Paragon Home Artist Kiln Instruction & Service Manual
Contents
1. o not allow room temperature to exceed 100 110 F 5 Keep the kiln away from curtains and other combus tible materials 6 Keep the space above the kiln clear of hanging plant ers and overhead shelves 7 Position kiln on a level fire proof surface such as a concrete floor Ifyou place the kiln on a concrete floor finished with linoleum tile place a fireproof material over the tile to protect it from discoloration 8 Keep unsupervised children away 9 Keep the power supply cord away from the kiln case There is little danger of serious burn from accidental contact if you exercise the same caution you would use with an electric iron Transporting the Kiln Some people take their kilns to seminars or on vacation The easiest way to transport the kiln is to use the original packing materials If you no longer have the packing materials transport the kiln in an upright position with the lid closed Place a thin sheet of foam cushioning between the lid and the firing chamber to prevent rubbing Avoid subjecting the kiln to ex cessive vibration during travel A thin sheet of foam packing will prevent abrasion be tween the lid and firing chamber during travel Before I ever took the first ceramics class I knew in my heart that I needed to be work ing with clay It s something that reaches back into my childhood Sheron Roberts Centering clay has a way of putting me into that altered state wh2. q The Sentry Xpress micro processor is manufactured by the Orton Ceramic Foundation and displays the CE mark 6 Remove the 4 screws holding the controller faceplate to the top of the switch box Lift out the faceplate 7 Remove the 2 thermocouple wires attached to the back of the controller They are held in place by but ton or lever type connectors To remove the wires lift the levers or press down on the connector buttons and pull the wires out 8 Strip 2 of insulation from the ends of the new ther mocouple wires Be sure the wire ends are separated where the insulation has been stripped If bare ends touch the thermocouple will not work properly 9 Attach the wires to the back of the controller One wire is yellow the other red Make sure the wires connect to the cor rect terminals which are color coded Reinstall the controller to the switch box 10 Position the ther mocouple wires so they are away from readings Press the buttons on the back of the board to remove the thermocouple wires shown here Observe color coding the hot sides of the kiln case and other electrical wires Placing thermocouple wires next to or looped around other wires could cause erratic controller 11 Check that no wires touch the kiln case or element connectors Wires touching element connectors e or kiln case will burn Reinstall switch box Insert the new thermocouple into the kiln wall Adjust to the p
3. Kiln wash shelves or tile before placing cones on them See page 8 You do not need to place a cone in every firing though it is a good idea to do so The cone slants 8 degrees from vertical and bends i in the direction of the slant Place Position the cone so that it will the cone so that it will not touch Nottouch nearby ware when it bends nearby ware as it bends Cones come in either standard or self supporting Standard large cones must be mounted in a clay or wire plaque with 2 of the cone exposed above the cone holder Self supporting cones stand up right without holders We recom mend self supporting cones they are easier to use than stan dard large cones a Handle co arefully f Sea K Standard large cones require dropped they may develop cracks 5 clay or wire plaque to hold that could affect their perfor them upright mance Age and normal humidity do not affect the accuracy of cones However do not use them if they become wet For more information on pyromet ric cones see your kiln s digital controller manual Bending results 1 Under fired cone 1 2 Correctly fired cone 3 Over fired puddled cone 2 3 gt Low Fire Greenware Clay is fired in two separate firings the greenware firing and glaze firing You can buy ware that has already been through the first firing It is called bisque ware Simply glaze the bisque and fire again I
4. Paragon Home Artist Kiln Instruction amp Service Manual Introduction Thank you for choosing the Paragon Home Artist kiln We have designed it to give you many years of reli able service The kiln changes clay into ceramics one of the hardest materials known Ceramic ware is so durable that it is among the few surviving artifacts from ancient civilizations With your new kiln you can make art pieces that will last for many generations Please read this manual before firing the kiln The manual will help you gain the most enjoyment from your Home Artist kiln and is bound to answer many questions The manual could also save you money failure to follow instructions can easily cause expensive damage to the kiln This manual gives basic firing instructions for greenware clay glaze overglaze china paint and glass Please consult your supplier for spe cific instructions on firing their products Inspect the kiln When you receive your kiln check What is it about that meditative quiet when the carton for damage crushed holes etc 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 kids are working with clay I teach 3rd 4th and 5th graders in a very poor neighbor hood and even the toughest 5th grader will driver note the damage on the Bill of Lading Then let
