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Paragon Ceramic Fiber Jewelry Kiln Instruction & Service Manual

1. 4 before firing the kiln Vacuum the Kiln Use a soft brush nozzle on a vacuum cleaner to remove dust from inside the kiln before firing glass enameling or ceramic glaze Cleaning is not necessary when firing silver or gold clay Keep the nozzle at least 2 away from the thermocouple and the controller Static electricity from the vacuum cleaner can damage the controller Removing Hot Ware To remove hot ware from the kiln turn off the kiln by pressing the switch on the front Carefully slide an enam eling fork or a long handled spatula under the shelf Place the hot shelf on a large ceramic tile or ceramic kiln shelf in front of the kiln Wear heat resistant gloves and safety glasses Caution Remember that heat may transfer through the ceramic tile to the surface under neath Firing Log Book Record the following information ina firing log book E Date E Firing temperature speed and hold or the Ramp Hold program E Starting time E Total firing time E Type of pieces E Firing results As you gain experience you will find a wealth of infor mation in your firing logs Keeping records will give you a feel for how your kiln fires and will enable you to dupli cate the best results Low Temperature Holds A low temperature hold i e 200 300 F is more dif ficult to maintain than higher temperature holds 1400 1700 F At low temperatures turning on the heating ele ment aff
2. The haik brush is used to apply glass separator to the kiln shelf ina smooth thin layer The smoother the glass separator the smoother the underside of the glass Ceramic Fiber Blanket Delicate silver or gold clay shapes may need extra sup port during firing to prevent warping Place these shapes on a piece of ceramic fiber blanket Stilts Stilts are high temperature wire points embedded in a ceramic base The points separate enameling and glazed ceramics from the shelf The wire mesh above is referred to as an enameling rack An enameling fork lifts the rack out of the kiln A stilt separates the piece from the rack Enameling Rack and Fork Enameling is the art of firing glass onto metal The metal F shapes are loaded onto a high temperature wire rack The enameled pieces and wire rack are loaded into a hot kiln fired for just a few minutes and re moved red hot To load and unload the racks safely use an enameling fork or long handled spatula and a heat re sistant glove The heating element under power is dangerous Do not touch the element with anything Turn the kiln switch off before inserting an enameling fork into the fir ing chamber Pyrolite Fiber doggone Filler This is a perma nent high tempera ture refractory cement used to repair holes or cracks in the ceramic fiber firing chamber Two Types of Safety Glasses Wear clear safety glasses whe
3. move all the contaminant Otherwise it will melt and embed deeper into the firing chamber the next time you fire the kiln Caution Keep the vacuum cleaner nozzle at least 2 away from the thermocouple and the control ler This is to avoid damage to the controller from static electricity 4 Squeeze Pyrolite into the gouge Smooth the Pyrolite with a small putty knife 5 Allow to dry completely before firing the kiln Cleaning or Replacing the Glass View Port To remove the window 1 Place the kiln on its back 2 Remove the screws holding the glass cover 3 Remove the glass Clean with glass cleaner To remove scratches take the glass to an eye glass polisher 1 Unplug the kiln 2 Remove the 4 screws holding the controller to the front of the kiln Carefully remove the controller 3 Remove the two thermocouple wires a red anda yellow from the back of the controller They are held in place by button connectors Press down on the button connectors and pull the wires out 5 The thermocouple is located in the back of the firing chamber held in place by a metal band Remove the thermocouple from the kiln Removing the thermocouple 6 Bend the new ther g mocouple between porcelain insula tors The thermo couple end should be two insulators long after bending The band must se
4. 19 Firing Mistakes Silver Clay Cracks Bumps Cracks and bumps that appear in fired silver clay may be due to too much water in the silver clay before it was fired Dry the clay thoroughly Another cause of cracks is careless handling of a dried unfired piece To repair fill the crack with silver clay and fire again Use a slower firing rate especially if the pieces are hol low Dry the cork clay completely before firing Core materials such as cork clay need venting Other wise the core can overheat at higher temperatures and damage the piece Leave the vent plug out at the begin ning After a 1 hour hold at 800 F 430 C insert the vent plug Brittle Silver clay will not reach full strength if underfired You may be able to save the piece by firing again to the correct temperature and hold Try firing the kiln 25 F 14 C hotter or lengthening the hold time Too Much Shrinkage When silver clay is overfired it shrinks too much and loses detail If the kiln is firing hotter than the tempera ture programmed check the position of the thermocou ple see Temperature is Inaccurate page 21 Replace the thermocouple if it is old Glass Glass Cracking Probable Causes E Heating the kiln too fast E Cooling the kiln too fast E Fusing incompatible glass E Not enough glass separator on the Me ES pr shelf se Bee ee LEY ee a Most problems in M 7 LS fusing are caused by gt a Sug tw x rushin
5. F 371 C Cool slowly through this annealing range Leaving the door closed will slow the cooling enough for most projects If you need even slower cooling program a separate seg ment for cooling See the kiln s digital controller manual Note For safest cooling leave the ware inside the kiln until the kiln reaches room temperature If you remove the ware too soon the sudden tem perature change can crack the piece To remove small pieces such as glass jewelry before they have cooled com pletely remove the shelf also Leave the pieces on the shelf until they reach room temperature The heat in the shelf will help pre vent them from cooling too quickly Caution Before removing a shelf turn off power to the kiln Shown is a hair barrette glass sagging mold Sag the glass over the mold and glue the glass to the barrette Sagging molds are also available for glass bracelets Annealing Flame Worked Glass Beads Glass is sensitive to breakage as it cools through the annealing range This is approximately 950 F 510 C through 700 F 371 C The larger the piece the slower it must cool To safely cool flame worked glass beads anneal them in your kiln using the bead door If you are interrupted while making a bead you can place the mandrel in the kiln until you are ready to resume working Programming the Kiln Program the controller in Ramp Hold for the follow ing two segments See the separa
6. Lost Wax Burnout 19 Firing Mistakes 20 Silver Clay Glass 0 20 Ceramic Overglaze 21 Kiln Maintenance 21 Please visit www paragonweb com for videos on maintaining your kiln Circuit Breaker Trips 21 Temperature is Inaccurate 21 Temperature is Uneven 21 Changing the Door 22 Door Latch Spring Adjustment 22 Adjusting a Door That Won t Stay Shut 22 Ceramic Fiber Repair 23 Cleaning or Replacing the Glass Viewing Port 24 Replacing the Thermocouple 24 Replacing a Relay or Transformer 25 Replacing the Temperature Controller 26 Testing the Heating Element 26 Repairing an Element Connector 27 Safety The warranty on your Paragon kiln does not cover damage from overfiring regardless of the circumstances It is the operator s responsibility to make sure the kiln turns off at the proper time The Ceramic Fiber Avoid touching the firing chamber surface with sharp or pointed objects They can damage the fiber surface Touching the embedded heating element with sharp or pointed objects is a shock hazard Read the Manual Read each page of this manual in detail before operating your kiln Warranty does not cover damage caused by failure to follow instructions Food or Drink Surfaces Some decorative materials may be unsafe and toxic when used f
7. Trips M If the circuit breaker trips after the kiln has fired for awhile make sure no other ap pliances are oper ating on the same circuit as the kiln E f the circuit breaker trips im mediately after the kiln is turned on the kiln may have a short circuit Unplug the kiln Remove the bottom cover and look for a loose wire touching the case ZZIIII I O TA Temperature is Inaccurate H Do not allow a shelf eu EEE to touch the thermo couple This will cause an inaccurate temperature read ing A shelf should be at least 1 2 from the E Make sure the thermocouple is pushed 1 2 4 into the firing chamber thermocouple E Ifthe thermocouple is pushed into the firing chamber and the temperature is inaccurate replace the ther mocouple Temperature is Uneven E Make sure the shelves are not too close to the walls of the kiln Otherwise the embedded heating element could overfire ware placed on the edge of the shelf This is because the heating element is in the sides and back of the kiln E Fire at a slower rate This will give the temperature more time to become even E Is the door opening during firing If so see Adjusting a Door That Won t Stay Shut page 23 E Raise or lower the shelf 21 E After the venting period remember to insert the vent plug That may improve temperature uniformity E The area just inside the optional bead door and view port is slight
8. in copper and enamel after the enamel has been fired Counter or backing enamel a mixture that gives a mottled effect can be used for counter enameling Oryou can use regular enamel Counter enamel is applied by the sifting method described below OOOO RE COS VA AG A NX xX KNIN AA Af A A 4 4 g 4 A ASE NY g CX SEs EES Sees YLyvey 6 RE SS LCAAAAAAAS AAS Z A V4 KYRA KNININ NIAN IAEN VWR AAAS KOS r 4 yA XY AA 4 Ss AY X WE YN A A KH MERE A WAZ AZ Nara A AA AJ Wa Xx x IA When firing counter enamel underfire it so that the fire scale on the front of the piece isn t too difficult to re move You can purchase a masking preparation from your supplier to help prevent fire scale You must place the piece on a stilt when firing the other front side of the piece The stilt prevents the back of the counter enam eled piece from sticking to the enameling rack Applying Enamels Apply enamel over a clean sheet of paper so you can pour the excess back into the bottle for reuse Transpar ent enamels should be applied in several thin coats Transparent enamels can be mixed with fairly good re sults If opaque enamels are mixed however a grainy ef fect results The two basic methods of applying enamels are sifting and spatula Sifting Enamel Spray or brush Thompson holding agent onto the cop per Then sift a 1 32 layer of enamel on
