How to program a glass kiln

by Glass Fusing Made Easy
http://www.glass-fusing-made-easy.com


Programming a glass kiln can be quite a feat, and might having you wondering if purchasing this type of kiln is worth all this work. Once you get the hang of pushing those buttons and entering your information, you will be very happy that you no longer need to babysit your glass kiln as it is firing.

Some kilns come with pre-programmed sequences. These are for activities such as annealing beads, firing glass, metal clay and other basic processes. Other kilns need to be programmed for any and all processes. If your kiln came with directions refer to them when programming your kiln. These instructions are a general guideline to help you get started and are not meant to replace the instructions in your kiln’s owner manual. 

The first thing you want to do is get to know your particular kiln. Determine how it fires glass and at what temperatures various fusing techniques transpire.

Once you have mastered your particular kiln, decide what process you want to accomplish. Write down the program you are going to use on a piece of paper or in your firing log . This will enable you to place the correct numbers in the required sequence. The kiln will first ask you how many sequences you want in that particular firing. This will be determined by what you have written down.

You will want to write it something like this:

350 1000 10

AFAP 1350 0

AFAP 950 60

AFAP 0 0

1st number in the line - How fast do you want to ramp.

2nd number in the line - What is your goal temperature.

3rd number in the line - Hold or soak time at that temperature.

So to read the schedule above.

1st step - We are taking the glass up at 350 degrees per hour to 1000 degrees Fahrenheit and holding for 10 minutes.

2nd step - We are taking the glass up as fast as possible to 1350 degrees Fahrenheit and holding for 0 minutes.

3rd step - We are taking the glass down as fast as possible to 950 degrees Fahrenheit and holding at that temperature for 60 minutes.

4th step - We are bringing the temperature down to room temperature.

According to our schedule above we have 4 steps or segments. So at the beginning of our programming when it asks how many segments we would enter 4. Then it will start requiring the various other information for each segment.

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Delphiglass has provided several videos on YouTube. The videos are for the Delphi EZ-Pro Controller, the Sentry Xpress Controller, and the Rampmaster Controller. If you don’t have any of these particular kilns, the videos could still assist you in figuring out how to program your particular kiln.

Delphi EZ-Pro Controller

Sentry Xpress Controller

Rampmaster Controller

 

What are kiln elements?

by Glass Fusing Made Easy 
http://www.glass-fusing-made-easy.com/


Kiln elements are the heart and soul of your kiln. They are the heating elements or wires that are designed to resist the passage of electricity. As electricity is driven down the wire, the opposition hinders this movement and consequently causes the wire to heat up. It works much like the common household electric toaster.

Kanthal is the metal alloy used in for the elements in most electric kilns. Some kilns have the Kanthal elements in the lid, while others have the elements located around the edge of the kiln body. Which ever way your particular kiln design is set up, these elements heat up and cool down basically the same. When they are located in the top of the kiln the glass is heated from the top, and if located on the side the glass is heated from the sides. 

The lower the temperature the kiln is fired, the longer the elements will last and the higher the temperatures the kiln reaches the shorter time these elements will hold up. Eventually the elements simply fail due to the environment that it is exposed to and the heating and cooling cycles. If you start noticing that the kiln is taking longer to heat up, or doesn’t seem to reach a higher temperature it is an indication that they are beginning to fail.

If the elements won’t turn off or on, it could be a faulty relay. Broken elements, power to the elements or a faulty controller can also cause the elements not to warm up.

Heating elements can be replaced if you notice that they are wearing out or if the fail to fire. Contact the manufacturer of the particular kiln for purchasing replacement parts. Generally the replacement element will come with installation instructions.

Once replaced, the kiln elements need to be seasoned before any fusing project. This involves firing the kiln without any items inside. This seasoning will help the elements develop a protective oxidized coat from this firing. A protective coat will keep any foreign material from corroding the elements. Simply fire the kiln at a usually firing schedule and then allow it to cool completely.

My kiln is so HOT!

Please give your readers a little information about annealing your beads since it is a very important part of lampworking!

Wisker, I was thinking that I would discuss annealing some time soon.  And I think it would fit in really well, today.  

It is important to anneal lampwork beads so that they don't break easily.  The process basically "relaxes" the molecules in the glass so that stress is alleviated.   When annealing glass it is important to know the best annealing temperature for the glass type you are using.  The glass manufacturers will give you that information.   For the soft glass that I use, I like to anneal at about 960 degrees.

You will also want to know the approximate temperature of your kiln.  Even though digital kilns will state their temperature on their controllers, they may not be exact.  Now,  I programmed an annealing temperature into my kiln that I always use and it seems to work for me.  But if beads are breaking after being annealed, then I suggest you go back and change the annealing temperature and play around with it until you get good beads!  

I anneal all of my beads.  When I am making a lot of round "spacer" beads I batch anneal them.  So that means that I make my beads and cool them down first.  Later I place all of those spacer beads, after I removed them from their mandrels,  onto a sheet of shelf paper on my kiln shelf and anneal them all at one time.  And at the same time those spacer beads are annealing, I can anneal other beads that I am making at the same time, too!!!  

I have placed a mandrel holder on my kiln shelf towards the back of my kiln.  It is used for beads that I am annealing that are still hot and on their mandrels.  So once a bead is taken out of my torch flame, it is immediately placed into the already hot kiln. 