5. Posts in each layer should be at least 1 taller than the ware Minimum spacing between shelves is 2 Ye as shown above 7 Stack shelves so there is at least one row of element between any two shelves 8 Posts used with each shelf layer should be at least 1 taller than the ware 9 Keep ware and kiln shelves 1 1 away from the thermocouple 10 If possible load the top shelf to a height where one element row is be tween the top shelf and the top of the kiln Have at least one row of element showing above the top shelf if possible 11 When loading ware and shelves do not dislodge the thermocouple 12 Do not move the kiln or bump into it after you have loaded it This could topple the ware inside 9 The Basics of Firing the Kiln Venting the Lid P N HOME120 SN 66 MODEL S e 2 S Your Home Artist kiln is equipped with a lid prop During the first stage of firing raising the lid with the prop allows gases and water vapor produced by the ware to escape Note If you do not prop the lid when firing items that release moisture the vapor will be pushed out of the firing chamber wherever it can escape resulting in rust to the steel case and switch box For lusters and overglazes you may need additional vent ing In this case you can raise the lid an ex tra inch with a short ceramic post Do not prop the lid to rush the cooling of the ware This can damage the war
6. Before firing use Program Review to check that you have programmed the correct cone E Use Program Review to be sure you have not inadver tently programmed an extended hold time This can overfire the ware E Asa safety precaution learn to judge temperature by the color of the firing chamber The color of the interior ap pears as a line of light at the seam between the lid and the kiln wall With experience you can tell by the color around the lid how hot the interior is If the controller malfunctions and the kiln becomes too hot turn off the kiln Indications of an overfire the firing time is longer than usual and the interior color is too bright Color Temperature Chart Cone Degrees F 022 to 019 885 to 1200 018 to 016 1200 to 1380 015 to 014 1380 to 1500 013 to 010 1500 to 1650 09 to 03 1650 to 2000 02 to 10 2000 to 2400 Color Lowest visible red to dark red Dark red to cherry red Cherry red to bright cherry red Bright cherry red to orange Orange to yellow Yellow to light yellow firings takes just mo When you concentrate on making a pot you have no time to dwell on ments As you gain expe rience you will find a your problems I know a therapist who used clay in working with suicidal wealth of information in teens She has worked wonders with these kids your record book It will Mike Gordon 11 Power Failures If a firing that has reached red heat is inter r
7. did not burn off completely During the glaze firing these gases rupture the glazed surface causing pinholes and bub bles Damp bisque can reduce the number of air pockets and pinholes that may form when glaze dries too quickly Clean bisque with tap water or use a base coat of glaze thinned 3 parts glaze to 1 part water immediately before applying glaze in the usual manner to the bisque Poor color in colored glazes can be caused by too thin an application placing ware too close to an element or to other glazed ware which may be incompatible insufficient venting during the early stages of firing or overfiring glazes in the red family Light edges on dark glass glaze pieces may be caused by the flow of the glaze away from the edges in two directions Try an extra coat of glaze on the edges or apply a thin coat of underglaze in the following manner Mix 1 part water with 2 parts of suitable dark or black underglaze and brush a thin wash coat of the underglaze over the bisque ware Then im mediately apply the first regular coat of full strength glaze Allow to dry thoroughly between coats Continue with num ber of coats recommended by the manufacturer Sagging glaze is usually caused by applying too much glaze on a vertical surface causing the glaze to actually sag when fired Crawling or bare spots on a fired piece can be caused by applying the glaze too heavily Oil from your skin that gets on the greenware before it is 7 fired c
8. ak After firing glazed ware in your kiln examine the shelves for glaze particles Sharp slivers of glaze stuck to the shelf can cut hands Before rubbing a hand over a shelf be sure the shelf is free of glaze shards Fire only approved materials purchased from a knowl edgeable 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 be fore firing Moist greenware can explode inside the kiln damaging the ware and the kiln Place a piece of greenware against the inside of your wrist If it feels cool it is too wet to fire Do not fire cracked shelves They can break during firing damaging the ware inside the kiln Store kiln shelves in a dry area Moist shelves can explode inside a kiln If you smell burning plastic turn the kiln off Examine the wall outlet and supply cord for signs of burning Do not fire the kiln if the wall outlet is damaged by heat Never place extra insulation around the kiln in an attempt to conserve energy The extra insulation can cause the wiring and the steel case to over heat Keep loose fitting clothing away from the hot kiln Darcy Giesseman Setting Up the Kiln Electrical Installation You must plug your kiln into a circuit that no other appliance uses while the kiln is firing Turn off the circuit b