9. is completely dry before firing If you have applied fresh glass separator leave the shelf in the kiln at 300 F 148 C for 20 minutes before placing glass on it One way to eliminate bubbles is to hold the tempera ture at 100 F 55 C below fusing temperature for 15 min utes This gives the shelf time to heat up to match the temperature of the glass Glass Devitrification Frosty Surface Probable Causes E Impurities in glass E Kiln not vented long enough during initial heating Devitrification is a frosty surface on the glass caused by impurities With some glasses it is unavoidable To lessen devitrification vent the door of the kiln slightly af ter fusing is completed Close the door when the glass reaches 1000 F 537 C Glass Separator Sticks To Glass Probable Causes E Firing too hot E Overglaze on the back of the piece Instead of firing to a full fuse temperature try firing 50 F 28 C cooler and holding at that temperature for sev eral minutes Ceramic Overglaze Breaking in Overglaze Firing Can be caused by poorly fired bisque A slow bisque fire is always better for ware that is to be china painted The greenware should be completely dry before being placed in the kiln Purple Spots in Gold Usually due to a thin application of gold or too much thinner If gold is applied accidentally to an area it will show purple after being fired unless cleaned with a good gold remover Broken Lines in Gold Can
10. kiln on its back with the door facing up Place a thin sheet of foam cushioning between the door and the firing chamber to prevent rubbing Avoid subjecting the kiln to excessive vibration during travel Basic Operation Accessories Ceramic Fiber Shelves The soft ceramic fi ber shelf which comes standard with the kiln cradles gold and silver clay pieces These shelves are not suitable for firing glass or ce ramics Ceramic Fireclay Shelves amp Posts Ceramic fireclay shelves available from Paragon are hard ce ramic surfaces on which to fire ceramics and glass Firing glass enameling and ce ramic glazes directly on the firing chamber bottom would ruin the bottom Shelves can be stacked using posts Glass Separator amp Kiln Wash Glass separator and kiln wash are mixtures of finely ground miner als that will not melt and fuse together at high temperatures They prevent glass and ce ramic glaze from stick ing to fireclay shelves The main difference between glass separator and kiln wash is that the separator is ground more finely to leave a smooth back to glass pieces laid on the shelf As powders glass separator and kiln wash have an un limited shelf life Do not breathe the powder when mix ing Caution If glass separator or kiln wash contact a heating element that element will burn out in the next firing NEVER apply glass separator or kiln wash to the ceramic fiber firing chamber Haik Brush
11. sandpaper rotary drill using 3M radial bristle discs magnetic burnishers or just good old fash ioned elbow grease Most people think that Liver of Sulphur gives silver an old black effect Wrong When used correctly you can get the color and effect you want gold amber magenta blue and then black Most colored pieces are made with Liver of Sulphur or enameling Can I fire the clay with sterling silver findings The new low fire clays 650 for Art Clay Silver and PMC3 for PMC mix well with sterling silver I have had only one case where they were incompatible I now always test sterling silver findings or sterling silver wire with a little metal clay on it in the kiln first If there is no reaction I continue with the project If a piece breaks after firing can it be soldered Yes However Art Clay Silver has a product called Oil Paste that works with pieces that have been fired and bur nished It is like soldering in the kiln and it is easy I have read that gemstones can be fired directly into the clay Can I fire my diamond in it Most CZs can be fired into your projects I have seen several failures with stones that were supposedly tested for the heat required for the metal clays One beautiful di amond like CZ became cloudy and had an opal appear ance very attractive and fortunately it worked with the design but a failure nevertheless 12 One CZ lost all of its facets and became a rounded piece of glass Thi
12. to get better air circulation However the posts are not essential We rec ommend the posts but if you don t have them it is still okay to fire the kiln with the shelf directly on the firing chamber bottom You can fire two or more ceramic fireclay shelves in a Paragon jewelry kiln Support the bottom shelf on three 1 2 posts Separate the shelves with taller posts The length of the posts and the number of shelves you can fire depends on the size of the kiln When you load multiple shelves fire at a slower rate This aids heat distribution Make sure the shelves are not too close to the walls of the kiln Otherwise the embedded heating element could overfire the ware placed near the edge of the shelf Also do not allow a shelf to touch the thermocouple This will cause an inaccurate temperature reading A shelf should be at least 2 from the thermocouple Venting the Kiln Some types of firings such as ceramics or lost wax casting produce fumes that must be vented from the kiln Silver and gold clay need no venting unless you are firing them with a material that burns out to produce a hollow shape or you are combining them with other ma terials such as glass Tovent the kiln remove the top vent plug at the begin ning of the firing Do this outside or in a room that has good ventilation When the venting is completed insert the vent plug to conserve energy for the rest of the firing Venting will be explained in
13. with silver clay in a single firing Note how ever that different types of glass fire to different tempera tures Every time you fire a different type of glass be sure to test Frequently Asked Silver Clay Questions By Sallie Bly What is the difference between PMC and Art Clay Silver Both companies manufacture metal clay They are like Pepsi and Coke similar but slightly different Both companies have clay syringes paste and paper both have high fire and low fire products However they each have unique products that the other does not have If you learn to use one company s clay you will be able to work with other company s clay When you fire refer to the Art Clay Silver firing guide for Art Clay Silver and the PMC firing guide for PMC How many coats does it take to coat a leaf and why does the leaf curl when I am painting it This is one of the hardest questions to answer without being in a classroom It depends on the size of the leaf the structure of the leaf s vein the end use of the fired leaf and how thick your paste is Your first few coats are vital to your project The paste should be air dried for the first coats because if the leaf dries out before you get enough paste on it to weigh it down the leaf will curl Even when air drying don t let too much time pass before adding the next coat or again your leaf will curl 11 What happens to the leaf and other combustible objects in the kiln
14. you may need to position the shelf further back inside the kiln away from the door Caution NEVER use a glazed bowl to hold alu mina hydrate or vermiculite If the glaze runs it can embed into the firing chamber Types of shelves and containers Fiber Shelf The ceramic fiber shelf is used to support silver and gold clay Place 1 2 posts under the shelf for more uni form heat The ceramic fiber shelf contains binders that burn out during the first firing Do not be concerned if the shelf becomes discolored It will turn white again af ter the kiln reaches about 1000 F 537 C Note Fire only silver or gold clay on the fiber shelf never ceramics enameling or glass Do not coat the fiber shelf with glass separator or kiln wash Fireclay Shelf Ceramic fireclay shelves available from Paragon protect the fir ing chamber bottom and provide a smooth sur face Use a ceramic shelf to fire ceramics glass and enameling Support delicate silver clay pieces by pouring a mound of vermiculite or alumina hydrate onto the fireclay shelf Flat clay silver can be fired directly on the shelf without further support 7 Insulating Firebrick Piece Insulating firebricks are porous light weight and can be shaped to support delicate silver clay de signs Carve the fire brick with a knife or hacksaw You can also fill the recessed area of the brick with vermicu lite or alumina hydrate Vermiculite is avai
15. 0 120 minutes of firing Tables by courtesy of the Ed ward Orton Jr Ceramic Foundation Lost Wax Burnout Caution Only kilns with vent holes are designed for lost wax burnout However you can use a kiln without the vent hole provided that you open the door 2 during venting Caution Always use a wax tray Caution If your kiln s heating element is embed ded in the floor of the firing chamber place the metal wax tray on 3 or 4 2 posts inside the kiln This prevents the element from possibly short ing out against the tray Note These instructions apply to injection wax that melts at 200 F 93 C not pattern waxes and plastics that melt at higher temperatures If smoke appears during wax elimination turn off the kiln Smoking wax means the kiln fired hotter than 300 148 C Overview Lost wax casting is the process of carving a shape in wax and then casting that shape in metal After the wax has been carved a mold is made of the wax shape The mold is a negative image of the wax The wax is later melted out of the mold through hollow channels called sprues Lost wax burnout is the process of preparing a casting mold for the melted metal that will be poured into it The steps in lost wax burnout 1 Melt the wax from the mold 2 Remove wax from the kiln before raising the tem perature higher than 300 F 148 C 3 Harden the mold at high temperature 4 Maintain the mold at the casting temperatu