I use a kiln that has a bead door in front, there are many different types of kilns available for lampwork.  

Remember that if you are batch annealing you must put the beads into the kiln when the kiln is cold.  Then ramp up the heat to the correct annealing temperature and hold it there for the proper amount of time.  Also don't put HOT beads into a cold or warming up kiln.  Make sure that your kiln is already at the annealing temperature before placing hot beads into your kiln.  

Once your beads are in the kiln at the annealing temperature (I leave mine in there for at least one hour, and longer if my beads are big), you can do one of two things.  You can either turn off the kiln and let it cool down on its own.  Or you can pre-set your kiln to ramp down at intervals until finally completely cool.  I let my kiln ramp down at intervals if I made larger beads.  Typically I let my kiln cool down on its own after turning it off.

I have a kiln that has a lot of pre-set programs in it.  That can come in handy but it can also be confusing when setting.  I seemed to have lost my manual somewhere.  So if you have that problem, go online and look up your kiln model.  Most manufacturers have kiln manuals available in PDF format.

Some kilns don't have digital controllers.  These kilns can still be used for annealing but I do not have experience doing that.  All I know is that those kilns use cones to determine the temperature of the kiln.  So just do some experimenting with cones and I think you can properly anneal your beads.  One more thing, I think it would be better to use smaller kilns for annealing beads when on a mandrel.  I think it wouldn't be practical or easy to use a top loading large kiln with heating coils on the lid to do this because you'd have to reach your hand into an extremely hot kiln!  I also like the kilns that run on 110 electricity since it can be plugged into most outlets.  220 kilns can only be plugged into a few outlets in most locations, or a certain outlet has to be wired for it.

Lampworking Kiln Critiques

OK Bear, I think you need to give readers a little more kiln information so that they understand what you are talking about!  You think you know it all but...  I don't think so.  

I've been doing some looking around on the internet and I found a lot of  basic kiln critiques, made by kiln owners,  that you didn't mention or even suggest.   This information could be helpful to lampworkers who are thinking about purchasing a kiln.  Hmmmm, I'm wondering what you are doing, Bear?  I guess it just proves that you can put lipstick on a dog, but you'll still get a dog!  

Below are some postings I've found that might be useful for lampworkers.  I'm still working on finding good information on fusing kilns.

"Check into the Skutt GM-10 with a bead door. I've had mine for about 5 years and still think it's great. It has enough flexibility to allow for you to take on new stuff as your glass addiction tackes hold and you want to expand your range."

"I love my Blue Bird.  I also have a jen-ken for fusing. I'd recommend either one!"

"I have the Skutt bead kiln and I love it. It's easy to program and it hasn't had any problems in the 7 years I've had it. I bought it for fusing because it works on 110 and I knew I'd dabble in lampwork (little did I know...). Because it's firebrick, I just turn it off after annealing, rather than ramping down when I make small beads."

"I want to purchase another kiln for bead making. I already have a Jen Ken and after 1 1/2 years I already need a new part. Thank goodness it is covered under warranty."

"If I could do it all over again or get a second kiln, I'd be all over the Glass Hive Wide Guy. I'd sell my Skutt to get it, but the hassle of the sale and shipping is a great deterrent."

"Why the Wide Guy, you ask? Because it's wide and the volume of beads that can be made/annealed at one time would be such a huge plus for me. My Skutt is a greatkiln, but the interior is small-ish for lampworking. Something I just didn't think about when I was researching kilns. My time gets sucked away so easily that when I have a chunk of torch time, I want to make the most of it. The Wide Guy would allow me that freedom to torch for so much longer and make the most of my time. Okay, I have to go look at the pictures of it again *Sigh*"

"Take a look at the Arrow Springs kilns. I have never had one have a failing part and I've been using mine since 1994 (or was it '95?) They are meticulously constructed by someone whose business is beadmakers and they care about what they sell to us."

"I am a Crowley kiln convert. I just love the tall double doors and ease of use."

"I would save up until you can get one with that is brick lined. I just learned how to fuse and also do PMC. I have a chili pepper and I can't use it to fuse or do PMC."

"Many that have an AIM 84BD are pleased with its versatility in being able to anneal beads or do small fusing/slumping projects."

"... for lampworking, I got the Paragon SC2 kiln with bead door and love it. I have a kiln shelf to do quick fuses of small things (trial pendants) and PMC - it can do enameling and small ceramics but I haven't gotten into that yet."

"I LOVE Paragon! I currently have the Bluebird and had the Caldera. They're both great kilns and the Caldera can do fusing and ceramics in addition to bead annealing."

"Digital controllers are expensive and there's more different value in makes of controllers than in makes of kilns. All kilns are basically the same - a brick box with big heating elements. Any difference in value would be in extra features provided - not in different makes. Personal preference between makes of kilns is like personal preference between Chev or Ford. The best kiln to buy is usually the one that costs the least or provides the features that provide the most benefits.

When selecting a kiln, you should pay attention to the size, the features, and the cost. Make is irrelevant. Make a list of what you want, then shop for the cheapestkiln that satisfies your wants.

Having a controller is valuable but not essential. If you're on a tight budget, you can start with a kiln using a pyrometer and add a controller later."