Hi guys!
Do I have to fire my kiln empty before I put any beads in to anneal?
I haven't forgotten my promise to show my best effort ( ::)) that I produce over Christmas, but it isn't 12th night yet!! And things aren't going well, lol! I'm trying to get used to my mandrel spinner.
Thank you. ;D
Hi Lynne, yes it's best to fire the kiln empty as this gets rid of any nasty smells. Make sure that you leave the cone out so that the smell can escape, but you'll need to leave it in for all other firings!!
Do you have a Paragon kiln as there are some really useful threads on here & some videos on Paragon's website ;D
Thank you Maria!
Yes, it is a Paragon. I'm off to search this sit and check the website. ;D
Lynne here are a couple of threads on the SC2......they were the only way that I could pluck up the courage to fire up my kiln!!
http://www.frit-happens.co.uk/forum/index.php?topic=859.0
http://www.frit-happens.co.uk/forum/index.php?topic=861.0
& this is the videos part of the Paragon site http://www.paragonweb.com/videos.cfm
hi lynne, the smells from the first firing are IMMENSE!!!! best to fire it in a place where you can open all the windows and let all the fumes out!.. the paint on the outside, and the fibre on the inside both give off very VERY powerful fumes so don't panic when you think the whle thing is melting down!... LOL..
these are a lot of users of paragon's on here so please post if anything happens that you do not expect, or are not sure of!... ;) ;) ;D
oh, and lets see some pics!!!!!
Thank you both very much.
I'm glad that you have warned me that the smell is sooooo bad! I would have been worrying!
I'm trying to work out my schedule for batch annealing. I've looked at a lot, and they do seem to vary tremendously! I think I'm just going to pick one that is used by someone on this forum who makes gorgeous beads!
Thanks again! ;D
The video link is very helpful!!
I'm going to fire it up tomorrow, with all the windows open!
Thanks again! ;D
Lynne, I've only batch annealed & I've used Helen P's schedule as the instruction booklet was far too complicated.
Definitely open the windows (sorry I forgot to mention that!!) as it does whiff a fair bit ;D
Quote from: mariag on January 04, 2008, 10:27:15 PM
Lynne, I've only batch annealed & I've used Helen P's schedule as the instruction booklet was far too complicated.
Definitely open the windows (sorry I forgot to mention that!!) as it does whiff a fair bit ;D
I'm going to be batch annealing too.
I hope it's not too cold tomorrow, with all those windows open! ;D ;D ;D
this is helping me too,
i have a kiln and with xmas and being a scardy cat havent fired it up!!
the instruction booklet as you say is complicated, it would be sooo much easier to watch some one,
good luck tomorrow!
love your chain maille kits by the way, you will be getting an order from me for a byzantine bracelet kit,
i really want to make one for my other half for valentines, so might need advice regarding ring sizes that would look good on a 6ft 4 man!!
sandy
Quote from: flowerjasper on January 05, 2008, 12:30:48 PM
this is helping me too,
i have a kiln and with xmas and being a scardy cat havent fired it up!!
the instruction booklet as you say is complicated, it would be sooo much easier to watch some one,
good luck tomorrow!
love your chain maille kits by the way, you will be getting an order from me for a byzantine bracelet kit,
i really want to make one for my other half for valentines, so might need advice regarding ring sizes that would look good on a 6ft 4 man!!
sandy
Hi Sandy, it's good to have company getting used to the kiln. I find it all a bit scary too.
I'm glad you like the kits. I'll certainly help you with the ring sizes, no problem!
Here's to us kiln newbies having a successful first firing. ;D ;D ;D
Well, it's programmed and heating up. And the house is still standing ;D
Why was I so nervous of it? The programming was easy. It threw me at first - I had all my temperatures ready in Fahrenheit as I bought the kiln in America, but it was expecting them in Centigrade so I had to do some hasty conversions. It was made for UK voltage, so I guess they assumed I would want to use centigrade. The handbook explained how to change the controller back to centigrade, which involved removing it. I thought it was easier to convert my temps to centigrade! Although DH (who loves gadgets) was itching to remove it and change it back to fahrenheit. :D
Thank you for your help and for holding my hand. It should switch itself off around midnight. I'm going to be checking the temp display all evening!
Quote from: DragonflyLynne on January 05, 2008, 05:38:38 PM
(snip) I had all my temperatures ready in Fahrenheit as I bought the kiln in America, but it was expecting them in Centigrade so I had to do some hasty conversions. It was made for UK voltage, so I guess they assumed I would want to use centigrade.
My Skutt kiln can change from Centigrade to Fanrenheit at the push of a button ;D (well a few, but no taking controllers off)
Handy I suppose if I can't be bothered to convert......
Lynne, we've just fired our SC2 up today, too. Set it off on the first dry run and, so far, so good ! Tomorrow will try Mary's suggested program with one or two beads and see how it goes..... ;D
Quote from: zeldazog on January 05, 2008, 06:13:47 PMMy Skutt kiln can change from Centigrade to Fanrenheit at the push of a button ;D (well a few, but no taking controllers off)
Handy I suppose if I can't be bothered to convert......
Very handy! Much better than undoing screws and removing the controller to get to the back of it. ;D
Quote from: June on January 05, 2008, 06:25:19 PM
Lynne, we've just fired our SC2 up today, too. Set it off on the first dry run and, so far, so good ! Tomorrow will try Mary's suggested program with one or two beads and see how it goes..... ;D
Good luck to us!! heehee! I'm going to anneal a few tomorrow too. I keep checking the temp, and so far so good! ;D
Well, I'm up to 520 degrees C, and holding. (I'm running through my annealing program, firing empty). The temp is fluctuating around 520. I knew it would do this - does anyone know how many degrees above and below is acceptable? I saw it go to 526 - is this too high, and should I perhaps change 520 to say 515 ish??
