IT'S ALIIIIIIIVE!!

Flyingcheesetoastie · August 06, 2009, 08:25:42 PM

Okies, so maybe, a little dramatic as I haven't actually fired it yet, but... my new (old) giant toploader is wired up and alive!

Although not a glass kiln, the controller SAYS it can link programs, which means it will do an annealing cycle, in theory... I will experiment tomorow, wish me luck!

Karen · August 06, 2009, 08:33:21 PM

good luck hope it works

Flyingcheesetoastie · August 06, 2009, 08:36:33 PM

Ta, it's big enough for me to play Rachel-in-a-box! So hoping to make it my casting kiln!

Margram · August 06, 2009, 08:46:29 PM

Very good luck - how exciting, and what a whopper!

Marg x

Flyingcheesetoastie · August 06, 2009, 08:51:21 PM

Yeah considering I'm a miniaturist, I dunno why I'm drawn to large kilns! Big blue is 2m x 1m and this kiln is tucked in next to him.

julieHB · August 06, 2009, 10:35:23 PM

Good luck, Rachel!! Sounds good

Flyingcheesetoastie · August 07, 2009, 06:12:31 PM

Well, I've fired it up for a little test with 20 pieces of glass on 4 levels over props to test for cold spots etc. Had a lovely chat with Cromartie man who unfortunatly confirmed that the controller is the basic model which won't link programmes. So cannot put an anneal in as it only does two ramps and a soak with another ramp then off. But it is a step up from my little cone fired kiln so if he fires all the little pieces nicely, maybe I'll buy him a nice new controller.

Am going to have to fiddle with the workings though as he's making an awful racket whilst on, I know you get a certain level of buzzing but this is something else!

♥♥Tan♥♥ · August 07, 2009, 06:14:43 PM

Keep an eye on ebay, controllers occasionally turn up on there dirt cheap.

Flyingcheesetoastie · August 07, 2009, 06:18:18 PM

The kiln was only £112 plus petrol to pick it up and it's huge! So in all honesty I don't mind getting something new that does exactly what I want rather than bodging like I normally do!

Plus depending on the results of this firing, I'll be selling my little toploader so that might help to fund a new Stafford or something.

Pat from Canvey · August 12, 2009, 08:02:54 AM

My big old ceramics kiln only does a soak but takes 12 hours to cool after a fuse or pot melt so it really doesn't need an anneal cycle. When I was using it for beads and before I bought a bead kiln, I set it to soak and then turned off to cool.