WarmGlass.com

Ok here is my situation, i have been playing around with glass for a few months, bought an old paragon ceramic kiln (side elements, top loading)very cheap, no controls except for the low, med, high knobs, and kiln sitter. I have sort of figured out how to time to get the end result I want (never sure what will come out with almost no control). I am looking to refurbish this old kiln, elements work great, just bought a new lid, and was wondering about controllers, I know almost nothing about temps or firings schedules for glass, have read about it but not had the means to try. I have found some info by searching this board, but would appreciate some expert opinions, so any suggestions? I would love to actually try this with some control. Thanks for any advice.

My suggestion would be to call and speak with Marty at Centre deVerre.

He's extremely knowledgable and nice to talk to. He'd be an excellent source of information for you.

He's a sponsor of this board and you'll find his link at the top of the page.

Hope this helps,
Heidi

I can speak from personal experience on this matter. I too bought a ceramic kiln in really good condition but it had the same set up as yours. I called Marty after shecking his site on the board and he set me up with a Orton controller. I have a life now. I can set the program and tend the kiln as much or as little as I want. The kiln does wonders with this set up. The only glitch was when I forgot to reset the kiln sitter switch and it tuned off the power to my kiln right in the middle of a firing. There was nothing I could do to get it to work again until the kiln cooled down and then I reset the timee and all was well. That is the first thing I do now. Good luck. Believe me when I say you will feel like you have died and gone to heaven to have such control of your firing process and to have great suppport from Marty. Ann Demko

i had the kiln sitter limit timer switch do that to me while firing at the art center where i teach sometimes. i wrapped a bolt with some wire,mashed the button in with the bolt, wound the wire around the kiln and did a few wraps to tighten. then i stood next to the kiln for the final 45 or so mins of firing. macguiver(sp)

This is uncanny...I just found this board and was about to ask about this same kind of kiln!

I just obtained an old, old ceramic kiln with the High, Med, Low knobs and kiln sitter. It's a Paragon A828...they don't even make them anymore

Ann and aly...can you tell me if you bought a pyrometer? I haven't worked in this kiln yet because I don't know how to tell the temp. I was going to buy a needle pyrometer that goes in a peephole. Do you have experience with those? Will that work?

Any advice would be appreciated.

Thanks...

Your set-up is exactly what I have on several kilns.... and I don't feel one bit limited by it. In fact, I still haven't purchased a controller because I seem to be able to do what I want without one. Most of my fused work is under 16 inches and under six layers and almost always painted. Often it is combined with metal in some way. Not to talk you out of visiting with Marty because he's a priceless resource.... just want to point out that you are not in any way handicapped right now. You simply need to learn to use the tools you have to best advantage. Those temperature switches and a few boxes of Orton cones will help you make masterpieces without the controller. On the other hand, if money is no object, get the controller. What the hey.

Let me echo what Dani says. In fact one of my kilns doesn't even have a kiln sitter on it...it's broken and I've just never gotten around to having it fixed because it interfered with moving shelves in and out easily. I would recommend buying a pyrometer.

If you set your kilns up to run when you're around and keep careful notes, you'll know pretty much how long it takes each kiln to do certain things. For instance I have one kiln dedicated to slumping bottles. I know to set a timer for 2 hr 10 minutes and they're done. Don't even need to open the kiln any more as long as the settings haven't been touched.

While your kilns are running, you can be doing layup for the next day's firings.

One note of caution...I would never ever leave any kiln running unattended either with a kiln sitter or an automatic controller. If things fail (and they do) you want to be there to turn it off manually.

I believe that some of the noted artists on this board don't use controllers either.

C.

I've been cookin' without a controller for a year now, in a 25 year old Skutt. I chose to go that way dispite discouragement from others who said "you can't do glass without a computer." I said "the egyptians did."
I have a needle pyrometer I put in the peepholes. I use an egg timer--how high tech is that? I bought cones but don't use them, because I have to control the temp going down. I went to a kiln class, but they didn't have a clue what to tell me.
The advantage to me was I was able to afford a much larger kiln and do 12 inch plates and tall drops, or three shelves of fuses at a time. And I think I learned more about what glass does--just like using a manual camera instead of an automatic.
And flying by the seat of your pants can be fun.
However I find now that I am jealous everytime someone says "set it to ramp at this dpi to this temp, then hold 10 minutes, then ramp to..." I am thinking about getting a controller. I think about it A LOT when I am annealing. I have to shotgun everything, and fiddle with the dials continuously, and check the temp in all three peeps (I said it was TALL. It is also drafty.) My family fears the words "I'm ANNEALING!" It means don't even think of bothering me for at least an hour.
So I"M ready for a controller. Used. Cheap. Waiting for some glasser to die, I guess....

Yep.... pyrometer and egg timer... you are a person after my own heart! AND my most valuable tool now..... a notebook of every firing that I refer to time and time again. If you have glass and a kiln that melts it, you have art! Or at least you have the opportunity to make art. Don't forget the notebook and keep meticulous notes.

Well, now I'm excited...I have an egg timer and plan to go pick up a pyrometer tomorrow! I'll be all set to start playing tomorrow

no connection to this seller, but they've got a bunch of these available:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vi ... :B:SS:MT:1

selling pretty cheap

I am in awe of everyone who fuses without the aid of a controller. I'm sure they are more in touch with their glass than I will ever be. I went with a contoller because I work full time, and part time in another business and firing experimental time is very limited. It also gives me the confidence to get grocery shopping done, laundry done and other chores that would limit my time attending the kiln at various times. I can set an alarm for a certain temp to warn me I maybe should be peeking in to check the effect I want to get to. I do this and then I'm off again to get dinner cooked or cut more glass or tend to the familys needs. Ann