on Craigs list right now is this:
Medallion Electric Kiln
Smallish but looks like about the size Berryst is talking about (saw your wanted ad by the by). Comes with a bunch of stuff you might want or not and they only want $200 obo. So what's your time worth? Disclaimer: I have no personal interest in this kiln or its sale and I'm not saying this is the best kiln for this purpose, but it would work.

Easily reaches slumping temps....you only need max 1600 F for slumping. It gets the wife slumping glass in a few days leaving you time to make and eat pizza!

Wiley

[berryst]

Re: does anyone know how to build a glass kiln?

This is a great size kiln but apparently glass needs to be heated from the top. We have two ceramic kilns already.
Thanks for the input your efforts are greatly appreciated.

By the way I'm still playing with flour...have coming a couple of bags from the Montana Wheat company. Maybe we could split a $100 minimum...that about two 50 pound bags. They offered me 10 pounds of there best wheat and white when I told them what I was looking for.....free.
berryst

[egalecki]

Re: does anyone know how to build a glass kiln?

I can't share in your flour, but I have used Montana Wheat's whole wheat flour. It's pretty good. Finer than most, so the texture's good in the finished product. I still haven't found a 100% whole wheat recipe I'm happy with. They're too heavy, and most have sweetener of some sort, which I'd rather not have in my bread.

I've also used their white flour, which is also good, but I think I'll stick with KA for that.

[berryst]

Re: does anyone know how to build a glass kiln?

Elizabeth
This is going to sound strange but I use 25% whole wheat pastry flower in the dough and it works the best for me.
What Kind of KA flour are you using ,,,high gluten?
Berryst

[egalecki]

Re: does anyone know how to build a glass kiln?

I use AP and Bread both. Depends on what I'm doing. I also like their whole wheat. (one kind of whole wheat comes from one store, one from another. so what I have depends on where I shopped!)

When you say you use 25% ww pastry flour, do you mean in a 100% whole wheat recipe? I've tried using added gluten, and that helped some, more with the montana mills flour (I think because of how it's milled- the bran doesn't cut the strands as much, maybe?)

I've made pasta with the pastry flour. It was a little strange to roll out, but it made great butternut squash ravioli.

[berryst]

Re: does anyone know how to build a glass kiln?

ohhhhhh I want to eat at your house....not the other way around I'm afraid.
In Pizza dough I put 25% ww wheat pastry flour to the white flour. I've tried more but it doesn't work. I use Red Brick Mills flour I think. No One else does this that I know of but the result seem to be the best pizza anyone has ever had....so they tell. Probably tastes like dog food but they like the party! I think its awesome, truly Takes little more water to hydrate it. I will probably try the caputo at FB
Berryst.

[Wiley]

Re: does anyone know how to build a glass kiln?

Berryst,
Thanks for the kind offer (perhaps I'm being presumtpous as I am thinking because of our close proximity you were making the offer to me), however, I am presently sitting with approx. 150 lbs of Montana Wheat's Bronze Chief and Prairie Gold both as wheat berries in 25 lb bags. So at the moment I am about maxed out on storage. But I am curious...what sort of price are they quoting?

Regarding side vs. top heating. It's certainly true that top heating is a good way to go for slumping (check out the Skutt Pinto) however, Skutt also makes a side heater (the Octagon) for fusing which is a side heater. My personal experience is pretty limited but I understand the side heaters require a slower cycle as well as having the piece to be slumped to be placed lower in the kiln. However, side heating (top loading) more easily permits such techniques as combing which are hard to do with a top heater. But if your wife is set upon having a top heater far be it from me to try and change her mind. Most of my friends who work glass either blow glass or do lamp work (beads), Most of the slumping I have seen was done at Pratt. I have done (unfortunately none recently) enamel on tile and glass and they require a long ramp, both up and down. For enamel work on steel I use my specially made furnace where the time is measured with a stopwatch and the heat controlled by a process computer. It is a side loader and is muffled, enamel on steel is a very fast process compared to glass or ceramic.

Bests,
Wiley

[berryst]

Re: does anyone know how to build a glass kiln?

Willy
Wheat Montana Farms (google)
Prairie gold $28.26 for 50lb
bronze chief $25.26 for 50lb

[Wiley]

Re: does anyone know how to build a glass kiln?

Berryst,
Thanks for the info on the current price.
Just for reference: In the beginning of May I paid just over $11 for 25lbs by end of May was up to just over $15. That was for either variety. Then Walmart stopped carrying it. That was the Superstore in Poulsbo. I don't know if it was/is a seasonal thing or what. Glad I bought what I did when I did...according to the Montana Wheat website properly stored berries are good for up to eight years! I expect these to be consumed well before then :-)

Wheat took a jump in price but has dropped back or stabilzed...or so it seems.

Wiley