9. annealing range for most glasses is between 950 510 C and 700 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 temperature change can crack the piece T used to have this wonderful haiku pinned up above my kiln when I had my studio Now that my house has burned down I have a better view of the rising moon During firing I would lose stuff that I had made Things I thought would be beautiful turned out ugly The haiku helped me real ize that I had to live with loss and failure and learn from it Sandra Dwiggins Imperfection Poor firing results are naturally disappointing especially after you have spent hours ona piece Mistakes are an inevi table part of the learning process They are bound to happen The time spent making a faulty piece is never time wasted if you learn from the mistake Use this section to find out how to make the ware better the next time Bisque Warped ware can be caused by distorting upon removal of the piece from the mold firing too close to the elements or firing a piece in an unnatural position Sagging ware is usually the result of overfir
10. crack or chip apply 8 a fresh coat When recoating a shelf remove most of the old coating with grit cloth available from Paragon This is an abrasive coated mesh that allows residue to pass through You could also use coarse sand pa per Removing the old coating gives you a smooth surface to start with Wear a respirator when removing separator Then recoat the shelf using the following directions Use grit cloth to remove most of the old separator Then apply a fresh coat Caution Do not apply separator to the ceramic fi ber firing chamber walls lid or bottom Contact with separator will destroy the heating element which is embedded in the walls 1 Mix the separator with water follow ing the directions on the bag Stir 2 Use a haik brush or a soft paint brush to apply the sepa rator to the shelf The haik brush is easier to use be cause itlaysdowna Applying separator to the shelf more even coat ing Each time you dip your brush into the separa tor mixture swirl the brush around the bottom of the container This is because the separator settles quickly Start the brush stroke near the center of the shelf and work toward the edges This is to avoid a buildup of separator on the edges 3 Use two or three thin coats changing the direction of the brush stroke 90 with each coat Let the sepa rator dry for a few minutes between coats Do not apply thick coats they tend to flake off 4 D
11. expand and contract at the same rate If the glaze shrinks more than the clay the glaze will craze forming small cracks If it expands more than the clay it will shiver breaking off in sections Test each clay and glaze combination using clay scraps such as broken bisque pieces Use stilts to support low fire glazed ware dur ing firing The shelf tops Use stilts to separate the ware from the and floor MUST be kiln kin shelf washed with all purpose high fire kiln wash for protection from glaze drops Note Kiln wash only the top side of the shelf Kiln wash on the underside of the shelf will flake off onto glazed ware placed below the shelf Caution Never apply kiln wash to the ceramic fiber floor of the Home Artist Kiln Glazed pieces must be thoroughly dry before firing and should not be fired with greenware unless both mature at the same cone Even then separate the glaze from the greenware by loading glazed pieces in the bottom of the kiln and greenware on shelves above Low fire glaze usually fires to a lower cone than greenware so firing time will be shorter if glazed pieces are loaded separately Check to make sure that first no two pieces of glazed ware are touching each other the kiln walls the floor or the shelves and second that the underside of the kiln shelf is clean before you place it over glazed pieces Any dust falling on your ware will cause pinholes To eliminate stilt marks you can p
12. fired glaze luster An iridescent overglaze sometimes metallic maturing point The stage where clay or glaze has received the correct amount of heat work This is usually measured by the 6 o clock bend of a large pyrometric cone placed on a kiln shelf beside the ware being fired overglazes China paints lusters gold etc usually used over a fired glaze but may also be applied on polished porcelain bisque and fired for permanency plaster A white powder used for making ce ramic molds porcelain A vitrified translucent ceramic ware Fires to a higher temperature than any other ceramic ware pyrometer An instrument for measuring temperature ramp Changing the temperature with a con troller If the temperature change is drawn in graph form the resulting line looks like a ramp relay An electromagnet that when triggered by current from the controller turns on the heating elements segment A set of instructions for the con troller in the Ramp Hold mode A segment changes firing speed temperature and can add hold time sgraffito Decorating ware by scratching the surface layer of clay This reveals a clay of a different color underneath silica A mineral that will not harden at a very high firing temperature used for separating porcelain greenware during firing slip A liquid clay used in making ceramic ob jects by casting stilts Small clay or metal tipped supports used to prevent glazed objec