16. Paragon Ceramic Fiber Jewelry Kiln Instruction amp Service Manual You are about to enter the magical world of kiln fired jewelry To safely find your way around and to master your kiln read this manual Save for future reference Free video training Watch kiln videos at www paragonweb com Click the Kiln Audio amp Video link on the left side of the home page Introduction Thank you for choosing a Paragon kiln We have designed it to give you many years of reliable service Please read this manual This manual includes answers to the most common questions we have been asked reading it will ulti mately save you time and help you master your kiln Your instruction packet also includes a separate digital controller manual Please save both manuals Inspect the kiln When you receive your kiln check the carton for damage Check the kiln for both interior and exterior damage If the kiln is damaged you can refuse the shipment and have it returned or accept the shipment after having the driver note the damage on the Bill of Lading Then call Paragon at 800 876 4328 or 972 288 7557 open Monday to Thursday 7 A M to 5 30 P M Central Check the Bill of Lading to insure that you received the correct number of packages Note any shortages on the Bill of Lading and have the driver sign the copy If there were no signs of visible kiln damage and you discover it after the driver has
17. Pliers shape the glass by chipping away the edges They are often used when the score line doesn t break cleanly Note that rough edges will become smooth when fired to fusing temperature How to Cut Glass Note IMPORTANT Wear safety glasses when cutting or chipping glass 1 Lay the glass on a clean surface Mark off the cut with a grease pencil or felt tip pen A small mark on each end of the glass will do Lay a wooden straight edge over the glass and line it up with the marks you just made 2 Hold the straight edge firmly and score the glass with the glass cutter Press just hard enough so that the scoring noise sounds steady and unbro ken 3 Place the straight edge under the glass so that an edge is lined up with the score line you just made Press down on the glass It will break cleanly Fusing Compatibility of Glass When glass changes temperature it expands and con tracts The rate at which glass changes size is called the coefficient of thermal expansion If you fuse two glass pieces together and one changes size faster or slower than the other the fused piece may crack even several months after fusing When different glasses have a close enough coefficient of expansion to fuse successfully they re called fusing compatible Buy glass labeled fusing compatible Or fuse glass that has been cut from the same sheet which guar antees compatibility Fusing glass is rated with a coefficient of expansion
18. Straws leaves cork clay and other natural products we use to support the clay burn away Sometimes they leave residue in the kiln Occasionally use a small computer vacuum cleaner or canned air to clean out the kiln inte rior If I don t like what I make can I melt it down and sell it for scrap Yes However I always advise my students that no mat ter how much they dislike something they have made in metal clay there is someone out there who will love it and will pay more for it than the student would get for it as re constituted silver One of the designs I had to make in my Level II class was really ugly and I thought I made it even uglier than it was intended I put it up for sale at a high price because we all know that the biggest mistake an artist can make is to sell something too cheap The woman who bought it was excited to have a one of a kind handmade silver necklace I made a lot more than I paid for the silver Can I refill the syringe with paste Yes but there will be air bubbles that might ruin your design I keep one syringe refilled with thick paste that I use as a filler It is just as good as my sludge pot The silver clay shown in magazines sometimes is shiny sometimes has a matte look and sometimes it is colored Do all of these come from the same clay and how do they get the colors The silver finish is determined by how you work with the clay both before and after firing A high shine is achieved with
19. aragonweb com www paragonweb com
20. art with Removing glass separator creates dust and some times flying debris so you should do this outside A putty knife will also remove ceramic glaze or glass that has stuck to the shelf In addition to wearing a dust mask it is a good idea to wear safety glasses Then recoat the shelf using the following directions Both glass separator and kiln wash will be referred to as separator Caution Do not breathe glass separator powder Do not apply glass separator to the ceramic fiber firing chamber or to the bottom of the shelf Do not allow glass separator to come near the em bedded heating element Note Do not coat the soft ceramic fiber shelf with separator If you are firing only silver or gold clay you do not need separator When firing silver clay with glass however fire the piece on a hard fire clay shelf coated with separator 1 Mix the separator with water following the direc tions on the bag Pour the separator carefully to avoid creating airborne dust Do not breathe the dust Stir 2 Apply the separator to the shelf with a haik brush or soft paint brush The haik brush is easier to use because it lays down a more even coating Each time you dip your brush into the separator mixture swirl the brush around the bottom of the con tainer This is because the separator settles quickly Use two or three thin coats changing the direction of the brush stroke 90 with each coat 3 M
21. as originally purchased Repair or replacement of any defec tive parts shall fulfill all obligations of Paragon No other obligations or liabilities are assumed in connection with Paragon kilns nor does Paragon Industries L P autho rize its distributors or dealers to assume any other obliga tions or liabilities on its behalf THERE ARE NO OTHER WARRANTIES EX PRESSED OR IMPLIED INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO ANY IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FORA PARTIC ULAR PURPOSE IN NO EVENT SHALL PARAGON INDUSTRIES L P BE LIABLE FOR ANY LOSS OF PROFITS OR ANY INDIRECT OR CONSEQUEN TIAL DAMAGES ARISING OUT OF ANY SUCH DEFECT IN MATERIAL OR WORKMANSHIP NOTE SOME STATES DO NOT ALLOW THE EX CLUSION OR LIMITATION OF INCIDENTAL OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES SO THE ABOVE LIMITATION OR EXCLUSION MAY NOT APPLY TO YOU This agreement is made in the State of Texas and its validity construction and all rights under it will be gov erned by the laws of the State of Texas This warranty gives you specific legal rights and you may also have other rights which vary from state to state Free video training Watch kiln videos at www paragonweb com Click the Kiln Audio amp Video link on the left side of the home page Paragon Industries L P 2011 South Town East Blvd Better Designed Mesquite Texas 75149 1122 Kilns Toll Free 800 876 4328 amp 972 288 7557 Toll Free Fax 888 222 6450 Fax 972 222 0646 info p
22. as shown below 1 Remove the two screws that attach the door latch to the kiln body 2 Insert a door latch shim under the latch The shim is available from Par agon 3 Install the screws that you removed in Step 1 Ceramic Fiber Repair If glass ceramic glaze or other materials drip onto the firing chamber repair before the next firing Otherwise the glaze will remelt and embed deeper into the fiber Minor Ceramic Fiber Repairs 1 Unplug the kiln 2 Cut or scrape the ce ramic fiber to remove the contaminant Re move as little fiber as possible If a heating ele ment is located where you are scraping avoid touching the element 3 Use avacuum cleaner to remove the dust from the damaged area of the firing chamber Be sure to re move all the contaminant Otherwise it will melt and embed deeper into the firing chamber the next time you fire the kiln Minor gouges or scrapes in the firing chamber need no further repair They are cosmetic and do not affect the firing of your kiln Larger Ceramic Fiber Repairs 1 Unplug the kiln 2 Cut or scrape the ceramic fi ber to remove glass ceramic glaze or other melted con taminant Re move as little fiber as possi ble If a heat ing element is located where you are scraping avoid touching the element 3 Use a vacuum cleaner to remove the dust from the damaged area of the firing chamber Be sure to re
23. be caused by overfiring or too heavy an applica tion However this can be very attractive when gold is crackled over a dark color of fired glaze Peeling China Paint Can be caused by applying the paint too heavily Loss of Color in China Paints Usually a result of overfiring or thinning your paint with too much medium when applying Faded Colors in Overglaze Decals This is the result of either underfiring or overfiring If pinks and reds are drab refire to a hotter cone When used with a china paint background apply and fire the de cals first then china paint and fire again Check the rec ommendations of decal supplier If decal was underfired refire to proper firing cone If decal was overfired the de sign may be repainted in china paints and refired Weakening of Luster Colors This can be caused by overfiring White Spots in Lusters or Metals Can be caused by moisture on the ware before it was placed in the kiln or from having been fired at the same time as other overglazes Note Apply lusters only on a dry day Powdering of Luster Colors This can be caused by too heavy an application Bare Spots in Decals Water or air bubbles under the decal cause bare spots This is due to poor contact between the decal and the ware All the water must be squeezed out from under the decal Kiln Maintenance Trouble Shooter See the digital controller manual for additional trou bleshooting information Circuit Breaker
24. cure the thermocou ple Otherwise the kiln might overfire Note Do not let the thermo couple wires cross where they come out of the muffle The wires shouldbe parallel 7 Push the new thermocouple into the hole in the firing chamber The twisted end must extend into the firing chamber by 2 4 Make sure the band holds the thermocouple Otherwise the thermocouple can be pushed out resulting in an overfire Caution The ceramic insulators are designed to separate the two thermocouple wires inside the thermocouple hole and behind the firing chamber If bare thermocouple wires touch in side the hole or outside the firing chamber the kiln may overfire 8 Thread the thermocouple wires down to the con troller opening at the front of the kiln Keep the thermocouple wires away from electrical compo nents and other wires 9 Strip 2 of insulation from the ends of the ther mocouple wires 10 Attach the wires to the back of the controller One wire is yellow the other red Make sure the wires connect to the correct color coded terminals 11 Install the controller and back cover of the kiln Replacing a Relay or Transformer 1 Unplug the kiln 2 Place the kiln on its back 3 Remove the screws holding the sheet metal bot tom to the kiln Tilt the bottom forward to gain ac cess to the transformer and relay 4 Hold the new part next to the one you are replac ing aligned in
