Today is my BDay, and DH bought me a kiln!

[JenniferP]

WooHoo! OKOK...I knew I was getting it, but he wouldn't let me open it up until today!

It's a JenKen with bead flip door and orton digital controller.

I need to visualize this whole process when torching. What is your process?

When you start you turn it on, and it starts ramping up for the first segment to what degrees? 940 or 970 degrees? for how many hours?

how long is your second segment and to what degrees?

and then for the 3rd segment do you cool to 400, for how long, and then it turns off and cools off by itself?

Any help and kiln advice would be appreciated! THanks!!!!

[Carolyn M]

Congratulations Jennifer, what a great gift. Everyone has variations on their annealing program, here is what I do for the majority of my soft glass
Heat up to 960, this is the temp I anneal at and it stays at this temp the whole 6-7 hours I make beads (it's programmed for 8 hours at this temp, I just skip step if I want it to start ramping down sooner). After the beads have sat at this temp for at least an hour, it's a slow cool to 800, and sit at this temp for 1 hour. Then a cool down to room temp, the kiln switches off for this I think, and it usually takes 5-6 hours.

Hope this helps.

[JenniferP]

Thank you Carolyn. This gives me an idea.

How long does it take to get up to 960 degrees? So you just leave it at this temperature (960) until you are finished making beads, in which case you have it programmed for 6-7 hours to stay at this temperature before it starts to ramp down.

And then it's at least another hour at this temp before it cools to 800 for another hour, then it shuts off?

which makes it cool down to room temp?

am I understanding this right?

Thanks very much!