microwave kiln

[♥♥Tan♥♥]

A lot of people start on  hothead because its cheaper and less of a loss if beadmaking doesnt grab you, 

    I started on a hot head and then onto a welding torch for three years before buying a nortel minor burner from Jim at Bluemoon Glass and then a bethlehem betta from Q. Both torches are great but everyone uses different torches and loves their own, so this may confuse you even more ..it did me!!

    A slow cooker full of vermiculite will be more than adequate to start you off as an annealer. I'm with Mary, I think the microwave kiln is only for fusing so steer clear and spend the money on glass instead A kiln usually comes further down the line when your masterpieces are being sold or you just want to ensure durability.

  The starter kit sounds like a good idea but price up seperately as well, mandrels, bead release, torch , glass etc sometimes non essentials are included in starter kits that you may rarely use.

[greenbeadenvy]

These kilns used to be available years and years ago. I often presumed that they didn't work very well, as they were not on the market for very long and have never really made much of a come back.
They used to be made in china (in fact may still be made there) and we all know how much China knows about annealing 

[Shannon]

all this about the microwave kiln aside, did any of you check out the stuff available on that Japanese lampwork site?  How much do I want to place an order for about 1500 USD worth of stuff now?  quite a bit, good thing the customs issue in this country will put me off 

[darm]

ok next question - sorry

am looking at tuffnel glass at either at the deluxe plus kit or ocmplete kit. the difference is the deluxe does not come with this - 1 kilo mixed effetre glass,  graphite paddle and milliefore, are these things essential?

also does anyone have step by step instructions onm how to cool with out the kiln, i know i need the vercimulit but what do i do with it?

[beadysam]

Hiya
You'll need glass or you won't get far, LOL!  The millie, thats just and extra that you don't need - I've got some scrap bits you can play with if you PM me with your addy.  A marver is probably a tool that most people consider essential for shaping beads.  The way I work at the moment, I hardly ever use mine, but it does depend what I'm doing.  Hope that helps?

[darm]

thanx

the kit comes with 1 Kilo of mixed Effetre glass rods, just not the 1 kilo of mixed effetre glass, so will jsut the glass rods do?

[beadysam]

thanx

the kit comes with 1 Kilo of mixed Effetre glass rods, just not the 1 kilo of mixed effetre glass, so will jsut the glass rods do?

The glass rods are what you need, the glass mentioned in the deluxe kit will also be rods, you are fine with just 1 kilo - you can always buy more later when you know what colours you like.  Did that make sense?...  I'll pm you now.
SAM x

[♥♥Tan♥♥]

I use my marver a lot but I started off with the bottom of an old iron as my orignal marver and then a piece of polished marble

[darm]

thanx ever so much

[Caroline]

Just to add the deluxe kit at tuffnells dosen't come with safety glasses

they now do a deluxe plus kit that dose so i'd say go for one of the kits with the safelty glasses in

[darm]

yeah the deluxe plus was what i was looking at. am now pricing things individually - well the basics of what i will need thanx to beadysam to compare prices. i have inc safety glasses

[darm]

how long do unannealed beads last please?

[♥♥Tan♥♥]

they could last forever or they could last seconds, it just depends on the internal stresses but sooner or lately the odds are that they will crack

I still have un annealed newbie beads from about 5 years ago getting banged about on a light pull but I wouldn't sell anything that hasnt been annealed for safetys sake!!