25. ects firing temperature to a larger degree than at high temperatures To hold at alow temperature heat the kiln slowly Oth erwise the temperature may overshoot the hold tempera ture before the element turns off Avoid Contaminating the Heating Element The heating element is embedded into the firing chamber Contact with silica or silica bear ing compounds such as kiln wash glass separa tor alumina hydrate glass enameling pow der and ceramic glaze will ruin the heating ele ment Never fire glazed ceramic ware glass or enameling directly on the firing chamber bottom Use a ceramic shelf on short posts to protect the bottom from glaze drips glass and enameling powder Note If a contaminant such as dripping glass or glaze embeds into the firing chamber unplug the kiln With the kiln at room temperature use a knife to gently scrape off the con ai taminant being careful not to dam age the heating ele ment Vacuum the kiln See Ceramic Fiber Repair page 23 The Optional Glass View Port Caution Wear green 3 firing safety glasses whenever looking into the optional view port Loading the Kiln Place Ware on a Protective Shelf Always protect the firing chamber by firing your pieces on a shelf or in a bowl Do not place the pieces directly on the bottom of the firing chamber Center the shelf inside the kiln If your kiln has a glass view port or bead door
26. element burns out the ceramic fiber firing chamber must be replaced Unless the element burned out at the element connector See the next page To test for a burned out element you will need an ohmmeter which you can purchase from a hardware store or home improvement center 1 Unplug the kiln 2 Remove the back of the kiln Look at the element connectors Each element in your kiln has two element connectors The kiln shown at right has only one element Most SC series kilns have two elements which are mounted in the left and right sides of the firing chamber The kiln shown below has two ele ments The connectors for each element are aligned vertically If your kiln has two elements wired in parallel you will see two wires going to some of the element connectors Disconnect the two wires from one of the element con nectors to test each element If you leave the wires at tached you cannot test each element one at a time be cause the ohmmeter will read the resistance of both elements Shown here is a 120 volt SC 2 kiln that has two elements wired in parallel Note that the two wires have been disconnected from the upper right ele ment connector before testing with an ohmmeter 3 Place ohmmeter leads against the element con nectors of each element one at a time A no nee dle movement reading on an analog meter or OPEN on a digital meter indicates a burned out element Note Be sure the batte
27. er 4 Use the stainless screw in the element connector to hold the element The brass screw holds the element lead wire eyelet Hold the connector with locking pliers as you tighten the screw with the 4 nutdriver Tighten the screw to 30 inch pounds about 1 1 4 turns past the point of firm resistance The element connector must be tight 5 Install the back cover of the kiln arranging the wires so that they do not touch an element connec tor when the cover is in place 27 Paragon Kiln Limited Warranty Paragon kilns are warranted to the original purchaser by Paragon Industries L P herein Paragon subject to the listed exclusions below to be free of defects in workmanship for the periods specified below The war ranty period begins from date of shipment from the Para gon factory unless date of original purchase from an au thorized Paragon distributor or dealer can be established Warranty Period J series SC series 1 year This warranty period applies unless otherwise agreed to in writing This warranty excludes 1 Kilns or furnaces damaged by overfiring exceeding the melting temperature of the material being fired regardless of cause of overfiring 2 Ware tools kiln furniture or anything inside damaged by overfire 3 Kilns allowed to exceed the maximum tem perature shown on kiln s nameplate regardless of cause 4 Kilns subjected to abuse neglect freight damage or improper s
28. f that circuit powers appli ances that must remain on while the kiln is firing plug your kiln into a different circuit Note 120 volt kilns avoid extension cords if pos sible If you must use one never use one smaller than 12 gauge and longer than 20 feet Never plug it into a ceiling outlet Voltage fluctuation can vary firing time from as little as half to more than twice the average time If the voltage is too low the kiln may never reach full temperature The receptacle must have a separate safety grounding wire This protects you from serious electrical shock Changing the cord plug will void your warranty Where to Locate the Kiln Many people store their kiln on a small steel cart with casters When they fire the kiln they move the cart near an open window or even take it outside 1 Place your kiln in a well ventilated covered and protected area such as the garage basement utility or hobby room Note Some people keep their kiln outside on a covered patio This is okay so long as the kiln is not subjected to excessive humidity We recom mend good ventilation especially when you fire decals china paint lost wax casting and silver clay filler materials such as cork clay However some materials such as silver clay fired alone may not need special ventilation 2 Remove gasoline paint and other flammable materials from the kiln room 3 Provide a minimum of 12 inches clearance be tween ki
29. g out Keep the kiln door closed when the kiln is not in use This keeps dust out of the kiln Also should someone turn on the kiln while you are away the closed door will keep the heat safely inside the firing chamber Never place papers and other combustibles on top of the kiln even when the kiln is idle If people become accustomed to storing objects on the kiln they may forget and do that while the kiln is firing Fire only approved materials purchased from a knowledgeable supplier Do not fire marbles pieces of concrete rocks and other objects Rapid heating to high temperature can cause violent reactions in many materials Greenware which is unfired clay must be bone dry before firing Moist greenware can explode inside the kiln damaging the kiln Place a piece of greenware against the inside of your wrist If it feels cool it is too wet to fire Store kiln shelves in a dry area Moist shelves can ex plode inside a kiln If you smell burning plastic turn the kiln off Examine the wall out let and supply cord for signs of burning Remove flammable materials from the kiln room Basic Kiln Set Up Electrical Installation You must plug your kiln into a circuit that no other appliance uses while the kiln is firing Turn off the circuit breaker or unscrew the fuse for the circuit that your kiln will be plugged into Check to see if other appliances shut off too I
30. g the firing e gt fs eS eon The glass must PESE G pee DAM change temperature Le E AE slowly during the crit gt Io in ical temperature Peer Nis range of 100 500 F ka ane ae 37 260 C This crit SES Wk oe BER ical range applies to W ese both heating and Flaking glass separator can cause the cooling glass to crack This is because the glass sticks to the shelf 20 The second critical temperature range is annealing which is the cooling range of 950 700 F 510 371 C average Cool the glass slowly during this range so the stress in the glass will have time to dissipate If you become impatient after the glass has fused and you crack open the door of the kiln for a few seconds to peek inside you may hear a ping which is the sound of glass cracking Avoid the temptation to open the door Wait until the kiln has cooled to room temperature Some artists schedule their fusing so that it is completed before they go to bed That way they will be asleep while the glass cools and they won t be tempted to open the door After each firing examine the shelf Recoat if the kiln wash is chipped Glass cracks when it sticks to a bare sec tion of shelf Glass Bubbles Probable Causes E Heating the kiln too fast E Air trapped between layers of glass E Grease or dirt between layers of glass E Uneven glass volume E Moisture or trapped air between the glass and shelf Make sure the shelf
31. ge 18 shows the temperatures of pyrometric cones Pro gram your controller to the cone recommended for the ceramic ware that you are firing For small ceramic pieces such as figurines program a rate of 400 F 222 C Fire to the Under fired cone temperature shown in the 108 F column of the Temperature Equivalents chart for the cone number you are firing Before deciding on the firing speed of important pieces test fire sample clay pieces E A puddled over fired cone Note Do not fire beyond your kiln s maximum temperature Firing hotter will void your war ranty Kilns with glass view port Do not fire hot ter than 1700 F 926 C 17 Loading and Firing Overglaze Overglaze is decoration applied over fired glaze or pol ished porcelain bisque Overglazes include china paints gold and luster which fire from cone 022 to 014 Note You will need to buy the porcelain plates cups etc that you use as blanks for the overglaze The initial firing of a porcelain blank is beyond the temperature range of your Paragon jewelry kiln Load overglazed ware the same way you would load ce ramic glaze Use stilts and make sure ware is not touch ing other ware Ware must be completely dry before fir ing Ceramic tiles are one of the most popular overglaze projects for a small kiln Use a tile holder to fire several at a time China paints will crack or peel if applied heavily Apply several
32. greater detail in sections on glass and ceramics Looking Into a Hot Kiln Sometimes it is necessary to open the door of a hot kiln Most copper enameling is removed from the kiln at 1450 F 787 C You can also crack the door open for a couple of seconds to visually check the progress of glass fusing especially when you are firing a particular type of glass for the first time When the fusing is finished make a note of the temperature so that you can program future firings Then turn off the kiln or begin the annealing stage Crack the door open about 1 4 to check the progress of the glass or enameling It takes only a couple of seconds If you are removing a piece of ware from a hot kiln first turn off the power to the elements by pressing the kiln s on off switch But if you are only cracking open the door to look at the glass or enameling you can leave the kiln turned on Opening the door will not harm the kiln You can also look into the kiln by opening the optional bead door l You should wear heat protec tive gloves and green 3 firing safety glasses Keep your face about 15 away as you look into the hot kiln Open the door just a crack for a few seconds just long enough to see the progress of the glass The tem perature may go down slightly Of course an easy way to visually check the glass is to look into the optional glass view port Silver amp Gold Clay With silver c
