Frit-Happens !

Technical Forum => Studio/workspace/setup/equipment => Kilns => Topic started by: Stacy on February 19, 2008, 12:47:30 PM

Title: At What Rate does a Kiln Cool Down?
Post by: Stacy on February 19, 2008, 12:47:30 PM
I'm trying to create a excel spreadsheet which will tell me roughly how long a programme will take in my kiln.

I know that it is probably extreamly variable due to different condidtions but does anyone have an idea of an approximate rate that a kiln will cool down when the programme has finished. Or a way that I can calculate it. Is it going to be different on each and every firing? or will it matter how high the kiln is when the programme is done?

I would be more than happy with an approximation...
Title: Re: At What Rate does a Kiln Cool Down?
Post by: glassworks on February 19, 2008, 01:34:47 PM
depends on ambient an the kiln.. the bluebird cools naturally at over 100 deg / hour here.. although our internal temp in the barn is only 5 degrees... the xl, which is fire brick lined, cools at less than 40 degree's per hour in the same condition (and should be about the same for an sc2/3, although the sc's with bead doors have a small opening when the door flap is slightly raised... the sc2 cools down slightly faster than the sc3...

Title: Re: At What Rate does a Kiln Cool Down?
Post by: Stacy on February 19, 2008, 01:37:45 PM
Thanks hunny!!! xxxxx

Thats exactly what i needed!
Title: Re: At What Rate does a Kiln Cool Down?
Post by: Stacy on February 19, 2008, 01:39:35 PM
Now - thanks to my wizzy spreadsheet I know that my pot melt thingy will be ready to come out at about 9:00pm give or take 30 mins or so
Title: Re: At What Rate does a Kiln Cool Down?
Post by: Billie on February 19, 2008, 01:41:46 PM
Very clever!
Title: Re: At What Rate does a Kiln Cool Down?
Post by: Stacy on February 19, 2008, 01:53:27 PM
Quote from: Billie on February 19, 2008, 01:41:46 PM
Very clever!

you say that now... knowing my luck with excel it will be done at 10am tomorrow morning... ;D
Title: Re: At What Rate does a Kiln Cool Down?
Post by: Zeldazog on February 19, 2008, 01:59:16 PM
Oh, I want to do a pot melt thingy!! But I can't in my home kiln, it doesn't go hot enough  :-\

Please post a pic, I will be checking at 9.05 pm!!!
Title: Re: At What Rate does a Kiln Cool Down?
Post by: Stacy on February 19, 2008, 03:08:03 PM
Quote from: zeldazog on February 19, 2008, 01:59:16 PM
Oh, I want to do a pot melt thingy!! But I can't in my home kiln, it doesn't go hot enough  :-\

Please post a pic, I will be checking at 9.05 pm!!!

I only have a little kiln so its just a tiny tiny one... it should come out as about 1" in diameter.... i thought that might be a nice size to put a bail on the back of
Title: Re: At What Rate does a Kiln Cool Down?
Post by: ♥♥Tan♥♥ on February 19, 2008, 03:09:18 PM
yay pot melt pot melt, pics please, from every angle and then a few more and how you did it and what you think of it and how hard you found it :D :D :D
Title: Re: At What Rate does a Kiln Cool Down?
Post by: Stacy on February 19, 2008, 03:11:12 PM
Well I can tell you now that I used a egg poacher and some mesh you use to fix rusted out old cars... it soooooo professional!  ;D
Title: Re: At What Rate does a Kiln Cool Down?
Post by: Stacy on February 19, 2008, 07:06:58 PM
OK - there will be no pictures and we shall never mention the pot melt fiassco again.... :'(
Title: Re: At What Rate does a Kiln Cool Down?
Post by: Sal on February 19, 2008, 07:15:31 PM
Oh no! I was really looking forward to finding out what a pot melt is as well! What is it  ???
Title: Re: At What Rate does a Kiln Cool Down?
Post by: Zeldazog on February 19, 2008, 07:41:58 PM
Why, what happened, Stacy? You can't leave us hanging on like that!
Title: Re: At What Rate does a Kiln Cool Down?
Post by: Stacy on February 19, 2008, 07:49:52 PM
errrrr.... it melted..... along with the egg poacher and mesh thingy that I rigged up

Its all one sort of metal and glass blob....in the future when I am a world renowed glass artist I think I will call this my industrial era.

Going to have another go at the end of the week when I have rigged up something a little more unmeltable!
Title: Re: At What Rate does a Kiln Cool Down?
Post by: Stacy on February 19, 2008, 07:53:01 PM
Quote from: Sal on February 19, 2008, 07:15:31 PM
Oh no! I was really looking forward to finding out what a pot melt is as well! What is it  ???

Its when you put a load of glass ontop of a wire mesh or pot with holes in it. You pop it in the kiln and the glass melts through the holes into a puddle on the kiln shelf - you put lots of different colours in and they all swirl together.

Well that was my interpretation anyway - but we know how that ended!  ;D
Title: Re: At What Rate does a Kiln Cool Down?
Post by: Sal on February 19, 2008, 09:17:41 PM
Oooh-that sounds really exciting! (I still think you should show us some pictures  ;D)
Title: Re: At What Rate does a Kiln Cool Down?
Post by: Zeldazog on February 19, 2008, 09:29:40 PM
I read you can do it with a terracotta plant pot - you can get those tiny ones and drill holes in the bottom - have seen the mesh ones too - what a shame Stacy!

I really want to try one of these, gonna have to raid a college or uni kiln, methinks.........
Title: Re: At What Rate does a Kiln Cool Down?
Post by: julieHB on February 19, 2008, 09:35:04 PM
wow, that's fantastic!!  Never heard of a pot melt, but it sounds delicious.  Might have to try that some day!!  Sorry that it all melted together, Stacy!
Title: Re: At What Rate does a Kiln Cool Down?
Post by: Stacy on February 20, 2008, 08:04:11 AM
Quote from: zeldazog on February 19, 2008, 09:29:40 PM
I read you can do it with a terracotta plant pot - you can get those tiny ones and drill holes in the bottom - have seen the mesh ones too - what a shame Stacy!

I really want to try one of these, gonna have to raid a college or uni kiln, methinks.........

Ohh I've got one of those - Gonna have to give that a go today or tomorrow! thanks Dawn!
Title: Re: At What Rate does a Kiln Cool Down?
Post by: Dennis Brady on February 28, 2008, 08:17:51 PM
A "shelf melt" is when you pile up glass on the kiln shelf and fire it to all melt together.

A "pot melt" is when you suspend a pot (like a flower pot) over the kiln shelf and let the molten glass run out through the hole in the pot.

A "screen melt" is when you suspend screen over the kiln shelf and let the molten glass melt through the screen.  Here's some examples of screen melts.
http://www.vicartglass.com/products/screen%20melts/screenmelts.html