Kiln Tips and Terms

[GLASSFREEK]

These are some basic kiln terms and maintenance pointers for kiln owners. They are primarily with our kilns in mind, but a lot of the information applies to any kiln.

Kiln Terms:

Annealer: another term for kiln.

Set Point Temperature: The temperature your kiln comes up to when you turn it on. Our kilns use this feature. You don't have to tell the kiln how long you plan to work, it just holds here indefinitely until you run a program.

Garage Temp: as David said is the temp in the kiln while you are working. The kiln can be referred to as a garage as well.

Anneal Cycle: The process of holding the glass at the correct temperature above the stress point until the molecules create a strong bond, and then slowly cooling to room temperature. This provides the finished glass work full strength.

Stress Point: The temperature where glass is at its most vulnerable when cooling. This point must be slowly passed through to avoid internal stress in the finished glass work.

Thermocouple: The ceramic covered wire that is inside the kiln. It is reading the temperature and sending the information to the controller.

Digital Controller: The computer on the side of the kiln that "controls" the heating elements. It will run the anneal cycle for you and turn off the kilns elements when finished.

Infinite Switch: A manually operated temperature controller that holds at a set point you dial in. You must dial it up and down yourself, it will not run an anneal cycle. You must baby-sit this type of controller through the anneal cycle and turn it off when finished.

Mandrel Shelf, Pre Heat Shelf, or Mandrel Tray: the fiberboard lined tray on the front of the kiln that holds preheating rods, or mandrels as beads are put in the kiln.

Mandrel Gap: The gap under the door that allows mandrels to stick out of the kiln. This gives you a cool place to move your mandrels around in the kiln, or allows you to remove a bead and keep working on it.

Punti Door: A small door that can be opened without opening the actual kiln door. This can be used for Garaging sculptures while you work on another component, or to preheat large rods that do not fit in the mandrel gap.

Kiln Basics:

Read all manufacture instructions on setup and operation. Check with them if anything looks odd, or you are unsure of the equipments operation.

Inspect your kiln upon arrival. Be sure bricks, fiber blanket, and fiber board are in good shape.

Be sure your thermocouple is fully inserted in your kiln, and not covered by anything, such as the fiber blanket

Keep your kiln on a nonflammable surface, such as tile, cinder block, or a metal sheet.

Give your kiln it's own electrical circuit. Dimming lights when the kiln elements turn on and off is a sign of an overloaded circuit or under supplied amperage. Refer to your manual or manufacturers website for amperage requirements of your equipment.

Do not poke your element with a mandrel or any other metal object. You will get a shock. This is why our elements are in the ceiling, designed so this is less of a factor than when your element is in the sides of the kiln.

Keep the bottom of the kiln free of bead release and other foreign materials. You can vacuum the brick and shake out the fiber blanket. Keep in mind that bricks produce fine particles as does a fiber blankets. Any fine particles pose a health risk and inhalation should be avoided. Use a respirator or dust mask when dealing with particulates.

Never keep anything on the controller portion of your kiln. This area needs to breath and stay cool, blocking the grill on top will reduce the airflow.

Never place liquids, or anything that burns or melts on your kiln. It is not a coffee warmer, or a place for your wooden mandrel block. Metal, glass or graphite is OK to preheat there. I like to keep my graphite marble mold warm.

Never put graphite, metal other than stainless steel or flammable materials in the kiln. PMC is OK.

Once you have started your anneal cycle it is best to leave the doors closed and avoid peeking at the work. You can look after the cycle without interrupting the cooling process.

I'll be adding more terms and tips as I think of them, feel free to suggest anything I have forgotten to mention.

Pam & Mike

[Gham]

Pam and Mike,
Thanks so much for this "kiln basics" thread. It will be so very helpful to all the newbie kiln owners.

[Dale M.]

Originally Posted by GLASSFREEK

Never place liquids, or anything that burns on your kiln. It is not a coffee warmer, or a place for your wooden mandrel block. Metal, glass or graphite is OK to preheat there. I like to keep my graphite marble mold warm.

This includes candles, as someone found out recently.....

Dale

[Seasoned Soul]

I'm soaking up anything anyone wants to add about starting to use a Kiln. I'm, as Gham coined, Kiln Clueless. I don't really even know where to begin. UGH!!!

Thanks for the basics... it helped.