33. he annealing range The Annealing Range Each type of glass has a temperature range that it must pass through slowly when it cools This is called the an nealing range This slow cooling gives hot glass time to release the stress of cooling If you cool the glass too fast through the annealing range it will break The larger and thicker the glass the slower it must pass through its annealing range You cannot over an neal so err on the side of caution if you aren t sure how long to anneal Small projects such as earrings rarely need annealing time as they cool Cleaning and Gluing the Glass Grease dirt and fingerprints etch permanently into the glass during firing Clean the glass with glass cleaner the type without sili cones rubbing al cohol or even plain water just before as sembling the pieces on the kiln shelf Use white glue such as Elmer s di luted 1 1 with water to hold the glass pieces together after you place them on the kiln shelf Use the glue sparingly Glue is especially important when fus ing wire into the glass The glue pre vents the glass or wire from moving 14 out of place before they fuse The glue disappears during firing Avoid using glue on the coated side of dichroic glass If you lay dichroic glass carefully onto the piece glue is un necessary so avoid it altogether if you do not know which side of the dichroic is coated Loading the Kiln Air sh
34. in the door Tighten the screws When placing beads inside the kiln rest the bead man drels on the mandrel holder Bead Door Latch Raise the bead door latch to keep the door closed when not in use Lower the latch to in sert bead mandrels Important Guidelines The Embedded Heating Element The heating elements of your kiln are embedded into the ceramic fiber firing chamber The firing chamber surface is hardened to a depth of 44 This makes the fi ber more durable It is important that you do not touch the firing chamber with sharp objects These can pene trate the fiber surface and contact the heating element which is a shock hazard Caution The heating element under power is dangerous Do not touch the element with any thing Turn the kiln switch off before inserting an enameling fork into the firing chamber to re move a shelf The Clicking Noise Do not be concerned that your kiln makes a clicking sound during firing Your kiln contains a relay which sends power to the element The relay clicks as it cycles on and off to maintain the correct temperature Check Thermocouple You will find a small rod called the thermocouple ex tending into the firing chamber The thermocouple senses temperature If this rod is pushed out of the firing chamber the kiln will assume that the firing chamber is cold This could result in an over fire Be sure the rod ex tends into the firing chamber by 2
35. ing chamber Caution Place the hot shelf onto a fireproof sur face such as a large ceramic shelf Also remember that the heat from the hot shelf can transfer through the fireproof surface to the table underneath You can drop the hot silver pieces into water for fast cooling This is call quenching To avoid warping allow the pieces to cool down to 800 F 430 C in the kiln before quenching Combining Silver Clay With Other Materials There are two ways to fire silver clay with other materi als such as glass E Fire the silver clay first by itself After you have cleaned and polished the silver clay fire it a second time with the other material E Fire the silver clay and other materials suchas a stone together in a single firing Enameling powder must be fired with the silver clay in a separate second firing See page 16 Glass is often fired with the silver clay in a single firing Many types of glass will melt to the point of overfire at silver clay temper atures So before combining glass and silver clay in a sin gle firing test a small glass sample To do this fire the glass during a silver clay firing keeping the glass separate from the silver clay piece This way you won t ruin the silver clay Place the pieces on a ceramic fireclay shelf Coat the shelf with glass separator or otherwise the glass sample may embed into the shelf If the glass sample survives the firing you can fire that type of glass
36. ir first pieces I guarantee that if they do not like it I will exchange it for the same amount of silver clay I have never had a student take me up on it However once students can tell from experience what the finished piece will look like I back up their decision to reconstitute the clay and start over How much does the clay shrink The clay will shrink approximately 10 percent PMC makes a ruler that allows you to create your piece taking that shrinkage into account Can I really make metal clay jewelry if am not an artist I strongly believe that inside everyone is an artist just waiting to be discovered I have had students that had never done anything crafty before taking my class A lot of them go on to sell their work starting with friends and co workers and some have become affiliated with a gal lery You do not have to believe in your talent to learn but learning and doing will help you to believe in yourself and your talent Glass Fusing amp Slumping You will probably fire mostly stained glass but you can also fire standard float window glass Some types of float glass devitrify form a dull frosty surface when fired Caution Never fire tempered glass It could ex plode if heated inside a kiln Basic Glass Tools Reservoir Glass Cutter uses a reservoir of oil to lubricate the cutter wheel Running Pliers are for cutting large pieces of glass Breaking Pliers are for cutting small strips Grozing
37. ired Start with one of the many pre shaped copper forms available or shape and trim the copper to your own de sign 1 Heat the copper on an enameling rack to about 1400 F 760 C to burn off oil or grease Heat the copper to just until smoke from oil or grease stops coming off the metal and its color has changed to a purple red pale green iridescence that moves across the copper This indicates that the grease has vaporized Do not fire the copper any longer than this point Otherwise excess fire scale will form making the next cleaning step difficult 2 After the copper cools brush any loose scale from the copper Use a brush or paper towel being sure that you do not put grease or oil onto the copper such as fingerprints Clean the copper with a 3M Scotch Brite pad This pad does such a good job that in most cases no further cleaning will be required Additional copper cleaning products are available in the Thompson Enamel catalog including Sparex No 2 It is best to clean the copper just before you decorate it If you wait too long to decorate after cleaning the copper could get dirty again 16 Decorating the Copper Counter Enameling Most enameled pieces should be counter enameled on the back side This gives the piece a much more finished look it eliminates a great deal of fire scale cleaning and it controls the chipping and cracking that can result from the different rates of expansion and contraction
38. kiln Heat the kiln to 300 F 148 C and hold it at that temperature for at least 1 hour Note Do NOT heat the wax above 300 F 148 C Hold at 300 F 148 C for at least 1 hour During this hour the wax will melt from the mold and drip into the tray If the kiln gets hotter than 300 F 148 C the wax may smoke and deposit carbon inside your kiln causing damage 3 After 1 hour at 300 F 148 C open the kiln Remove the mold and wax tray Pour the wax from the tray and leave the tray out of the kiln until your next wax elimination Do not leave the tray in the kiln 4 Heat the mold to the temperature recommended by your jewelery supply house where you pur chased the mold material This is usually around 1350 F 732 C 5 Lower the temperature to the casting temperature of the metal Hold at that temperature until you are ready to begin casting Remove the mold with tongs Wear protective gloves and safety glasses Saving a Carbon Damaged Kiln If you follow the above directions your kiln should be safe from wax damage In some cases a small amount of carbon may form on the walls over a period of time This is due to the burning of wax residue that was left in the mold For this reason we recommend that you periodi cally fire the kiln to 1500 F 815 C as follows 1 Open the vent cover or leave the door ajar 2 2 Fire the kiln empty to 1500 F 815 C at a rate of 300 F 166 C with a 1 hour hold 01 00
39. l able from garden sup ply stores Caution Avoid breathing alumina hydrate dust Caution Alumina hydrate can destroy the heat ing element on contact If it spills onto the firing chamber remove with a vacuum cleaner Ceramic Fiber Blanket Place the blanket scrap directly on the firing chamber bottom Use the blanket to support delicate silver and gold clay but never ceramics enameling or glass Applying Glass Separator or Kiln Wash Glass and ceramics are fired on a fireclay kiln shelf and not directly on the kiln bottom You can also slump glass over a mold such as a bowl The kiln shelf and sagging mold must be coated with glass separator to prevent glass or ceramic glaze from sticking to them Unless you fire glass to a full fuse a coat of separator or kiln wash will usually last through several firings When the shelf coating begins to crack or chip apply a fresh coat Shine a sidelight across the shelf surface or hold the shelf vertically under a light m source With light shining Ta E E ET directly across the shelf itis A 5 A ia T easier to see cracks and f flakes in the glass separator If you see imperfections re apply the glass separator Fix ae To recoat a shelf first re fe Fp is move most of the old coating Separator lasts through several with a small putty knife held glass firings Apply new separator ata 45 angle This gives you when the old coat begins to flake a smooth surface to st