13. heat and length of firing In 1886 a German ceramist named Seger made clay cones that bent when the ware received the proper heat work He positioned the cones ona shelf inside the kiln By looking through a view port in the kiln he could see the cones bend and knew when to turn off the kiln His cones took the guesswork out of fir ing Today we still use Seger s cones They are small pyramids of clay and mineral oxide that soften and bend when exposed to heat When con sulting your dealer with a glaze prob lem you should have a bent cone from that firing The cone will help trouble shoot the problem The cone lets you compare one firing to the next If the cone bends less and less Self supporting cones with each firing it indicates that the must be broken apart be thermocouple is wearing and will fore use Note that the soon need replacement Without C0 nen isstamped sea on the base cones it would be difficult to know that Cones are manufactured by the Orton Ceramic Founda tion and available from your distributor Cone Numbers The most confusing thing about cones is the way they are numbered But once you un derstand the reason behind Pyrometric the numbers the system be Cones comes clear Pyrometric cones are numbered from Hotter 022 through 01 and 1 through 4 10 Cone 022 matures at the 3 lowest temperature and 10 2 matures at the highest Seger 1 numbered his original cones L hn from 1
14. slip to make greenware keep the kiln away from the pouring area Do not allow anyone with a glaze brush near the kiln It is easy for glaze to end up on the el ement E Keep glazed ware at least 2 away from the kiln walls It is possible for glaze to bubble and splash onto the kiln dur ing firing E Ifyou smooth out glaze imperfections before loading the ware into the kiln do it away from the kiln The airborne glaze powder can contaminate the element The Basics of Firing Clay Do not fire plaster plaster of paris or polymer clay in the kiln Do not fire anything that requires a temperature higher than 2000 F such as stoneware and porcelain You will prob ably fire mostly slip cast earthenware clay and porcelain china blanks Clay is fired twice The first firing is the greenware or bisque firing The second is the glaze firing The greenware firing hardens the raw clay so that it can accept glaze If greenware were glazed the moisture in the glaze would weaken the unfired clay Note Greenware is unfired clay Bisque is fired clay that has not yet been glazed Burning Off the Carbons Slip cast clay is made by pouring clay into a mold then after a short period pouring most of the clay back out of the mold Slip cast ware as a re sult is hollow inside Most slip cast clay can be fired rap idly D gt The larger and thicker the ware the slower it must be Giy is solid and very thick twil fired If yo
15. the bottom plate and a stilt between each plate stacked on top Stacking plates with stilts should be limited to 3 or 4 plates Line the stilts vertically Note When separating horizontal plates with trian gular stilts load the plates gently Otherwise the china painted plates will scratch When firing overglaze vent the lid with the lid prop until all smoke and odor from china paint oil and other organic materials has vanished How long this takes depends on how much decoration is on the ware Gold and lusters will look dull if not vented Some colors such as red need especially thorough venting To be on the safe side you can leave the lid in vented position throughout the entire overglaze firing The kiln can be fired at the kiln s Fast speed for most overglazes Larger pieces should be fired slower Some ma terials such as bone china also need a slower firing China paints fired at a slow speed absorb more thoroughly into the glaze If you are in doubt about speed fire slower It is not worth risking pieces you spent time on to fire the kiln fast Use the kiln s hold feature to soak china paint at the firing temperature A 15 20 minute hold gives china paints time to absorb more deeply into the glaze Before firing valuable pieces do a test with hold time Too much hold time can burn out china colors Slow cooling is important for some materials such as gold Glass paste on porcelain should also cool slowly Be sur
16. 005 22 Replacing the Firing Chamber 0 0 ce eee eee 22 Ceramic Fiber Repair 0 0 eee eee 23 Replacing the lid 2 2 2 c0 ase cian ba eeeea tetas de kare 23 GIOGESY bi cikc tice tcc cd eenserawee Paragon Kiln Limited Warranty 24 Safety Overfiring 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 for 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 The Orton Firing Institute We encourage you to become a member of the Orton Firing In stitute where you will receive expert advice on making and firing clay Call 614 895 2663 to joi
17. AL OR WORKMAN SHIP NOTE SOMESTATES DO NOT ALLOW THE EXCLUSION OR LIMITATION OF INCIDENTAL OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES SO THE ABOVE LIMI TATION OR EXCLUSION MAY NOT APPLY TO YOU This agreement is made in the State of Texas and its va lidity construction and all rights under it will be governed 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 D E a Industries Inc 2011 South Town East Blvd Mesquite Texas 75149 1122 972 288 7557 Toll Free 800 876 4328 Fax 972 222 0646 Toll Free Fax 888 222 6450 paragonind worldnet att net www paragonweb com
