Paragon SC2 programming

[NorLigh]

Hello everyone!

I have a Paragon SC2 with bead door kiln. For the last year I have been batch annealing, but my lovely hubby wired me a private circuit in my studio for my kiln, so now I can put my beads directly from the flame to the kiln (before it was it the basement because nothing else electrical would be running with the kiln- to avoid blowing a fuse and ruining my batch of beads!)

My question is this- I have my kiln programmed for batch annealing. I don't even remember how I did this because it was so long ago. Now I need to change the program, and I don't know how.

Can anyone here help me?

Thanks!

[glassferret]

Hello, NorLigh
Your SC2 should have 4 programs with as many as 8 segments which it can store in memory. You can keep your batch anneal program as program 1 and add a program for anneal as you go. Later on you can add two others for something like Boro if you want to.

When you press the start button (twice I believe) you will see program 1 at one point. When you do, push the up arrow (2nd button) until it says program 2 and enter these values:

Annealing Schedule for Effetre/Moretti
(For a 3 button controller used on most kilns)

For annealing Effetre/Moretti, use this schedule.
Set the following parameters, note that the temps shown are in Fahrenheit:

Ra 1(Ramp 1) = 1400 ( degrees per hour to ramp at ) your controller may say FULL
oF 1(Temperature 1) = 950 ( lower than annealing temp, referred to as the 'garaging' temp )
Hld1(Hold 1) = 8.00 ( 8 hours hold time ) the amount of time you have to work
Ra 2(Ramp 2) = 1400 ( it will only take a few minutes to go from 950 to 968 )
oF 2(Temperature 2) = 968 ( annealing temp )
Hld2(Hold 2) = 1.00 ( hold for 1 hour, the ANNEAL SOAK time ) Sufficient for a 1” bead
Ra 3 (Ramp 3)= 120 ( equates to 2 degrees per minute, the ANNEAL RAMP )
oF 3(Temperature 3) = 848 ( well below the 860 'strain point' to be safe )
Hld3(Hold 3) = .01 ( hold for 1 minute )
Ra 4 (Ramp 4) = 200 (controlled cool off, some people don’t use this step)
oF 4(Temperature 4)= 400(the temperature a which your kiln will shut off and cool on its own
Hld4(Hold 4)= .01 (hold for 1 minute
With Hld1 = 8.00, the kiln will hold at the 950 "garaging" temp for 8 hours. If you make beads for a longer time you can increase the number. Don’t shorten it though because you can “skip” out and go to the annealing step when you are finished working.

On your kiln, I believe you push the up arrow twice, but look in your manual to be sure.

From this point on, the controller should do everything automatically and finally shut itself off when it gets to 400. I use 400 to make SURE that I don't have problems with cooling too quickly (my kiln is in the basement). Some folks would stop at the 848 and let it cool off from there naturally. It is up to you. I hope this helps.

Carol

[NorLigh]

[-o< Thank you soooo much!

I printed this out, and as soon as I get home I will program for annealing.

I appreciate your information! :tigger:

[NorLigh]

The worked perfectly! Your instructions are great!

[scouncil]

I have been "garaging" my beads at 960, making usually smaller beads at the end of the session and then start the ramp down to 860 at the same rate and hold there for 20 minutes. I understand the soak time, and I guess that I need to change that, but don't I need to sit at the strain point for a while? Do I just need to slowly go through it and be ok?

I have usually used 104 glass, and now have gotten some BE and 96 and thought that maybe I would just program my kiln (paragon SC2 w bead door) to sit at the various strain points for 15 min for each strain point. Can I just drift slowly through each until I am safely under? 960 for 104, 820 for BE and something for Uroboros?

And my kiln is in the garage (gets pretty cold in the winter- I have some heaters when I'm in there (electric). Can I schedule the kiln to just turn off at 400 and be ok (I had been using 80 since it rarely gets cooler than that during the summer and I would alway get the error- whatever it says- when it wouldn't go lower during the summer)?