40. lay you can shape intricate free form sil ver jewelry in minutes even as a beginner The clay is also available in gold for simplicity we will refer to both metals as silver clay At the time of printing the silver clay brands available were Art Clay Silver and Precious Metals Clay Silver clay looks and feels like modeling clay It is formed with simple tools such as a tooth pick small knife and razor blade Its surface is pliable and accepts impres sions from objects such as leaves coins and coarse fab rics After the silver clay is formed it is fired in a kiln The recommended temperature and hold time are included with the silver clay Forming and firing silver clay is simple There is noth ing mysterious about making silver clay jewelry The sil ver clay is made of micron size silver particles held in an organic binder During firing the binder burns away The silver particles then fuse together forming real silver Since the binder disappears the piece will shrink The amount of shrinkage varies depending on the type of sil ver clay you use Drying Time Tobe on the safe side give the silver clay plenty of time to dry Otherwise pieces may warp during firing As you gain experience you will know how much drying time each type of piece needs before firing Note To speed drying use a hair dryer or dry sil ver clay pieces on top of the kiln as it fires As a general rule if the silver clay piece feels co
41. left notify the shipper immediately Save the shipping carton It was carefully designed to provide maximum protection during shipping Use the carton to take the kiln to seminars or on vacation or to return the kiln to the factory for repairs Needless worries Tremendous stresses are generated within the kiln The ceramic fiber firing chamber actually expands and con tracts with each firing Do not be concerned if small cracks appear in the fiber This is normal These are surface cracks that close tightly when the heated fiber expands You may find a small pin hole in the center of the firing chamber It is from the manufacturing process and will not affect the kiln s performance The paint and the ceramic fiber around the door will eventually dis color from heat This will not affect the kiln s performance During firing you will hear an intermittent distinct clicking This is the sound of the relay s sending power to the heating elements Do not be concerned with this sound During the first firing you may also smell an odor from your kiln This is normal and is caused by the burning of binders in the ceramic fiber firing chamber This odor is accompanied by a discoloration which will disappear after the kiln reaches about 1000 F The Electrical data plate Important information about your kiln is recorded on its electrical data plate which is mounted to the side of the kiln Please include this information when ordering
42. light coats instead firing between each until you get the shade you want Not all china paint colors reach maxi mum color saturation at the same temperature even when fired on the same ware So you must know which colors you should fire first at higher temperatures to pre vent burning out the original colors in later firings For example reds mature at a lower temperature than other colors and are fired after the other colors have been fired Reds and yellows should not be fired side by side Colors also mature at a lower temperature on ceramic pieces than on porcelain or hard china Check the overglaze manufacturer s literature for information on which cone to use with each color and type of ware Vent the kiln during the first hour of firing or until all smoke disappears Allow the kiln to cool to room temper ature before opening the door Ceramic or Glass Decals Fire decals onto glazed ceramic cups tiles light switches photo frames and much more Don t worry if you ruin the first few decals Applying them takes practice Before starting clean the ceramic or glass piece with water 18 1 Cut out the decal and soak in lukewarm water un til you can slide the image from the paper back ing onto the ware Slide the image off the backing rather than attempting to lift the image off 2 Position the decal on the ceramic or glass piece The side of the decal that was up on the paper is the same side that goes up o
43. ln and the closest wall 4 Never allow the room temperature of your firing room to exceed 100 110 F Measure the tem perature about 3 feet from the kiln If necessary use fans to lower room temperature 5 Keep the kiln away from curtains or other com bustible materials 6 Position kiln on a level fire proof surface We recommend an 18 x 18 piece of sheet metal a large ceramic tile or a large ceramic kiln shelf Saga Place the kiln on a fire proof surface such as a large ceramic kiln shelf Note If you are with the kiln at all times during firing you can place it directly onto a workbench or kitchen table A fire proof surface is ideal though because it provides a safe place to lay hot shelves removed from the kiln But remember that heat can transfer through the ceramic shelf to the surface underneath 7 Keep unsupervised children away 8 Keep the power supply cord away from the kiln case 9 When storing the kiln do not lay flammable ma terials such as papers on top It is too easy to for get to remove them when you fire the kiln There is little danger of serious burn from accidental contact if you exercise the same caution you would use with an electric iron How to Transport the Kiln Some people take their kilns to seminars or on vaca tion The easiest way to transport the kiln is to use the original packing materials If you no longer have the packing materials transport the
44. ly cooler than the rest of the firing cham ber Move pieces away from the door or change the level of the shelf Changing the Door These instructions are for installing an optional door 1 Place the kiln on its back 2 Remove the screws that attach the hinge to the old door Lift out the door 6 It may be neces sary to sand the door Sand only the lip of the inner door surface Do not sand the firing chamber Remove the least amount of door fiber needed to make the door fit 7 Close the new door all the way Place the female latch on the door so it is aligned with the male latch on the kiln Mark and drill holes Install screws 3 Place the new door on the kiln with the door aligned against the hinge Position the door so that it is centered between the top and bottom of the firing chamber 4 Pressing the hinge against the door mark the first hinge screw hole Drill the hole with a 1 8 bit and in stall the screw 5 Mark and drill the other hinge screw holes Install the screws Kiln Repairs Door Latch Spring Adjustment Adjust the two screws on the door latch to change the spring tension Note Do not loosen the screws too far or they will fall out Adjusting a Door That Won t Stay Shut To repair a door that pops open during firing first ad just the door latch spring see above If the door still pops open insert a shim
45. n cutting or chipping glass Wear dark green 3 firing safety glasses when looking into a hot kiln such as when checking the progress of glass Firing safety glasses are specially coated to filter the infra red and ultra violet light Dark green firing safety glasses 5 inside a kiln They reduce glare protect your eyes from heat and make the kiln interior easier to see Caution Always wear firing glasses when viewing the interior through the optional glass view port Optional Doors You can replace the standard door on some models with these optional doors E Bead door for annealing glass beads E Glass view port for checking the progress of The bead door and view port com glass fusing or enamel bination door ing Note It is not nec essary to visually check silver clay You can also check the glass and enameling with the standard door just crack it open for a few seconds The advantage to the view port is the convenience E Bead door and glass view port combination Ask your dealer if these are available for your kiln It takes about 30 minutes a drill and a 1 4 nut driver to change doors See instructions page 22 Installing the Mandrel Holder for the Bead Door 1 Open the door You will find two screws on the bottom edge of the door Loosen the screws with a V4 nut driver 2 Slide the two slots in the bead mandrel holder under the two screws
46. n the ceramic or glass 3 Use a damp sponge or rubber squeegee to squeeze out air bubbles and water from the de cal For flat surfaces use a rubber squeegee for curved surfaces use a damp sponge 4 Dry the ceramic or glass piece overnight before firing 5 Fire a glazed ceramic blank on a stilt placed on top of a fireclay shelf Glazed pieces must not touch each other Fire glass directly on a fireclay shelf The shelf must be coated with kiln wash or glass separator 6 Fire in a well ventilated area Keep the top vent plug out during the first hour or until the smoke and odor disappear 7 Fire at a rate of 500 F 275 C to the recom mended temperature for the decal you pur chased Most decals fire to cone 015 018 Use the Orton cone chart to convert the cone number to a temperature 8 After the kiln shuts off leave the door closed until the kiln cools down to room temperature Temperature Equivalents For Orton Self Supporting Pyrometric Cones Cone Cone Self Supporting Cones Pre Fire Number Color Heated at 27 F 108 F 270 F Per Hour Per Hour Per Hour 022 1087 1094 Green 021 1112 1143 Fuschia 020 1159 1180 Orange 019 1213 1252 1283 Yellow 018 1267 1319 1353 White 017 1301 1360 1405 Pink 016 1368 1422 1465 Light Blue 015 1382 1456 1504 Violet 014 1395 1485 1540 Gray 013 1485 1539 1582 Green 012 1549 1582 1620 Fuschia Rate of temperature increase during last 9
47. number i e COE 90 or COE 96 The pieces that you fuse together should have the same COE number Care fully label glass storage containers with the COE number to avoid mixing different types of glass Fusing Compatibility Test 1 To test glass for compatibility fuse small 1 2 square sample pieces of different glasses onto a larger base piece of clear transparent It should ex tend beyond the small sample pieces by half an inch on each side One of the sample pieces should be cut from the base piece With polarizing filters you can test the compatibility of glass Photo cour tesy of Bullseye Glass Co 13 2 Heat the glass to a temperature that completely rounds the edges of the small sample pieces 3 After the glass cools place a polarizing filter un der the glass and another filter over the glass Look at the glass with light shining through it hold it over a lamp Turn one of the filters until the filters are at their darkest Polarizing sheets are available from Edmund Scientific and photo supply stores Results of the Test If you see a halo around the edges of the small glass samples this usually means the glass is not compatible If you see no halo the glass is fusing compatible Why did we include a sample square cut from the base transparent glass It tests for annealing A halo around that piece means the glass was not annealed properly Perform the test again this time cooling more slowly through t