18. Black rings in the fired ware indi cate that the nested pieces were packed too tightly to burn off all the carbon Greenware does not need stilts Fire ware in the position in which it will be used when finished except for large pieces with flat vertical surfaces such as wall plaques and clocks These should be fired flat to prevent warping Pieces to be used together such as a box with its lid should be fired in place to ensure a good fit You can also stack mugs and bowls rim to rim Fire greenware box and lid together to ensure a good fit 14 a Lids and bowls are fired together in the greenware firing Low fire greenware firing is simple Just be certain the greenware is fired to the pyrometric cone recommended by the clay supplier If the greenware is not fired hot enough the piece will absorb moisture after it has been glaze fired causing the glazed surface to crack This is called crazing and is most often due to underfired greenware To help eliminate crazing fire greenware at least one cone hotter than glaze and even hotter if glaze can still be applied easily to the hard bisque While glaze may be applied to greenware and fired once separate firings produce better quality so we do not recommend single firing of greenware and glaze Allow the kiln to cool to room temperature before opening the lid Greenware and Glazed Ware In the Same Firing The clay is fired in two separate firings the gre
19. Feel free to experiment with firing speed using throw away samples of bisque Some glazes look better when fired at a particular speed In the greenware firing a bowl and lid are fired together In the low fire glaze firing they are kept separate as shown above Remove the stilts from the ware after firing by breaking the thin film of glaze holding them Handle with caution Re move the sharp stilt edges by rubbing with a stilt stone elec tric grinder or hand grinder See photo page 7 Many of our customers in very stressful jobs find release through clay One a doctor found clay to be the road back from a mental breakdown Stephen Mills 15 Overglaze Overglaze is decoration applied over fired glaze or pol ished porcelain bisque Overglazes include china paints gold and luster which fire from 022 to 014 Use stilts to increase the flow of heat under the pieces and make sure ware is not touching other ware Hard bodied porcelain can be stilted But do not stilt soft bodied ware such as bone china The stilt would embed into the glaze Ware must be completely dry before firing Remove smudges and fingerprints from the bottom of pieces Wipe dust off the pieces with a soft silk cloth Note Use stilts to increase the air flow under pieces with large flat surfaces or sections that vary in thickness You can place small pieces directly on the kiln shelf Test fire all china paints on the glazes you are us
20. INDUSTRIES INC Paragon Industries Inc will repair or replace any parts that become defective under normal and proper use during the specified period for the kiln purchased providing the kiln has not been subjected to misuse or the listed exclu sions Paragon will furnish and install replacement 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 examination 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 un expired term of the original warranty Any claim for adjustment under this warranty must in clude name and address of dealer from whom kiln was origi nally purchased Repair or replacement of any defective parts shall fulfill all obligations of Paragon No other obligations or liabilities are assumed in connection with Paragon kilns nor does Paragon Industries Inc authorize its distributors or dealers to assume any other obligations or liabilities on its behalf THERE ARE NO OTHER WARRANTIES EXPRESSED OR IMPLIED INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO ANY IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE IN NO EVENT SHALL PARAGON INDUSTRIES INC BE LIA BLE FOR ANY LOSS OF PROFITS OR ANY INDIRECT OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES ARISING OUT OF ANY SUCH DEFECT IN MATERI
21. Sticks To Glass when fired too hot In stead of firing to a full fuse temperature try firing 50 F cooler and holding at that temperature for twenty minutes Maintenance Trouble Shooter Kiln Does Not Turn a On Display is Blank E Make sure the circuit breaker is in the on a position E If the breaker is on check the kiln s fuse It is located on the kiln s switch box Remove the fuse by pressing on the fuse holder and turning counter clockwise half a turn Check the fuse by placing the probes of an ohmmeter on the ends of the fuse If the ohmeter reads less than one ohm digital meter or reads 0 ohms analog meter the fuse is bad Replacement fuse AGC A 250V AC Note If you do not have an ohmmeter visually in spect the fuse You will see a thin strand of unbroken wire in a good fuse The wire usually appears broken in a burned fuse like the filament in a light bulb Circuit Breaker Trips E If the circuit breaker trips after the kiln has fired for awhile make sure no other ap pliances are operating on the same circuit as the kiln The breaker may need replacing The breaker may have tripped due to loose connections in the breaker box If the fuse or circuit breaker panel feels unusually warm have your electrician check for loose connections particularly at the center screw of the fuse socket even in a new fuse box E If the circuit breaker trips immedia
