Casting kiln. Custom. Top of the line. Practically brand new. $5,500

[kirchybaby]

Greetings glass casters! I am selling an (essentially) brand new custom top-of-the-line casting kiln. I will tell you all about the details, but first a brief backstory as to why I am listing it in the Glassifieds:
In 2013 I commissioned this casting oven to be built because I wanted to do taller casting work; it has a 36” internal height. I very soon became completely occupied with some other life events and, alas, only test fired it twice. I carefully fired it according to the break-in instructions to burn out the majority of the organic binders. That’s all the use it has seen. It probably still has some binders left, which you will notice when you use it for the first time in your shop. That’s how new it is.
I am now moving cross-country very unexpectedly, and sadly, can’t deal with the effort involved to take it with me. I am going to take a hit on the re-sale, but I’m sure it will end up in a good home.

I really spent some time ensuring this was a great kiln. Based on past kilns I have used which I thought could use improvements, I added certain attributes to make this one everything I wanted (and figured most others would want) in a casting kiln. It has been kept indoors in my climate controlled studio. There’s a small spot on the top where the enamel smudged, (it was painted and then quickly shipped, presumably) which is the ONLY imperfection.

-Firing chamber is 16"L x 16"W x 36"H. Outside dimensions at greatest points are 34"L x 24"W x 54"H.

-This kiln is manufactured using a lower density refractory for the walls and ceiling. This is no more thermally conductive than firebrick, and allows for a more responsive behavior; you are not compensating for the mass of the kiln as you would be with a brick-style. Moreover, you are paying less to fire it than one built entirely with firebrick.

-The door lip is made from stainless steel to prevent rusting as water evacuates your mold. Additionally, I had five peep holes added which work very effectively as vents… you will never have to crack the door to vent humidity or organic burnout! If you choose, you can easily plug them semi-permanently with fiber frax.

-The SCR controller is solid state. You probably already knows what this means, but if you don’t: there is effectively no open/close circuit disruptor to moderate the temperature like a relay. The SCR cycles extremely rapidly and therefore cushions your temperature changes and holds the elements at single given temperature. They don’t cycle hot/cold/hot/cold to maintain temperature.This is superior for annealing large glass, and it also lengthens the life of the elements and kiln. Did I mention this thing ‘learns’? It remembers behavioral feedback and anticipates rate of energy needed to reach a given temperature over a given time, allowing for even greater accuracy.

-There is a mechanical circuit disruptor present to abort a program for safety reasons. There is a door switch as well, (see pics) so that the elements are not live, if for some wacky reason, you feel the need to open the door during a firing.

-This is built on industrial castors with levelling feet. In the event your shop floor is a little “not flat” you can adjust these by hand, or easily roll it across the shop without tools or a pallet jack if you rearrange the shop.

-All of the original paperwork is present, including electrical schematics, CD, extra fuses, start up directions, and manuals for the controllers and electrical components such as the SCR. This will really come in handy if you need it worked on 50 years from now.

-Watlow EZ Zone controller allows you to program four firing programs and save them for repetitive use. 10 steps per program, which are also linkable.

-Elements are protected by high temperature fused quartz tubing, preventing movement, damage, or sagging.

-I’ll build it onto a pallet if requested so you can lift it with a forklift or pallet jack when you pick it up.

-Power requeirements: 240V, 24 amps maximum draw. Use a 30 amp breaker.

-Why not sweeten the deal? I’ll include 30 kilos of Schott F2 crystal with the sale. Last I saw it for sale a number of years ago, it was more than $35 per kilo. That’s over $1000 in glass. It's in 1.25 Kilo “strips”. You might call it billet. I haven’t found it anywhere for sale for years. It is probably much more valuable than that today.

I prefer pickup, but I can ship it if you pay. I believe its ship weight is around 500 pounds.

I prefer a sale rather than trade, but you might spark my interest with something such as a Litton U or F lathe.

[PyroChixRock]

Nice looking kiln. Can you please post a pic of the kiln with a note next to it (maybe tape it on it) with today's date and your user name. This is to provide item in hand verification. thanks and good luck with your move.

[kirchybaby]

Copy that, Thanks.

[jr23]

Is that the same glass that everyone of the Paul Stankard students shit there pants for. I remember when one of his students bought up the last of it they could find and would not share it with anyone. Does anyone else remember that.

Also I am curious about casting kilns and what temp it fires .

Max.

Kiln looks nice I am not a perspective buyer but my wheeler dealer in me wants to know if that's the rare paperweight glass that those guys fight over. If it is it's more than 35 a kilo.

[somewhere]

Is that the same glass that everyone of the Paul Stankard students shit there pants for. I remember when one of his students bought up the last of it they could find and would not share it with anyone. Does anyone else remember that. Also I am curious about casting kilns and what temp it fires . Max. Kiln looks nice I am not a perspective buyer but my wheeler dealer in me wants to know if that's the rare paperweight glass that those guys fight over. If it is it's more than 35 a kilo.

schott s8 gobs is what Stankard preferred.

F2 crystal is what Kuhn preferred.

http://www.kuhnstudio.com

Yes both are rare and or expensive

[kirchybaby]

Max,
Thanks for your questions. The encasement glass used in contemporary flamework paperweight making is S8, a lead-free optical glass. Which, you are right, has completely dried up. I am offering F2, which is not good for paperweight making. It has a high refractive index and is sought after for optical systems, casting, and coldworking. F2 was at one time the base glass for Gaffer casting crystal. They used to sell Schott F2, (see gaffer link to zero inventory F2 page here: http://www.gafferglassusa.com/index....ory&path=88_91)
but I am assuming that as they grew, they began making their own base glass because it is undoubtedly more economical, or perhaps, because F2 is no longer available. I don't know which.

Here is a link to an F2 properties page for more info. http://www.mouldedoptics.com/down/moo_F2%20Glass.pdf

I'm confident you won't find S8 anywhere for sale, my experience is that it gets sold within what few paperweight circles there are and never makes it out onto the broader glass market. Hisglassworks appropriated the last of the publicly available S8 from David Schimmel at Glass Brokers in 2011, along with the rest of his inventory. I'm guessing all the S8 was gone very soon after that transaction.

The absence of F2 on the public market precedes 2011, from what I recall. Back when, I could only find it for sale on Gaffer's site.

As for the maximum temperature of this casting oven, you can see on the manufacturer's production label in the close up in image number 5, the maximum operating temperature intended is 1650 Fahrenheit.

Thanks very much for your questions.