More kiln issues! Temperature spikes and drops grrrrr!

Jammy · #1 2008-09-13, 8:43pm

Does anyone on here have this kiln -- a Jen Ken GS bead annealer --- and if you do have it, can you tell me what number you set your knob on so that it will stay at around 960 - 970 degrees F? I have been fiddling around with this thing all day. But I can't pinpoint a number to keep it on. For example, I THOUGHT it would be ok to set the knob on 2.5, because it stayed at that temp for a long while.........THEN all of a sudden the temperature dropped. I played around with different settings and the temp will either spike up after a certain several minutes, or drop down. I don't have a manual which tells me which number to set my knob at to bring it up to a certain temperature.
Well, I don't have a digital controller. That's why I'm having so many issues.
Is it ok to anneal your beads at around 1000-1200 degrees? Does it HAVE to be at 960? Thanks!

squid · #2 2008-09-13, 10:02pm

1200 is WAY to high - 100 will works for most glasses, but not all - and for some, like the silver striking glasses, it will overstrike your glass.

Dennis Brady · #3 2008-09-14, 10:22am

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jammy

Does anyone on here have this kiln -- a Jen Ken GS bead annealer --- and if you do have it, can you tell me what number you set your knob on so that it will stay at around 960 - 970 degrees F? I have been fiddling around with this thing all day. But I can't pinpoint a number to keep it on. For example, I THOUGHT it would be ok to set the knob on 2.5, because it stayed at that temp for a long while.........THEN all of a sudden the temperature dropped. I played around with different settings and the temp will either spike up after a certain several minutes, or drop down. I don't have a manual which tells me which number to set my knob at to bring it up to a certain temperature.
Well, I don't have a digital controller. That's why I'm having so many issues.
Is it ok to anneal your beads at around 1000-1200 degrees? Does it HAVE to be at 960? Thanks!

Without a controller, the only way you can maintain a set temperature is by staying with the kiln, watching the temperature reading, and adjusting the controls as needed to maintain that temperature. The irritating nuisance of having to do that is why people buy controllers.

It is extremely important to hold the temperature as evenly as possible to adequately anneal glass.

Jammy · #4 2008-09-14, 9:31pm

Thanks Dennis. If the temp fluctuates by a few degrees during the time when I can't be there, is it alright? I mean, I annealed a few junk beads last night, just to test out my kiln. I went outside in my garden for about 35minutes. When I came back, the kiln had gone all the way up to about 1400 degrees! I will still trying to find the correct setting. But somehow, the beads which are moretti glass and very small, survived. So since I am clueless really.........Since the beads survived that ordeal and didn't get melted or get any cracks.....are they still ok? I mean providing I ramped the temp down appropriately?

Oh, and one more question........if the meter says that it's on around 950 degrees, and I sit there and babysit the kiln for about 30 minutes letting the beads soak for half an hour will that work?

Dennis Brady · #5 2008-09-14, 11:03pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jammy

Thanks Dennis. If the temp fluctuates by a few degrees during the time when I can't be there, is it alright? I mean, I annealed a few junk beads last night, just to test out my kiln. I went outside in my garden for about 35minutes. When I came back, the kiln had gone all the way up to about 1400 degrees! I will still trying to find the correct setting. But somehow, the beads which are moretti glass and very small, survived. So since I am clueless really.........Since the beads survived that ordeal and didn't get melted or get any cracks.....are they still ok? I mean providing I ramped the temp down appropriately?

Oh, and one more question........if the meter says that it's on around 950 degrees, and I sit there and babysit the kiln for about 30 minutes letting the beads soak for half an hour will that work?

I don't know of any research done to analyze what happens when the annealing soak drifts too far off the optimum, but I KNOW that if the temp goes up to 1400 it erases any benefit from the anneal soak and would require starting the anneal soak from scratch. If you can't control the temp to hold at the anneal temp, I think it's better to let it drop then rise. I suggest in future you try to stay with the kiln during the anneal.

smutboy420 · #6 2008-10-10, 6:31am

Ah adjusting the temp using a knob can be so frustrating and hard to even find the sweet spot on the dial. You can finely figure out were is a good place to keep the knob for a certain temp range and winter will come and makes the shop colder and thus mess up were the knob needs to be to keep it at one temp. then once you get it right again summer comes and messes it up again.
Even the amount of stuff in the kiln can change were the knob needs to be to get the right temp and hold it there.

Even a simple single set point controller will make life a lot easier.

GLASSFREEK · #7 2008-10-10, 9:22am

infinit switchs are hard to dial in,there is no set # for any temp, thats why its not in your book.
And once you find a # that holds at 950,they can bounce 50 -75.
The best way to figure one out is to put it on high ( DONT LEAVE ) when it hits 1000 bump it down to #3 watch it and ajust from there.
its take a brick kiln about a 1/2 hour for the brick to become stable and hold a temp also.

Mike