48. oisture in the kiln shelf can crack glass or cause bubbles during fusing So dry the shelf thor oughly before use To speed drying place the shelf on three 1 2 posts inside the kiln Heat at full rate to 300 F 148 C and hold for five min utes Then turn off the kiln and leave the shelf in side 4 After the separator has dried and your shelf is cool you can smoothen the separator further by rubbing your hand lightly over the shelf The smoother the separator the smoother the back side of the glass Amore advanced technique for smoothening the sepa rator is to fire the freshly applied glass separator to around 1000 F After the shelf cools inside the kiln re move the shelf and rub grit cloth over the glass separator Grit cloth available from Paragon is an abrasive coated mesh that allows resi due to pass through It can be rinsed with wa ter and reused many times As you rub the glass separa tor watch the brush stroked surface Remove just enough glass separator to remove the brush strokes It takes just a few passes to smoothen the surface Acoat of glass separator will usually last several firings The lower the fusing temperature the more firings you can get from one application of separator Using Ceramic Fireclay Posts Ceramic posts are used to support ceramic shelves in side a kiln Place 3 1 2 ceramic posts under either the ceramic hard fireclay shelf or the soft fiber shelf
49. ol against the inside of your wrist it is still wet Loading the Kiln Silver clay pieces that have a flat side can be placed inside the kiln di rectly onto the soft ce ramic fiber shelf E Silver clay pieces can be close together but they must not touch Do not coat the soft ceramic fiber P shelf with glass separator or kiln E For more uniform wash heat place 2 posts under the soft ceramic fiber shelf E Do not coat the ceramic fiber shelf with kiln wash or glass separator E If you are firing silver clay by itself on fireclay shelves you do not need kiln wash But if you combine the sil ver clay with glass coat the fireclay shelf with kiln wash or glass separator 10 E You can also place the silver clay on a piece of ceramic fiber blanket especially delicate rounded or hollow shapes that may need support to prevent collapsing Venting the Kiln Silver clay by itself needs no venting Load the kiln close the door and leave it closed until the silver clay is ready to remove However the kiln needs venting if you fire ceramics or glass with the clay silver or if you make hollow objects that contain a core of organic materials Caution Cork clay cereal pasta and bread are good core materials Do not use wax or styrofoam as a core They emit harmful fumes Tovent the kiln remove the top vent plug at the begin ning of the firing Do this outside or in a room that has good ventilation When
50. or surfaces that will be in contact with food or drink When you make food or drink containers select a glaze or glass that has been formulated tested and labeled as approved for surfaces that will be in contact with food or drink Follow the glaze or glass manufacturer s instructions exactly without any variations Important Safety Rules An electric kiln is extremely safe to operate pro vided you follow these basic safety rules Unplug kiln when not in use Do not touch hot sides Keep unsupervised children away Place kiln on a non combustible surface Do not install closer than 12 from any wall or com bustible surface Fire only in a well ventilated covered and protected area Keep cordset away from hot sides of kiln DANGEROUS VOLTAGE Do not touch heating elements with anything Disconnect kiln before servicing Do not leave kiln unattended while firing Wear safety glasses when cutting glass Wear green 3 firing safety glasses and keep your face at EES least 15 away when looking P4 into a hot kiln Keep food away from your work area Never fire tempered glass inside a kiln It could ex plode Avoid firing toxic materials inside the kiln such as styrofoam used as a core for hollow beads When firing cork clay as a filler keep the kiln door closed between 500 800 F 260 426 C This is to prevent the cork from flamin
51. ould circu late between the fire clay shelf and the bot tom of the kiln so place three or four 1 2 posts under the shelf You can fire two shelves of glass in the kiln However one shelf will be tack fused and the other full fused Firing the Glass 1 Vent the kiln by leaving the vent hole open Venting allows gases to escape When the kiln reaches 500 800 F 260 426 C insert the plug 2 The first time you fire a particular brand or type of glass program the controller for a higher tem perature than the estimated fusing temperature Watch the glass by opening the door 2 for sev eral seconds at a time Shut the kiln off when the TENEN E CAN GE EE EE EE EE Looking at the glass during firing Open the door about 1 2 Always wear green 3 firing safety glasses when looking at the hot glass glass fuses the way you want Make a note of the shut off temperature For future firings program the kiln for that temperature and rate Note With every firing be sure you are near the kiln before the expected shut off time 3 After you shut the kiln off vent the kiln for 5 min utes by opening the door 1 Then close the door Note Some glass artists flash cool the glass after it fuses They vent the kiln as above until the tem perature drops to 1000 F Then they close the door This speeds up cooling 4 The annealing range for most glasses is between 950 510 C and 700
52. parts or call ing your dealer or the factory about your kiln Special thanks to Ed Biggar Martha Biggar Sallie Bly and Patricia Walton for their many suggestions 2 2001 by Paragon Industries Inc IM 164 5 11 Contents Basic Kiln Set Up 4 Electrical Installation 4 Where to Locate the Kiln 4 How to Transport the Kiln 4 Basic Operation 5 ACCOSSONICS stes ourga eae ee ew ad 5 Important Guidelines 6 Loading the Kiln 7 Venting the Kiln 9 Looking Into a Hot Kiln 9 Silver amp Gold Clay 10 DYING TIME cv teehee are dedew eran 10 Loading the Kiln ess ricse creron sss 10 Venting the Kiln assau 10 Rate Temperature Hold 10 Cooling the Piece 11 Combining Silver Clay With Other Materials 11 Frequently Asked Silver Clay Questions 11 Glass Fusing amp Slumping 13 How to Cut Glass 13 Fusing Compatibility of Glass 13 The Annealing Range 14 Cleaning and Gluing the Glass 14 Loading the Kiln 14 Firing the Glass 14 Annealing Beads 15 Enameling on Metal 16 Preparing and Decorating the Copper 16 Firing Enamel 5 17 Ceramic Overglaze amp Decals 17 Pyrometric Cones 17 Loading and Firing Overglaze 18
53. re rec ommended for the type of metal that will be poured into the mold Caution Prevent wax or carbon from contacting the kiln s walls and elements Carbon build up inside a kiln ruins the interior Carbon conducts electricity and causes elements to short circuit Damage to elements from contact with foreign materials is not covered by warranty A Sample Program See your digital controller instruction manual Rate Temp Segment F C F C Hold 1 500 277 300 148 01 00 2 500 277 1350 732 01 00 3 450 250 800 426 02 00 Segment 1 heats the wax to 300 F 148 C and holds it for 1 hour allowing it to drip from the mold Segment 2 hardens the mold Segment 3 lowers temperature to 800 F 426 C the typical casting temperature for silver Most types of gold cast at 900 F 482 C Note Casting temperature depends on the size of the mold The temperatures shown above are only a guide See your jewelry supply dealer for temperature recommendations Burnout Instructions 1 Place a metal tray inside the kiln on three 1 2 posts Place the mold on the tray s wire mesh screen The mold s sprue hole ee should be down The tray will catch melting wax as it drips from the sprue hole The wax tray includes a re 2 Keep the kiln s vent hole s if movable wire mesh any open during wax elimi nation If the kiln has no vent hole leave the door open 2 This allows fumes to escape from the
54. ry in your ohmmeter is good before assuming that you need to replace the firing chamber We have produced a video showing how to replace the firing chamber muffle Go to www paragonweb com and click on Support from the main menu Then select Support Videos from the drop menu Look for video M028 You can also return the kiln to the factory for repair Repairing an Element Connector Sometimes an ele ment fails due to a burned out element con nector To check the connectors unplug the kiln and open the back A burned out connector will be loose or discon nected from the end of the element Order a new connector from Par agon You will see the element connectors after you lower the kiln s back panel 1 Use a nut driver to remove the connector from the element end and the lead wire 2 If the element end is too short to attach a new con nector gently dig out the ceramic fiber with a screwdriver to expose more element Remove as little ceramic fiber as ee BZ BAS 3 Sandpaper the eyelet of the element ae wire until bright and clean of all oxidation Use the brass screw to connect the lead wire eyelet to the new el ement connector Before tightening the screw ad just the eyelet to where it will be tilted away from the firing chamber when the connector is attached to the element Then hold the connector with locking pliers and tighten the brass screw securely with a nut driv
55. s was a real failure and I had no solu tion for fixing it In my studio I test all stones personally before they are worked into projects If a stone fires correctly the first time it will fire the same way at the same temperature in each subsequent firing As for your diamond the answer is no However you can place a setting into your piece and set your diamond in after the firing Can I enamel on the metal clays Yes You might have read that it is not recommended to enamel on sterling There again it is the alloys that cause the problems How long is the clay good for What do I do if I open the package and it is dried out The clay is good indefinitely Until it is fired it can be reconstituted and reworked into something else I had a 20 gram piece that I wasn t happy with I kept thinking that if I just added one more thing here and there itwould be great Eighty grams and one year later it was time to give it up Because it sat on a bureau in a hot dry room for a full year and because it was so big it took a week to reconstitute The piece I made with that recon stituted 80 grams is one of my favorites After a student works hard on their first piece they often say I don t like this Do I have to fire it Yes There is a big difference between what your piece looks like when it is still in the clay stage and what it looks like after it is fired I always tell my students that it is im perative that they fire the
