Crucible Melter

Crucible Melter

Stock Code: GM818-3-CR-SSR

£2,940.00
In Stock
  Description

Chamber Capacity: Approximately 17 in. x 17 in. opening and 18 in. high: 2.3 cubic feet. For full specs please see specifications table in product images.


Glass Blowing Made More Affordable

Let’s face it, building, running and maintaining a crucible kiln can be expensive. The GM818CR offers an affordable alternative to traditional melters.

An electric melter allows you to easily and cost effectively heat up the glass you need for a week or even a weekend and then anneal the crucible when you are finished. Internationally recognized Borosilicate guru Marcel Braun has been using these kilns for quite some time now. He works mainly on the torch but often incorporates gathered glass in his larger pieces. Be sure to watch the video with him and legendary Artist Robert Mickelsen, collaborating on a truly masterful piece:


Glass Artist Ryan Staub loves his Crucible kiln. Here are the reasons he gave:

-Best one on the market.
-Gathering port is just right, not so small it’s hard to gather out of, not so big it dumps all the heat when you gather.
-Great for a small home or garage studio.
-Good addition to a full sized glassblowing studio as an affordable colour pot.
-Easy to ramp down slowly, minimizing risk to your crucible.
-Small and easy to store when not in use.
-Easily programmable controller with indefinite hold.
-Easy to install.
-Low energy use, high efficiency.


Features

Solid State Relays
Solid State Relays are just what the name implies…they are SOLID. When you have a $200 crucible filled with $1000 worth of glass, the last thing you want in the world is to have a relay go out. Over our 50 years we have tested a lot of relays and solid state relays when engineered with a properly sized heat sink are some of the best.


Balanced APM Elements
The GM818-3CR comes standard with APM elements. For people who are using material that does not out-gas too many caustic fumes (like batch or many colors) these elements should give you significantly longer life. They have a different cell structure from standard A-1 element wire which is more dimensionally stable at higher temperatures.


Type S Thermocouple
Most all of the kilns that leave are factory are equipped with a Type K thermocouple. Type K thermocouples are accurate and inexpensive. The downside to Type K thermocouples is that they wear out, and they wear out faster when exposed to extreme conditions. Type S thermocouples can virtually last forever. The reason for this is that they are made of platinum which does not degrade under most atmospheres and has an extremely high melting point. This leads us to one of their downsides, they are expensive…BECAUSE THEY ARE MADE OF PLATINUM!!!

They are mostly used in scientific settings where they are constantly exposed to harsh environments like that of a crucible kiln. Because it is made of very expensive Platinum, the wire used to construct the thermocouple is very, very thin. On top of this, it is housed in a fragile high alumina cover. If you hit it with a crucible, it’s game over, so be careful.


Current Sensing Technology
Skutt is one of the few brands that installs a Current Sensor in every KilnMaster Kiln. This allows you to read the Amperage of each section of the kiln as well as the Voltage and Voltage Under Load.

Now with the touch of a few buttons you can give those readings over the phone to your kiln repair technician so they can troubleshoot the problem and make sure they have the correct parts when they come out for the repair. This Saves Time and Money.

Prior to the use of these current sensors someone would have to come to your house and test the amperage and voltage inside the control box with live wires exposed. This system is much safer.


The Mantis Lid System
The Mantis Door System was designed for ease of use and ease of maintenance. The top hat door rocks back on an arc, keeping the hot face of the lid facing down so it does not radiate heat back at you while you are dipping. It has a wood handle that stays cool so you will not burn yourself. The main lid is hinged seperately and is cut with an 8" access hole. To load or remove a crucible simply release a chain that allows the Mantis frame to move out of the way and open the lid.

When glass is molten it is conductive. When the top hat is opened, a shut-off switch is activated so you will not shock yourself while dipping.


Call us today for availability or e-mail us on enquiries@cromartie.co.uk
for further details.

How long will my order take to arrive?

Orders placed via our website over the weekend will be picked, packed and despatched during our normal opening hours of 8.30am- 4.30pm Monday to Friday, therefore for instance an order placed on Friday evening would be processed first thing on Monday.

Orders placed before 12 midday Mon-Fri are usually despatched the same day. We will try our best to accommodate for urgent orders placed after 12 midday, however please note at busier times this may not be possible, therefore please try to bear this in mind when placing your order. We offer a choice of next day delivery or economy delivery, which will normally be delivered to you within 3 working days. Our carton and pallet deliveries are despatched via courier. Orders placed over bank holiday periods or during our Christmas shut-down are processed when we re-open.

Please note, pallet deliveries are kerbside only unless otherwise discussed.

Smaller parcels are usually despatched by Royal Mail standard post. Goods sent by 1st class mail to a mainland UK address normally arrive within 1-2 working days after posting, but please note this is not guaranteed.

Please note, during peak times such as school holidays and Christmas we experience a higher volume of orders. We despatch goods on a first come, first served basis, so if your order is urgent please contact us to let us know and we will do our best to accommodate you. We would also advise that you place orders in advance where possible, as although we endeavour to despatch your order quickly there are occasions where traffic or weather conditions may affect delivery.

Can I specify a time for my delivery?

Our couriers deliver between the hours of 9am and 6pm- if you have specific opening times please inform us at the time of placing your order so we can update our records accordingly. If you would like your goods to arrive in either the morning or the afternoon, we can arrange this for you at an additional cost- please specify when placing your order and we will contact you to confirm.

What happens if I am not around to accept my delivery?

If our courier cannot leave the goods in a secure place they will usually leave a drop card to inform you that a delivery has been attempted- this will give details of your tracking number & local depot so you can call them to arrange collection or to have your goods re-delivered. However this can incur an additional delivery charge. Pallet deliveries are kerbside only. Please note should you choose to have your goods left outside your premises or at an alternative address this is at your own risk.

What is your policy regarding damaged/ broken items on my delivery?

Where possible, please check your pallet or delivery carton for any signs of outer damage and inform us as soon as possible. If any damage is evident please inform us within 14 days. In the event of an order arriving with damaged, broken or faulty items, we require a photo of the goods in question by e-mail to enquiries@cromartie.co.uk to enable us to follow this up with our couriers- we will then discuss any issues with you and arrange either a replacement or alternatively a credit note at our discretion which will be deducted from your next order.

Subject to exceptions, we are happy to accept returns of incorrectly ordered or mispicked items within 28 days of delivery. Your 28 day period begins on the date shown at the top of your invoice. Please call us on 01782 319435 or e-mail enquiries@cromartie.co.uk to inform us of an incorrectly picked or incorrectly ordered item. When returning items to us, please include a note or copy of your sales order or invoice with your goods to enable us to process your refund. We can either arrange a refund for the returned items or a credit note, the value of which can be deducted from your next order. Refunds will be credited to the original payment card. Goods must be returned in a fully resaleable condition and any lids, packaging and labels must be intact. Please note, we will only refund or credit the sale value of incorrectly ordered goods – not any return postage. We reserve the right to refuse an exchange or refund if goods are not returned in a saleable condition.

Please return items to:
FAO Returns
Cromartie Hobbycraft
Park Hall Road
Longton
Stoke-on-Trent
Staffordshire
ST3 5AY