Wondering if my Kiln is set correctly?

[Blue Box Studio]

Ramp1 FULL
Temp1 510 C (garaging temp)
Hold1 6.00 (Dependant on "Beading" time)
Ramp2 FULL
Temp2 520C (annealing temp)
Hold2 60mins
Ramp3 50 C
Temp3 371 C
Hold3 0.00
Ramp4 0000

That looks the same as the schedule I use with my SC2.  The onloy problem I've found is that if I programme 'full' it overshoots the temperature by quite an amount so I changed 'full' to something like '700' and it's pretty well spot on now, just takes a bit longer to get to temperature but not much longer.  So far so good, none of my beads have drooped, sagged or anything else strange, although that might improve a few!

[Veebee]

I agree, the SC2 can overshoot horrendously on full. You can wait for it to get to temp, watch the overshoot happen then wait for it to come back down again, and as others have said make sure the outer layer of your bead isn't too warm before you park it in the garage 

[Tills]

Brilliant, thank you I will use the advice when next at the torch!

[stuwaudby]

Suggest you anneal at 513 DegC, only go hotter if you need the temperature to strike special colours. I ramp up slowly to prevent overshooting. Also ramp down very slowly to below the strain point (Around 440 for bullseye, 460 for effetre).

I use the same program for all soda glass (bullseye, effetre, plowdens 93, reichenbach):
250/hour up to 513
Hold 60 minutes
40/hour down to 420
250/hour down to Ambient (My kiln wont cool this fast.)

Be careful not to mix up stress-relief point and strain-point they are often confused on internet posts. The stress releif point is the annealing temperature where the molecules can freely move but the glass wont deform (much). The strain point is where the glass has effectivly set and the molecules will stay in position, only below this temperature can the glass be cooled quicker. Dont open the kiln, even below the strain point, a sudden ingress of cold air could thermal shock the glass and cause breakage.

Annealing boro is very different, I use the recommended schedule from NorthStar which uses a series of steps to cool.

[Barbara]

It seems that here in germany is a different annealing schedule!   

My (and many others) program:

Ramp1 FULL
Temp1 510 C
Hold1 6.00 (Dependant on "Beading" time)
Ramp2 FULL
Temp2 510C
Hold2 60mins for big ones, 30mins for smaller ones
Ramp3 35 C
Temp3 440 C
Hold3 60mins for big ones, 30mins for smaller ones
Ramp4 0000

[Trudi]

Tis a strange one - I anneal normally at 520° - but fir striking glass I go to 545° and even when I've put in softer coloours at the 545 temp (white and ivory) they've been fine!

Stick to the first schedule I'd say!

[Zeldazog]

Stuart, I don't know about the other soda glass makes, but your cool down stops rather soon for all the information I have for Bullseye - they recommend a controlled cool down to 371 centigrade on fusing glass and I would have thought it is similar for beads

(that said, your cool down is more conservative, I usually go through the annealing zone, 517 to 371 at 83 degrees per hour)