56. te digital controller manual If your bead making session will be longer than 3 hours program a longer hold time in segment 1 Segment Rate Temp Hold 1 1799 F 999 C _ 1000 F 537 C 03 00 2 100 F 222 C 700 F 371 C 00 00 Fire the kiln When it reaches 1000 F 537 C it will maintain that temperature for three hours Annealing the Beads 1 At 1000 F 537 C the kiln is ready to receive the bead mandrels loaded with hot beads Note Allow freshly finished beads to cool slightly before inserting This is to prevent the beads from flattening on one side when they are placed inside the kiln You can place the beads directly onto the floor of the kiln provided they have cooled slightly as described above 2 Open the bead door Insert the mandrels as you complete the beads Leave the door ajar with the end of the bead mandrel ex j tending outside the kiln 3 When you have finished the f batch of beads perform a Skip Segment This will end the temperature hold and be gin segment 2 The kiln will slowly cool through the an nealing range After the kiln shuts off leave the beads in place Do not remove them until the kiln has reached room temperature Enameling on Metal Preparing the Copper Enamels come in transparent or opaque They can be purchased directly from Thompson Enamel P O Box 310 Newport Kentucky 41072 Their lead free enamels come ready to use no enamel washing is requ
57. the same direction Remove and transfer one wire at a time from the old part to the new one Make sure each connection is tight a 5S FF Place the new part next to the old one aligned in the same direction Re move and replace one wire at a time In the photo the relay is being re placed The transformer is the part in the foreground 25 5 Replace push on connectors and wires damaged by heat from a burned terminal If wire connectors do not fit snugly on terminals gently squeeze the end of the connector with pliers Caution Push on connectors that have been over heated lose their spring tension This re sults in a loose connection that can cause new components to burn out prematurely 6 As you move the sheet metal bottom back into place make sure the thermocouple wire attached to the back of the board is away from the other wires 7 Install the screws holding the bottom to the kiln Replacing the Temperature Controller 1 Unplug kiln 2 Remove the 4 corner screws holding the control ler faceplate to the switch box Carefully lift out the faceplate 3 Disconnect the wires from the back of the board You will find 2 plugs and 2 thermocouple wires 4 Connect the wires to the new board Be sure to observe color coding when you install the 2 ther mocouple wires 5 Reinstall the controller onto the front of the kiln N Ve Testing the Heating Element When an
58. the venting is completed insert the vent plug to conserve energy for the rest of the firing When firing cork clay leave the vent plug out from the beginning until around 800 F 430 C Hold for 1 hour After the hold insert the plug Keep the door closed dur ing venting Caution When venting materials such as cork clay remove the vent plug at the beginning of the firing Removing it later during the firing may cause the organic materials to flame up for a mo ment Should this happen leave the door closed so that the flames can die out safely Rate Temperature Hold Each brand and type of silver clay fires at a specific rate temperature and hold time This information is available from your silver clay supplier Select the heating rate that the silver clay manufac turer recommends if you are firing silver clay alone If you fire glass or ceramics with the silver clay select a rate best suited for the glass or ceramics You may also need a slower rate for hollow silver clay pieces that have core fillers to burn out If the filler is completely enclosed leave a small hole in the silver Note Do not place hollow silver clay pieces that have a core filler into a hot kiln The filler could flame up and crack the silver Note It is okay to place silver clay pieces into a hot kiln approximately 500 F 260 C provided the pieces are completely dry and do not contain other materials such as glass or s
59. to the copper Use a 60 mesh sifter If the coat is too thin you can eas ily add another coat after firing But a coat that is too thick will bubble and crack The enamel must dry completely before firing Spatula or Inlaid Method You can use this method to decorate a small area with many different colors Using a diluted solution of Thompson holding agent dampen the enamels just to the saturation point and maintain this moisture while working with the enamels Apply the enamels onto the copper with a small spatula and spread them out with a spreader to a coat of about 1 32 thick Lines of contact can be formed by the spatula blade Then spray the enamels with the holding agent to keep the grains of enamel in place Allow the enamel to dry completely be fore firing Firing Enamel 1 Heat the kiln to 1450 F 787 C for most enameling Use a single segment Please see your digital con troller instruction manual Rate Temp Segment F C F C Hold 1 1799 999 1450 787 01 00 Note Hold time should be the length of time you will be inserting enameling into the kiln In the above example hold time is 1 hour 2 Lay the copper shape on an enameling rack If the part that touches the rack is enameled place a stilt under the copper Some bowls or other shapes have enameled sides that might run during firing These should be fired with a stilt even if the piece has a plain bottom Use an enameling fork or a long spa
60. tones Moist silver clay could explode or crack in a hot kiln Do not insert a fireclay shelf into a hot kiln After the kiln begins firing leave the door closed Do not open the door until it is time to remove the clay Visual inspection of the clay is unnecessary If you are firing glass with the silver clay on the other hand you may need to check the fusing progress of the Crack the door open about 1 4 to check the progress of the glass It takes only a couple of seconds glass by opening the door 1 4 1 2 and looking inside Look for just a second or two As you gain experience you will be able to program the correct temperature for the silver clay and glass combination eliminating the need to visually check the glass Cooling the Piece After the clay silver has fired to completion you can crack the door an inch to speed cooling If you are firing stones glass or other materials with the silver clay it is safer to allow the kiln to cool slowly with door closed Re move the piece after the kiln reaches room temperature Silver clay pieces that contain no other materials can be removed from the kiln right after the hold time is over Remove the shelf with an enameling fork or long handled spatula heat resistant gloves and safety glasses If you remove large pieces at higher temperatures than 800 F 430 C the pieces may warp Caution Turn the kiln off before inserting any thing into the fir
61. torage 5 Kilns used for either reduction or salt firing 6 Kilns damaged by improper electrical in stallation 7 Kilns used for purposes other than firing ce ramics glass heat treating or the purpose for which it was intended 8 Element burnout caused by contact with foreign materials WARRANTY COVERAGE EXTENDS ONLY TO THE ORIGINAL PURCHASER AND DOES NOT COVER REPLACEMENT OF PARTS THAT ARE BY THEIR NATURE EXPENDABLE THIS WAR RANTY IS VOIDED IF THE PRODUCT IS AD VERSELY AFFECTED BY ATTACHING ANY FEA TURE OR DEVICE TO IT OR IS IN ANY WAY TAMPERED WITH OR MODIFIED WITHOUT EX PRESS WRITTEN PERMISSION FROM PARAGON INDUSTRIES L P Paragon Industries L P will repair or replace any parts that become defective under normal and proper use during the specified period for the kiln purchased pro viding the kiln has not been subjected to misuse or the listed exclusions Paragon will furnish and install re placement parts at the factory with transportation costs to and from the factory paid by the owner or upon receipt of defective parts at the factory and after factory examina tion of the defect Paragon will furnish replacement parts complete with installation instructions shipped postpaid to owner The warranty on the repaired and or replaced parts will be limited to the unexpired term of the original warranty 28 Any claim for adjustment under this warranty must in clude name and address of dealer from whom kiln w
62. tula to place the rack into the kiln on top of 1 2 ceramic posts Note Firing the piece at enameling temperature should take about 3 minutes and requires undi vided attention 3 Look at your piece every 15 seconds by cracking open the door Remove the rack when the copper piece appears a rosy red and the enamel is smooth Place the rack on a steel pad or large ceramic kiln shelf and let it cool completely 4 After you remove the enameling piece allow the kiln to heat up again to the enameling tempera ture Then insert the next enameling piece 5 After counter enameling you will need to clean the fire scale off the front of the piece A 3M Scotch Brite pad works well for this Then clean it with Thompson Sparex No 2 Ceramic Overglaze and Decals Pyrometric Cones Pyrometric cones are small pyramids of clay and mineral oxide that soften and bend when exposed to heat They indicate when ceramic ware has fired to maturity A self supporting cone fired to matu Pyrometric Conr S come rity Do not be concerned if the tip is in 1 1 8 and 2 2 lengths slightly higher or lower than shown Use the 21 2 cones Cones mounted on the kiln shelf must be slanted 8 from vertical They will not bend accurately if they are slanted to the wrong an gle Self supporting large cones have the correct slant built into the base Standard cones must be mounted in a clay or wire plaque The chart on pa

Paragon Ceramic Fiber Jewelry Kiln Instruction & Service Manual

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Paragon Ceramic Fiber Jewelry Kiln Instruction &amp; Service Manual

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Paragon Ceramic Fiber Jewelry Kiln Instruction & Service Manual