Kiln-sitting

Started by Beansprout, January 21, 2013, 09:03:58 PM

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Beansprout

I will have my new Beadcube in my shedio. I usually make beads for about 2 hrs at a time, with the new torch I'm able to do 2 or 3 blocks of 2 hrs per day with a break in between of 30 mins or 1 hr when I go back to the house for a cuppa or a biccy :D

So... With the kiln... do I have to watch it for every second I have it on? Could I leave it for 5 mins, or more?

Garaging- if I finish say at 7pm and select the next section in the program, the hold/ramp down will take about 5 hrs ish? Do I have to sit with it til it's off?

Batch anneaing- This schedule would take about 10 or so hrs (roughly), again, if I turn it on on a saturday morning, shoud I sit in the shed all day?

Kalorlo

No, you don't need to watch it all the time! Mine usually ramps down overnight because I make beads in the evening or weekend afternoons.

Just follow the instructions for leaving air space around it and nothing flammable next to it.

helbels

Lol no, you just leave it to get on with its business, no need to watch it at all.  I don't leave mine on at home and go out, but that's just a precaution on my party.

anditsinthefish

No need to watch it :) Like Kalorio says I leave mine to anneal over night and come back and empty it in the morning. I don't anneal if I know I can't come and turn it off but that's just me xx
Sarah xx
Website. Blog. Flickr.

Beansprout

Thanks for the quick replies! It's a relief to hear I can leave it over night... Even in the shed?

So what shouldn't I do regarding kiln-sitting? Not leave the house is a good one!

anditsinthefish

have you done the test fire to ensure that it turns itself off if there is a fault? If you have and its all good I would say leave it and I personally would say as it is not in your house you could leave the house but its what ever you want to do, no point going out if all your going to do is worry :) xx
Sarah xx
Website. Blog. Flickr.

Beansprout

Thanks fishy :) (sorry best way to shorten your username!)

Haven't done a test fire yet, might leave it til the weekend cus I work during the week... Sadface I WANNA PLAY

flame n fuse

I don't think your programmes should take as long as that, unless you're making ginormous beads.

Zeldazog

When I had my Hotstart at home, for fusing, which goes about 300 degrees centrigrade higher than you do for bead annealing, not only did I not kiln-sit, I didn't stay up all night (unless I was on a roll and had to reload for a second firing at 3am), etc... I regularly went out.

I had to, to be honest, the average cycle without crash cooling (which I don't do) was anything from 13 to 17 hours, and I was too busy at uni most of the time to hang around watching a digital controller!

When I first had the Hotstart, I did the first test fire/binder burn-off firing, then I think the first couple of times I ran a full cycle I timed it so that it reached the top temperature when I was still up and about - I realised it would get there and cool down, so I started going to bed before it got there, and I guess I just got so used to it that I stopped worrying at all and would leave it to it.


Nicknack

I still aim it so I can be there when it reaches its highest temp for fusing.  I've found that if it soaks too long the glass can get too runny, and I like to be there in case, then I crash cool for a minute or so (open the door a little bit), just to make sure.  I've had to adjust the temps and timings - the first time I used the kiln for fusing I followed the instructions from Warm Glass (I'd just been on a course there), and everything flowed too much, so I've fine tuned the sequence to allow for the vagaries of the kiln.  TBH, I could probably leave it to its own devices, but I still like to be there.

For beads, I just leave it to do its own thing.

Nick

Pat from Canvey

Rebecca, if you finish beading at 7pm, do something else for an hour ( in the shed or house) to give the last bead made time to anneal properly then skip to the next section of the programme. Go away and leave the kiln to do it's thing. My SC2 takes on average 3 hours after being skipped to reach 65 deg cent. at which point I open the kiln if I'm desperate to see how a particular bead has worked out. Some open their kiln a little earlier, some later. It's a matter of personal preference.

Beansprout

Thank you everyone! So helpful :)

So to do a test fire ill turn it on, do program 1 (garaging) ramp it up to temp then. Skip to the next section?

Lee - Kilncare

Hi Beansprout.
To clarify your Bead Cube.
Program 1 (garaging) will hold the kiln at 520 for 13hours (segment 1)or until you have put your last bead in.
Once the last bead is in, forward to the next segment which will automatically hold 520c for 90 mins.
After that 90 mins the Bead Cube will automatically start to cool at 50c per hour until 250c when it will knock off and end.
That process from when the last bead goes in is roughly 6.5 hours to reach 250c. Then whatever time the kiln takes to cool naturally to a safe, bead removal temperature. Possibly another 2-3.
The process can be speeded up by altering any of the values to whatever you prefer.

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Beansprout

Thanks for your help Lee!