Looking for full fuse program for 20-inch octagon

[d@deeniepacik.net]

Hi,
How're you all doing? Through a series of happy coincidences, I am now the proud owner of a new-to-me Skutt Electric Kiln (Model 1027-240) (for ceramics). The electrician installed the plug, I bought and set up the 20-inch octagon-shaped shelf and the pyrometer, fired the kiln wash at 500 degrees for 10 minutes, and now I am stuck. I've looked and can't seem to find a full fuse program for a 20-inch octagon piece (a similar program for a circle would - of course - be fantastic). My fused glass book goes up to 16 inches. I just emailed Spectrum 96, but I'm in a bit of a hurry because I have a show at the end of the month, so I'd like to get these pieces done sooner rather than later (like, start firing tonight, if possible). I've been working in glass for 17 years, and I regularly fire an Evenheat kiln with a controller and an 11-inch shelf. So, here's the rub. Besides needing a program, I decided not to buy the $500-600 controller because a.) I don't have the cash and b.) I will probably just buy a glass kiln with a controller at some point and would rather wait, since it'll cost about $550 extra anyway to put a large kiln in my studio, since the wiring is expensive (the electrician said that it is the same wiring used for hooking up stoves, and my studio is in my garage, so it is a bit of a distance from the electrical box in the basement).
Anyway, I thought I'd get the whole story out in case I am missing anything. I've done a little research, it looks like I just need to soak the glass a little longer at the end of each ramp to make sure that the side-firing elements are heating uniformly. But... I've fired a manual kiln before (for years) and I know what a pain it is... so, the short question is: anyone have a full-fuse program for a 20-inch octagon 2 - 2 1/2 layers thick (6 mm - 7.5 mm after fired).
And - in case there is hope - the long question is: ... anyone have that program and also the "High" "Medium" "Low" "Off" recommendations to make manual firing easier?
Thanks for any help with this, sorry for such a long-winded posting.
Hope you are all doing well,
Deenie


Deenie Pacik Giuliano, MFA
25 Hartford Place
Warwick, RI 02888
401-919-5969
d@deeniepacik.net
www.deeniepacik.net

[Stephen Richard]

I will try to help

Hi,
How're you all doing? Through a series of happy coincidences, I am now the proud owner of a new-to-me Skutt Electric Kiln (Model 1027-240) (for ceramics). The electrician installed the plug, I bought and set up the 20-inch octagon-shaped shelf and the pyrometer, fired the kiln wash at 500 degrees for 10 minutes, and now I am stuck. I've looked and can't seem to find a full fuse program for a 20-inch octagon piece (a similar program for a circle would - of course - be fantastic). My fused glass book goes up to 16 inches. I just emailed Spectrum 96, but I'm in a bit of a hurry because I have a show at the end of the month, so I'd like to get these pieces done sooner rather than later (like, start firing tonight, if possible).
First, you will be unsuccessful if you expect to fire a piece that is very close to the side walls of the kiln, especially in a side fired kiln. In any case, you probably will need to place baffles to shield the edges of the glass to keep them from heating up first.
There is no reason that the schedule from Spectrum for the 16 inch piece would not work for 20inches, if you slow the rate of advance to 50%-75% of the published schedule. It is not so much the diameter of the piece as the thickness and the placement of elements in the kiln.

I've been working in glass for 17 years, and I regularly fire an Evenheat kiln with a controller and an 11-inch shelf. So, here's the rub. Besides needing a program, I decided not to buy the $500-600 controller because a.) I don't have the cash and b.) I will probably just buy a glass kiln with a controller at some point and would rather wait, since it'll cost about $550 extra anyway to put a large kiln in my studio, since the wiring is expensive (the electrician said that it is the same wiring used for hooking up stoves, and my studio is in my garage, so it is a bit of a distance from the electrical box in the basement).
Anyway, I thought I'd get the whole story out in case I am missing anything. I've done a little research, it looks like I just need to soak the glass a little longer at the end of each ramp to make sure that the side-firing elements are heating uniformly. But... I've fired a manual kiln before (for years) and I know what a pain it is... so, the short question is: anyone have a full-fuse program for a 20-inch octagon 2 - 2 1/2 layers thick (6 mm - 7.5 mm after fired).
And - in case there is hope - the long question is: ... anyone have that program and also the "High" "Medium" "Low" "Off" recommendations to make manual firing easier?

