Need help setting up Kiln!

PKnowler · #1 2011-11-14, 11:03am

I have made about 50+ beads and cooled them in vermiculite. I am ready to start my kiln for the first time but I am so lost. I'm not sure what to do first. I read through the manuals but I'm still so confused! I have a Paragon Caldera with a digital controller- Sentry Xpress. Do I first use the cones to test the kiln- or do I put the cones in with my glass beads to test the kiln? I also read that you shouldn't put the glass beads on the floor of the kiln but when I put the stand in there is hardly enough room when I open the bead door to slide the beads into the kiln.

I put the glass separator on the selves of the kiln and let it dry. So do I test run the kiln or put my beads in and start annealing?

Can anyone help?
~thanks, Paula

cheng076 · #2 2011-11-14, 12:24pm

First, get it set up on something sturdy, where it wont get bumped, and convenient to the electrical outlet. It should be at least 6" from the wall, more if other combustibles are around. Best to move them if possible. ie. no loose curtins etc.

You should run it a few times without anything in it to burn off and cure the refractory and separator. it will smell funny at first but that will go away.

My controller came with basic programs already in it so I had a place to start. While you do the 'seasoning' burns practice programming the controller. Get familiar with the controller and set up a modified version of your desired program. This is easy; just put in a program that has very short 'hold' times like say 5 minutes, fire up the kiln and watch it come up to temp and go thru its steps. Run your test program with only a cone inside. This will tell you if the controller indicated temps are the actual temps inside the kiln; or close, plus or minus 10 or 20 degrees should be good and easily compensated for.

If all is well then enter your 'real' annealing program.

It sounds like your 'rack' is a little too high for the space inside your kiln. I have never had any problem just laying my stuff right on the kiln bottom but I have a 1/4" layer of frax on the bottom. Frax is a refractory material that looks like white felt when you buy it and after firing looks sort of like matted cotton. If you feel you need to have a spacer to put your beads on you can use a short length of 15mm boro rod, a piece of 1/2" stainless tubing, or just about any stainless steel something as a rack. Some people havve used popcorn salt as a cushion in their kilns with no problems. Drew Fritt actually reccommends this.

It's a good idea to monitor the first few firings to be sure all is going well. Note how fast it comes to temp, feel around the sides and feel anything near the kiln to see if it gets hot; warm is OK but if you can't keep your hand on it for more than 8 seconds it is over 165 deg and you need to change something.

Put in your beads and start annealing. You should be good to go.

PKnowler · #3 2011-11-14, 3:01pm

Hi Chen,

Thanks for writing. I started the kiln. I'll see how it does. Is the frax that you put in the kiln also called a fiber blanket? I got a fiber blanket with my bead kit. Can I use that in my kiln when it is being fired? I don't use it to cool beads. I use vermiculite. That is interesting about putting popcorn salt on the bottom of the kiln.
Thanks, Paula

artsyuno · #4 2011-11-14, 4:21pm

Arrow Springs sells some bead racks that are very low profile. You may want to take a look at their website to see if that would work well for you.

PKnowler · #5 2011-11-14, 5:40pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by artsyuno

Arrow Springs sells some bead racks that are very low profile. You may want to take a look at their website to see if that would work well for you.

Thanks, I'll check it out.

~Paula

cheng076 · #6 2011-11-14, 10:29pm

Frax is the same as fiber blanket. I use stuff that is about 1/4" thick and mostly just to keep the marbles from rolling around. Never had a problem just setting a bead or marble on the floor of the kiln but a little cushion can't hurt if the glass is still a bit soft going in. I just let the glow die while holding the object under the work bench then pop it in the kiln.

love2shoot · #7 2011-11-17, 8:29pm

i have kiln firing schedules for a lot of fusing stuff like plates and bowls as well as tack/slump/contour and full fusing. if interested pm me.
Jamie
I have a champ xl kiln from olympic

tiptrinket · #8 2011-11-18, 8:14am

I have a Paragon Caldera also and found the manual to be pretty useless. I called Paragon and they walked me thru programming it to anneal beads. I still am very confused about the programming, I wish the light bulb would come on, but as long as I just have to go to the preset program, I am okay.

PKnowler · #9 2011-11-18, 10:30pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by love2shoot

i have kiln firing schedules for a lot of fusing stuff like plates and bowls as well as tack/slump/contour and full fusing. if interested pm me.
Jamie
I have a champ xl kiln from olympic

Hi Jamie,

Thanks for the offer but I've got enough on my plate right now. I would like to learn how to do fusing with my kiln in the future though.

~Paula

PKnowler · #10 2011-11-18, 10:34pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by tiptrinket

I have a Paragon Caldera also and found the manual to be pretty useless. I called Paragon and they walked me thru programming it to anneal beads. I still am very confused about the programming, I wish the light bulb would come on, but as long as I just have to go to the preset program, I am okay.

I had problems understanding the kiln manual too. I also called Paragon but that was futile- they didn't help at all. I did find a program setting for the kiln. I think it was on wikipedia or something. Anyways I used that but I'm not sure if it was right or if it annealed the beads.

~Paula

Lorraine Chandler · #11 2011-11-26, 3:56pm

Hi, have you tried searching "in your own backyard" forum? Just type in Missouri in the search this forum box and you will probably find lampworkers close to you that can help you out.