22. ace 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 coef ficient of thermal expansion If you fuse two glass pieces to gether and one changes size faster or slower than the other the fused piece may crack even several months after re moving from the kiln When different glasses have a close enough coefficient of expansion to fuse successfully they re called fusing compati ble Buy glass labeled fusing compatible Or fuse glass that has been cut from the same sheet which guarantees com patibility Fusing Compatibility Test 1 To test glass for compatibility fuse small 2 square sample pieces of different glasses onto a larger base piece of clear transparent It should extend beyond the small sample pieces by half an inch on each side One of the sample pieces should be cut from the base piece 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 under 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 Results of the Test If you see a halo around the edges of the small
23. air from the kiln will move across the mirror s sur face If the mirror fogs the greenware is still releasing mois ture Keep the lid propped and hold 200 F 93 C until the mirror no longer fogs The mirror must be at room temperature for this test The mirror fogs when moisture in the hot air condenses on the cooler mir ror If you hold the mirror too long near the kiln the mirror will heat up and will no longer fog when mois ture hits it So hold it at the lid for only several seconds at a time 13 Loading and Firing Low Fire Greenware Low fire greenware has a firing range from cone 06 to 02 The greenware must be bone dry before firing Otherwise it will crack or even explode during firing Check for dryness by touching to cheek or the inside of a wrist Ware will be cold if not dry Another indicator of moisture is patches of darker color in the clay Handle greenware carefully Cradle the pieces from the bottom Do not lift by a rim Low fire greenware pieces do not stick together during firing Therefore greenware may be stacked so that it touches each other Place small items around larger ones You can also place light greenware pieces inside larger ones This is called nesting Be sure that Nested greenware must not be loaded too tightly there is plenty of room for expansion inside the larger pieces Pack nested pieces lightly so that heat can still circulate freely around each piece
24. an also cause this An i other cause may be hard spots from too much polish ing of your greenware when sponging A few drops of vinegar in your sponging water will help alleviate this problem Crawling may be corrected by applying more glaze to these spots and Crawling or bare spots refiring Underglaze Streaks in underglaze are usually caused by not applying enough coats to the greenware After a piece has been deco rated with underglaze and fired you may check it for streaks by submerging it in water and immediately removing it The piece will appear glossy just as if it had been glazed and streaks and thin spots will show up The weak spots can be touched up and refired Be sure the underglaze has been fired before putting it under water For interesting designs underglaze colors may be applied over unfired matte or tex ture glazes that do not flow 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 Standing plates on edge or using a plate holder gives good heat circulation and will help prevent plate breakage Purple spots in gold are 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 19 Broken lines in
25. ature wire The stilt suspends glazed ware on the wire points to sep ww Straightening a stilt point Removing stilt marks with a stilt stone Cleaning stilt wire with a stilt stone arate the piece from the kiln shelf Stilts also allow air to circulate around large flat pieces Stilts can be used in fir ings up to 2000 F They can not be used to fire porcelain and stoneware which fire to cone 6 10 At those temper atures the wire points would embed into the clay Stilts however can be used to fire overglaze onto porce lain at china painting tem peratures Load ornaments onto a stilt post Triangular stilts are general purpose for cups bowls and saucers Stilt points are made of a high temperature metal alloy You can straighten metal points by bending gently with pli ers Remove glaze buildup on the points with a stilt stone or emery cloth The oxidation of the wire can discolor the glaze at the stilt mark Cleaning the wire points with a stilt stone solves that problem Stilts come in a wide variety of shapes and sizes The 3 point triangular stilts support bowls plates and cups Bar stilts support longer pieces Load orna ments and eggs on stilt posts Be careful when you remove the stilt after Bar stilts support longer pieces and firing The stilt points pieces with a large hollow base leave a sharp edge in 7 the glaze Handle the ware carefully to avo
