new AIM 84J help needed

Barbara Silverberg · Post by **Barbara Silverberg** » Sat Mar 06, 2004 10:37 am

I just received my new AIM84J and am anxious to get started. Directions seem a little sketchy. (I have been using a Paragon SC2 to fuse my dichro cabs which is digital). My questions are:

1. With the infinite controller with a dial to 1 - 10, how do you know the rate or degrees per hour (besides the pyrometer)

2. Any suggestions on how to "hold" at a particular setting (is there a number on the dial that works best or does temp keep climbing?)

3. Since it doesn't turn off, any suggestions on an easy or portable timer to use?

4. If anyone else uses this kiln, is there a firing schedule you might suggest that I start with?

5. I ordered the bracelet mold from one of the sponsors of the board, Future Forms, but there were no directions. Can anyone help me with the final/forming phase?

Barbara Silverberg

Stuart Clayman · Post by **Stuart Clayman** » Sat Mar 06, 2004 11:12 am

1) This infinate control does not work on a rate of degress per hr. It works on a percent of electricity sent to the coils. The higher the number the faster it gets hot. So, by setting it to 1 will not take you to 100Â° or up 100Â°/hr ect. It all depends where you are in the heat cycle ect.

2) Holding will be very hard with this control. There will be a break even point for each temp, but that obviously will change with each temp and the environment.

3) It will turn off when you set it to 0. With the infinate controller you will need to be there the whole time controlling it. You can't set it and forget it like Ronco or a digital controller.

This kiln is similar to the Hot box. I turn my Hot box to about halfway to start out and let the glass slowly get hot. Then after it gets to about 500 or so I crank it higher then when it gets to about 1000Â° I set to high and then watch what I it more frequently. If I am doing a slump and I want it to set down in a bowl I will go slower. If it is thicker than a few layers of thin I will slow it down. Then once it gets where I want it to go I slide the top off a little to let it cool and bring the temp down. Once the temp gets to about 1000Â° I make sure the top is on and I either turn it off to slowly go theu anneal or if it is thicker I set it on 1 or 2. Once it gets to about 600Â° I slide the top so that a corner or so is exposed and let it cool down. At 300Â° I move the top off more.

You will find that there are people that are more conservative than this and most that are less. The benefits of kilns like this is that since you are only doing small pieces you can crank it and then let it cool fast. But I like to be safe. Since most what I do in the Hot Box is samples or jewlery I want to keep them around for a while.

Good luck and enjoy the kiln.
Stuart

Barbara Silverberg · Post by **Barbara Silverberg** » Sat Mar 06, 2004 5:31 pm

Thank you. That's very helpful. Barbara