HI all! noob wannabe blower here

[blower202]

Hello all.... I have been lurking on here for a tad and have decided to introduce myself.
I am a musician and a hobby artist who has been interested in blowing glass for some time now.
I would like to eventually be making unique art and pipes but understand that I have a lot to learn first and am willing to put in the time.

I came across an ad for some gear and was wondering if this is a good deal or not.
Also is this setup ideal for a beginner? Or will I just end up spending more in the long run and I should hold off and just buy better gear from the start?

Thanks all and I hope to become a contributing member to the community!

Ill paste the ad below:......


FULL KIT AND TOOLS FOR GLASS BLOWING - ALL IN EXCELLENT CONDITION $800

-Jen Ken digital kiln
Jen-Ken AF3P 11/4.5 Glass Fusing & Bead Annealing Kiln - w/ 2" flip door
inside: 11 inches wide, 4.5 inches deep
outside: 23.5 x 18 inches x 12 inches high
weight: 45 pounds
Good for glass or ceramic. Fully programmable
Great condition - Like new - Comes with original box and manual

-Torch
National Bench air/gas torch with barbed connections
Comes with #5 tip - In great condition - Excellent torch for beginner

-Gas regulators
Brand new regulators for oxygen and propane

-Hoses
25' hoses for oxygen/propane 1/4" thick - T grade

-Misc. Tools
Graphite paddle 3" x 3"
Twizzers 10"
Glass cutters
Claw grabbers with set screw
Sharpened tungsten probe 3/32"
Graphite rod 5/8" x 12" (bowl punch)
Wrench & plyers for gas regulators
Fire safe plate and stones
welding shades - 5 darkness

-Also about $50 in assorted glass tubes, rods, and color rods

[Julian]

Welcome to the MP!

The kiln (http://www.dichroicandmore.com/jen-ken-kilns-af3p-1145.aspx) looks pretty nice. Not ideal for lampwork, but not bad. If they're about $600 new, that would make this a pretty good deal. It depends on the details about the regulators, glasses, etc.

A National 3A is an okay torch to start out with, though you'll need to buy another tip or two. Everything else sounds pretty complete. You'd want a graphite marvering plate, too.

The glasses are a bit questionable, I wonder if they're really just 'welding shades' or if they're actual lampworking (like didymium glasses) with dark welding lenses over all or part, which is what you want.

[blower202]

Sweet thanks a bunch! I will find out the details and post up what I find out.
I look forward to start melting some glass!

[blower202]

6-b torch, western enterprises regulators... Oxygen model number reb-9-3 ... Propane model number reb-1-1.
Lamp working shades. phillips boroscope shade 4.

Sooooooo... is it a good deal at $800? anyone?

[Swampy]

Sounds like a pretty good deal for all that stuff if it's still available. If you can check the kiln, ask the man to show you how to programme the controller, that will take a lot of time to study on your own. 'Tune at set-point' is a good way to check functionality... you set a target temp (say, 500 degrees F) and the controller calibrates itself to that.

Gonna cost you another bit for ventilation, tanks.

[Sketchball]

So you want to blow, huh? You came to the right place

Best of luck on the (craigslist?) deal

[blower202]

Ok so I went and checked it all out.
The kiln looks brand new not even a scratch on it!
He fired it up for me it worked like new and he explained how they are tricky to learn so it will take some time to figure out how to use it

Everything else looks in pretty much new condition.
I think I might be able to talk him down a bit..
Ill keep ya all posted..

[$Y$TM]

Good luck on your new endeavor. It is an addicting and expensive one. The set up you are looking at sounds like a good starting point. The one thing I didn't see in the list was a set of Flash Back arrestors. Very important!
Now talk it down to a good price and get melting.

[menty666]

That's not a bad deal.

When I bought my first set up, it was a craigslist find from a guy that was getting out of the business. I got the kiln (currently retails around 600), a nortel major/minor, a national 3a, a couple of tips, some tools, a crap pair of didy's with shade 3 paste ons, regulators and hoses (replaced them), and a bunch of glass including some tubing for 800. As a starter set it was pretty sweet and I'm still using much of it.

I've upgraded the torch, sold off the national, bought new glasses, and of course had to get the ventilation, but it was a good kickstart.

Good luck, and welcome!