My experience with a kiln that did not have a controller (my first) was that it takes a lot of experience to set the temperature "volume" correctly, and that it varies with the temperature achieved. And that was with a rheostat that varied from 1-10 rather than 1-3. It depends entirely on your kiln as to what the settings will do on the way up and (differently) on the way down. There is no alternative (TINA) to babysitting the kiln during this firing. That is why I quickly (6 months) got a controller for the kiln - the time saved was more than worth it.
Thanks for any help with this, sorry for such a long-winded posting.
Hope you are all doing well,
Deenie


Deenie Pacik Giuliano, MFA
25 Hartford Place
Warwick, RI 02888
401-919-5969
d@deeniepacik.net
http://www.deeniepacik.net

[Judd]

Hi,
Besides needing a program, I decided not to buy the $500-600 controller because...

Kiss of death.
Well, you still got the Evenheat? Use it to finance a controller.

[d@deeniepacik.net]

Stephen, Judd,
Thanks for your ideas. They're helpful. I guess I'll get started as is, since the deadline is approaching quickly, and look into the controller on the fly over the next week. Bert Weiss recommended a controller that costs less, which sounded good. Thanks, Stephen, especially, for the point about the baffles on the sides.
Deenie

[Morganica]

OK--just use the pyrometer and go by temps, not by the analog dial. My first home kiln was the same way. All it really means is that you're the controller. If you're unfamiliar with the kiln's firing characteristics you'll need to check the pryo every 10 minutes to make sure it's on schedule. You want to adjust delicately--your goal is to keep the temp plus or minus 5 degrees of the desired temperature. For my kiln, the ramp rate was determined by how far the dial traveled from the last setting: OFF to HIGH was a fast ramp; OFF and then a few degrees around was a slow ramp (mine was more of an infinite switch even though it had high/medium/low settings).

If your pyro doesn't include a data logger, take very careful notes showing the time checked, the dial position, and the pyro reading every time you check the kiln. After a few firings you can plot time against temperature in a graph, and start getting a good sense of how your kiln ramps up and down. Once I got that far, I built a spreadsheet that calculated the schedule for me--when the kiln would be at X and what point on the dial to set. I used that to figure out checkpoints (so I didn't have to stay with the daggone kiln every bloody second), and then just set an alarm clock to let me know to check the kiln.

Even then, when the kiln gets within 50 degrees of your top temp, you'll want to sit with it and watch. It's just too easy to overshoot.

The problem with this method is there's no "set-and-forget" possible, so doing thicker pieces means you're going to be minus on sleep for a couple of days. I tried it for six months or so, then gave up and got a controller.

The 1027-240 is a deep firebrick kiln--where are you placing the shelf in relation to the depth?

[d@deeniepacik.net]

Cynthia,
Thanks for the message. I did fire it, it went pretty well. Uh, except that I was up all night, but that shouldn't have to happen again, as I was taking copious notes. I've fired a manual kiln, but your reminders were quite helpful since it has been a while, especially about watching it within 50 degrees. I am interested in your idea of plotting on a graph and will probably give it a try sometime.
I'll probably give up soon enough and get a controller. Oh, and I am just using the middle slice of the Skutt kiln. I took the top off the hinges and pick it up and put it down on the top of the kiln. It all seems to be working fine, the piece came out well, so I am glad about that.
Anyway, hope everything is going well for you, thanks, again,
Deenie