Am I doing this right?

[momoharley]

This may be a silly question but I am a kiln newbie. I placed the beads on their mandrels in the bead door, obviously the bead doors can not close all the way because the mandrels are sticking out . I closed them as much as they could but it isn't all the way. Is it ok to fire the kiln like this? Is this how it is supposed to be or am I doing something wrong?
Thanks,
Ann

[Jane P]

Another kiln newbie here - actually just plain newbie all around. I have just purchased a Chili pepper kiln, and that is how I use mine too. I have a piece of "expanded metal" (has holes in it) in a long L shape that is in the kiln, and I stick the end of the mandrel into one of the holes, the end of the mandrel sticks out the bottom of the door, and then the door closes down to the mandrel. So far as I know, that is how it is done. Let's hope someone else with more expertise speaks up.

[Paul Ewing]

It is fine to fire it with the doors partially open. Be careful of drafts though. If we have the fan aimed wrong, the draft will drop the kiln down from mid 900's to the mid 800's if we are not careful. Try to get the doors closed as well as you can though. I have heard that some people put some fiber blanket there to help insulate the openings.

[WeeMary]

That's how I do it too, Ann. The kiln monitors its own temp and adjusts accordingly, so having the bead door ajar just means it works a little harder to maintain it.

[momoharley]

Thanks everyone for your input. Maintaining the temp was my concern but it's been on now for 3 hours and seems to keeping the temperature as I programmed it. I was also concerned about fire (as always) but I guess that's unlikely as there is nothing within 18 inches of any side of it. It just didn't make sense that we could leave the doors open during firing.
Thanks Again,
Ann

[Carolyn M]

What length of mandrels do you use? Mine are 9 inch, and the door closes fine. I used to have 12 inch, and had more problems.

[Toni Lutman]

I have a Chili Pepper and use 12" mandrels. I put some fiber blanket on the floor of the kiln, so now when I close the door down on the mandrels, there's not much of an opening, and the temperature holds fine.

[bubblebabeuk]

I put some fiber blanket on the floor of the kiln, so now when I close the door down on the mandrels, there's not much of an opening, and the temperature holds fine.

thats what I did as well! :cool: