molybdenum disilicide glass-melting furnaces
I design my glass-melting furnaces around Molybdenum Disilicide heating elements.These types of elements offer extremely long life, because they're rated to operating temperatures of more than twice what is used in the glass studio. They also produce their own protective, glassy coating that helps shield them from the harsh process of melting batch.
Molybdenum Disilicide elements offer glassblowers a reliable way to melt batch, cullet, or home-made colors day after day. I manufacture these furnaces as turnkey units, and financing is available.
Transformers are custom wound, so a furnace can be configured to your power type. I only use the highest grade of industrial controls from Watlow. Replacement Moly elements, castings, and other components are available for sale. I perform installation, setup, and testing at the customer's expense.
I also custom build other types of equipment for the glass studio: glory holes, annealers, pick-up boxes, garages, pipes warmers, and more. Please contact me for more information.
Steve Stadelman Glasworks is UL-Certified for industrial control panels in the United states and Canada.
For details, contact us or consult Underwriters Laboratories Inc. standard 508A.
Myth: Moly is difficult to control.
It used to be, before the advent of affordable S.C.R. power controls moly was extremely difficult to control because of the resistance change from room to operating temperature, now we set the control and walk away.
Myth: Moly has to be run to operating tempera-
ture practically instantly or it will degrade.
Not really, if moly stays at low temperature for an extended period of time when it is brand new (days at 1200f or so) it will corrode but we routinely run our heaters to operating temperature in 60 hours with no ill effect. Once they have been run for a day or two at operating temperature the furnace can be idled down at 12-1300F indefinitely.
Myth: Moly will sag and droop and eventually elongate.
The temperatures at which we run glass furnaces during a batch cycle (2350F) are only about 70% of their top operating temperature (3200f). At extreme operating temps molys DO get soft and droop a little, but at the temperatures we run they are just loafing and tend to deform just a little over a period of years, if at all.
Moly will tolerate any batch or cullet product available just so long as it does not contain fluorine, popping cullet will stick and just run off of the heaters as will batch dust or even clumps.
Our equipment is constructed with the finest available freestanding crucibles so that you will have the shortest downtime possible when potchanges are needed (8 hours from start to finisg on a 600lb furnace with two people and a chainfall hoist) and since we change pots through the roof the integrity of the furnace body is left intact to allow for the maximum lifespan of the unit.
Myth: Moly heaters are extremely
expensive to replace.
We have a high quality supplier that makes a reasonablely priced heater, and most of our customers have never even used the spares supplied with the equipment.
This heater technology makes for a long-lasting furnace that is a real workhorse for the serious artist who is depending on these machines for their livelyhood - or the hobbyist. All of our models will cook a pot of glass overnight and be ready to run the next morning.
Some Facts About Fairness In Pricing
The prices you see here are complete. There is no fine print when it comes to what you'll spend when you decide to purchase a Stadelman furnace. The cost of the furnace includes all electronics and controls, a two-stage safety system designed around two independent thermocouples, an Engineered Ceramics crucible, furnace installation and setup, and training. Put simply, no component is left out of the equation.
If you require the use of specialized voltage and/or three-phase power, you may incur additional costs. Consult the furnace specifications below for more details. The cost of freight (F.O.B. Portland, OR) is not included in the price of the furnace. The cost of airfare is not included in the price of the furnace. In most cases, Steve will need to fly to your studio to install and set up the furnace. If you buy a 600-lb unit, a member of Steve's build team will accompany him to your site for installation and setup.
75-LB. Freestanding pot furnace - top loading
Comes with your choice of crucible (capacity up to 75 pounds). Purchase includes two spare Molybdenum Disilicide heating elements. This is a single-phase system, 30-amp draw on a 40-amp breaker at 240v.
Price: $11,800 single-phase power
100-LB. (10-kW) Freestanding pot furnace - top loading
Comes with your choice of crucible (capacity up to 100 pounds). Purchase includes two spare Molybdenum Disilicide heating elements.
Price: $18,900 single-phase power ($19,900 three-phase power)
200-LB. (15-kW) Freestanding pot furnace - top loading
Comes with your choice of crucible (capacity up to 200 pounds). Purchase includes two spare Molybdenum Disilicide heating elements.
Price: $23,800 single-phase power ($24,800 three-phase power)
300-LB. (22.5-kW) Freestanding pot furnace - top loading
Comes with your choice of crucible (capacity up to 300 pounds). Purchase includes three spare Molybdenum Disilicide heating elements.
Price: $29,700 single-phase ($30,700 three-phase power)
400-LB. (30-kW) Freestanding pot furnace - top loading
Comes with your choice of crucible (capacity up to 400 pounds). Purchase includes three spare Molybdenum Disilicide heating elements. Single phase power is a 40-kW unit; three-phase power is a 45-kW unit.
Price: $34,200 single-phase or three-phase power
600-LB. (52-kw) Freestanding pot furnace - top loading
Comes with your choice of crucible (capacity up to 600 pounds). Purchase includes three spare Molybdenum Disilicide heating elements.
Price: $45,000 single-phase or three-phase power
Freestanding pot furnace - front loading
A design for a front-loading furnace (the crucible is changed through the front of the furnace instead of the top) is complete.
Please call for pricing and more information