Open or Closed?

[Megan]

question? When you bead do you leave your kiln door open or closed? I closed mine but got thinking today that maybe when I open the door and let that rush of cooler air in, its worse than just keeping the door open. So do you keep yours opened or closed?

[Venessa]

That does make a good question...I don't have a kiln, but my 2 cents anyways, if you'll accept it.
I would think that in the long run it would use more electricity to leave it open all the time, because it has to compensate for the hot air that is going out constantly, rather than to recover a few degrees every time the door is opened. When I have been elsewhere with others, I only notice a couple of degrees drop off when the door is opened to stick beads in there.

[DesertDreamer]

I bring mine up to temp closed, then remove one brick and start making beads. It drops about 10 degrees, but by the time I'm ready to garage my first bead, it's stable again. I work with one door (I have a double-wide) open, then put a fiber door in when I'm done and ready to start ramping down.

[artwhim]

Closed. Some of the larger mandrels hold the door a little more open than the regular ones. I try to reposition them before annealing so the door goes closed better. I would think if you work with the door open, you would want to postition the beads a little farther in the kiln.
Kathy

[Lisi]

???

All these years I've been lampworking I was never aware of anyone leaving their kiln door open while they worked! Are you sure that's a good idea?? I'm not trying to be a smartass....I'm just a little concerned.

I have a kiln with the front door that side opens, not a "bead door". So, it drops a few degrees when opened to put a bead in, and climbs back up rapidly once the door is closed. It's deep and can hold up to 12" long mandrels, but if the door is left open long enough the temp will plummet down to 800 or less if I let it. That is below the strain point...eek!

Just curious - what does the temp read while the door is left open?

[pam]

Okay, I'll play. I have always left my door open. Now that I have the AS kiln that has two doors across the front I only leave one of the two open.

[Cosmo]

I close it when I can, but I don't stress about leaving it open. Often in classes, students will make so many beads that there are 40 or 50 mandrels sticking out of the door and it won't close. I haven't lost any beads to leaving the door open.

[Peg Medill]

I have two doors side by side with a AS kiln. I open the kiln door on one side and place my rod and bead in and I leave the rods sticking out some so I can remove them without burning my hands when that side is full. The door blanket presses around the mandrel. I then move them to the other side where I keep the door closed all the time. Peg M

[Boopdidoop]

I have a Chili Pepper that has a nice hinged door. It sets back down after I open it to insert a mandrel and rests on top of the mandrels as they stick out. So I guess it's "mostly" closed. I do notice a 8-10 degree drop from 960
if I don't hustle. If i have to move some beads off to the side for more room I put on a leather glove so I can move faster. I too, didn't know you could leave a door open. Different makes and models I guess.

[PaulaD]

I use the Chili Pepper too and notice the temperature drop when the door is open too long. So I try to be quick about it! I use a big oven mitt to move the mandrels quickly but also just got a pair of heat proof gloves. Paula

[cghipp]

Mine has a woven fiber flap that is never really open or closed. It's amazing how much it keeps the heat in, though. But I guess I'd have to say "neither."

Courtney

[Flamechick]

I do both. I have an AS kiln with 2 bead doors. I occasionally leave a door open, and yes the temp initially drops, but the controller brings the temp back up. I do know they do not recommend that you leave both doors open.

[Lynn Larson]

I leave mine open until i'm ready to anneal. I heat it closed because it gets to temp faster, open it at temp and leave it that way. I don't have a programable controller, so it is just as easy for me this way.


Plus the heat is nice in December

[Emiko]

Originally Posted by StefaniBeads

???

All these years I've been lampworking I was never aware of anyone leaving their kiln door open while they worked! Are you sure that's a good idea?? I'm not trying to be a smartass....I'm just a little concerned.

I have a kiln with the front door that side opens, not a "bead door". So, it drops a few degrees when opened to put a bead in, and climbs back up rapidly once the door is closed. It's deep and can hold up to 12" long mandrels, but if the door is left open long enough the temp will plummet down to 800 or less if I let it. That is below the strain point...eek!

Just curious - what does the temp read while the door is left open?

When I bought my first kiln at Arrow Springs (single door,) Craig said that the door can be open while I work. But if your kiln doesn't have a bead door, it probably is not good to leave it open.

If the kiln is kept at a certain temperature with the door closed and the door is opened, the temperature drops. But if the door is open all the time, the kiln holds the temprature all the time.

[adovbs]

I have one with a bead door, so I keep it closed unless I'm sticking a newly made bead and mandrel into it.