Sorry to be a pain. ::)
Quote from: DragonflyLynne on January 05, 2008, 09:01:27 PM
Well, I'm up to 520 degrees C, and holding. (I'm running through my annealing program, firing empty). The temp is fluctuating around 520. I knew it would do this - does anyone know how many degrees above and below is acceptable? I saw it go to 526 - is this too high, and should I perhaps change 520 to say 515 ish??
Sorry to be a pain. ::)
Lynne,
I ran mine dry to the 3rd setting, which was due to take it to 555 degrees and we've now just turned it off, so it has taken quite some time to cool down. I will have a go with a couple of beads to about 520 degrees tomorrow, as was suggested in another thread. I have also just got a pair of polarising filters from Sally, so I am going to try those with a transparent bead, too. Will let you know!! :)
Thanks June, although I'm not sure what you are going to do with the filter!
Mine is cooling now. I knew it would fluctuate around 520 as the kiln maintained temperature, but I was worried that 6 degrees over was too much.
I'm sure we will look back in weeks to come and smile about our first firings! ;D
I could be wrong on this, as I am neither a beadie or a kiln expert - but I don't think a few degrees matters too much
And also, I know that some in some kilns, the reading on the pyrometer/gauge isn't a true reading of the temperature where your glass actually is
I can't remember if it was on the Skutt Hotbox or on the Caldera (seen both in the flesh) it does say that the temperature reading at the thermocouple is a few degrees different to what the glass will be at.
And even the exact same models, two kilns will have differences.
Remember to keep a log of your firing schedules when you do start, so you know what has worked, whether it has to be tweaked etc (hmm, and I am being really good and keeping a firing log of everything I have been doing......)
Lynne, the polarizing filters show up if there is any stresses in the glass
6 degrees is no huge problem - did you use the "full" ramp to get up to 520?... the reason i ask is that if you do that the kin will ALWAYS overshoot slightly.. we use the ramp speed of 700 max - as this was suggested by the factory support guys to avoid the overshoot..
on the big pearl18 we have here for demo work, if you ramp at full it can overshoot by 100 as it really pours heat into the kiln - the controller is supposed to "learn" and this overshoot will progressively get smaller - but switching to 700 cut the overshoot and added only a few minutes to the warm up?..
Thank you both.
I ramped slowly. I have only put in one program, for batch annealing, and I used that for the empty firing. I thought 6 degs C was a big difference - I'm glad it's not. When I saw it at 526, it was 19 minutes into the hold at 520.
And now the kiln is cold, the first firing is over, nothing drastic happened and the house is still standing. ;D
Glad that the "dry" run went OK Lynne. I've only done a few batch anneals & every time I keep running to the shed & checking ;D
Quote from: mariag on January 06, 2008, 11:00:13 AM
Glad that the "dry" run went OK Lynne. I've only done a few batch anneals & every time I keep running to the shed & checking ;D
Thanks Maria. I'm sure I'll keep checking too. ;D
I have run about 4 batch anneals now and all has gone well. The only thing I would say is that I did use a piece of the sheet metal with the holes in to support the kebabs recommended in another thread and that oxidised a lot in the firing and sent out fumes and black bits. The beads looked horribly fumed when they came out but I ran them through the dishwasher on a hot cycle and they are fine now. Just waiting to clean off the bead release - my electric reamer from Martin came without the correct chuck for the diamond tips so I am stuck until he responds to my email about it. I will show and tell once I have had chance to clean and photograph my little productions!!!
Kaz
I'm glad they cleaned up Kaz - dishwashers are very versatile! ;D
Quote from: DragonflyLynne on January 06, 2008, 10:39:52 AM
Thank you both.
I ramped slowly. I have only put in one program, for batch annealing, and I used that for the empty firing. I thought 6 degs C was a big difference - I'm glad it's not. When I saw it at 526, it was 19 minutes into the hold at 520.
And now the kiln is cold, the first firing is over, nothing drastic happened and the house is still standing. ;D
How did it go Lynne? I've been playing catch up with all those I have made so far and run the programme through three or four times now - and, so far so good! :)
Quote from: June on January 09, 2008, 02:42:11 PM
How did it go Lynne? I've been playing catch up with all those I have made so far and run the programme through three or four times now - and, so far so good! :)
So far so good, and regarding beads, I'm learning from my mistakes heehee! ;D
That'll be you and me both, then !! ;D
By the way, we're not that far away - I'm in Chesterfield.
Cheers,
June
Quote from: June on January 09, 2008, 05:08:35 PM
By the way, we're not that far away - I'm in Chesterfield.
Oh great, another neighbour!! Not far at all. ;D
We're gaining in numbers, us Midlands folk !! (I'm originally from south of Watford Gap, so I can't quite get as far as describing myself as a northerner !!) :)
We'll be able to have a Derbyshire mafia branch soon..................
!! ;D ;D
Quote from: zeldazog on January 09, 2008, 10:18:32 PM
We'll be able to have a Derbyshire mafia branch soon..................
Can I be an honorary member? (On account of me being born in Derby & visiting regularly...... ;D)
Quote from: zeldazog on January 09, 2008, 10:18:32 PM
We'll be able to have a Derbyshire mafia branch soon..................
I think we have one already!
Quote from: strawackie on January 09, 2008, 10:27:30 PM
Can I be an honorary member? (On account of me being born in Derby & visiting regularly...... ;D)
The more the merrier. ;D