26. down his cool and tough act for clay call Paragon at 800 876 4328 or 972 288 7557 open Grace Sheese 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 damage after the driver has 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 amp t amp rt Cracks in the firing chamber are normal Please do not be alarmed by them P N SN 2002 by Paragon Industries Inc IM 214 9 02 2 Cracks clicking discoloration 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 heated The paint and stainless steel wrap will eventually discolor from heat This again will not affect the kiln s performance During firing you will hear an intermittent distinct clicking This is the sound of the relay sending power to the heating element Do not be concerned with this sound The Electr
27. e Never open the lid un til the kiln has cooled to room temperature Protecting the Heating Element Contact with silica or silica bearing compounds such as kiln wash glass separator alumina hydrate glass enameling powder and ceramic glaze will ruin the heating element Never fire glazed ceramic ware or glass directly on the firing chamber bottom Use a ceramic shelf to protect the bottom from glaze drips glass and enameling powder Caution Your kiln s heating element is embedded in the walls of the firing chamber Materials such as glass and glaze if absorbed into the fiber walls can ruin the element This type of damage is not cov ered by warranty Prevent glass separator kiln wash and alumina hydrate from falling from a shelf onto the firing chamber These materials can destroy the element Note If a contaminant such as dripping glass or glaze embeds into the firing chamber unplug the 10 kiln Allow to cool to room temperature Gently scrape off the contaminant with a knife being careful not to dam age the heating ele ment Vacuum the kiln ggaeestess ast E Be sure to vent _ glazed ware by Removing spattered glaze from the ce propping the lid amic fiber wall with a knife Caution un plug kiln Avoid disturbing the element during the first stage of firing Glaze fumes can eventually crystallize on the firing chamber and element if the kiln is not vented E If you pour
28. e applies to both heating and cooling The second critical temperature range is annealing which is the cooling range of 950 750 F 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 open the kiln for a few seconds to peek inside you may hear a ping which is the sound of glass cracking Avoid the tempta tion to open the kiln 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 kiln while it is still hot After each firing examine the shelf Recoat if the kiln wash is chipped When glass sticks to a bare section of shelf the glass will crack Glass Bubbles are often caused by heating the kiln too fast Air grease or dirt trapped between layers of glass can cause bubbles Other causes are uneven glass volume and moisture or air trapped between the glass and shelf Make sure the shelf is completely dry before firing If you have applied fresh glass separator leave the shelf in the kiln at 300 F for 30 minutes before placing glass on it 20 One way to eliminate bubbles is to hold the temperature at 100 F below fusing temperature for 20 minutes This gives the shelf time to heat up to match the temperature of the glass Glass Separator
29. e the kiln room is well ventilated Allow the kiln to cool to room temperature before opening the lid Decals Squeeze bubbles out of the decal when applying Vent by leaving the lid open all the way until the fumes burn off Then prop the lid throughout the rest of the firing 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 lu bricate the cutter wheel Running Pliers are for cutting large pieces of glass Breaking Pliers are for cutting small strips Grozing 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 cut ting 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 unbroken 3 Pl
30. enware or bisque firing and the glaze firing Greenware should not be fired in the same load as glazed ware Not only do the two types of ware mature at different temperatures but gases from the greenware can discolor the glaze and also cause glaze bubbles If you must fire greenware and glaze pieces in the same load place the glazed pieces in the bottom of the kiln and the greenware pieces on a shelf above The profound experience of working with clay is to have a three dimensional image in your head and then have it come out through your hands Marie Gibbons Low Fire Glaze Your hands must be clean when touching glazed ware Oil and hand lotion will leave finger prints If you scrape off or damage the color during handling you can usually repair it by applying more glaze over the damaged spot before firing The difference between loading greenware and glazed ware is that glazed pieces must not touch each other the floor or a shelf in your kiln during firing If this happens they will be permanently bonded together and ruined by the melted glaze The natural expansion and contraction of the ceramic fi ber during each firing generates tremendous stresses within the firing chamber As a result fine grains of dust may form on the firing chamber and should be removed before each firing Vacuum the walls bottom and inside surface of the lid with the soft brush nozzle attachment of a vacuum cleaner Glaze and clay must
31. ere time doesn t hap pen Millie Carpenter 5 Kiln Parts Digital Controller Regulate firing speed and temperature with digital accuracy See the sepa rate controller manual Lid Latch The latch is a reminder to keep the lid closed until the kiln has cooled to room temperature a e te t 4 Aaaa ITTI Fe lt Le tP eet ae Thermocouple The thermocouple senses temperature in the firing chamber When loading the kiln be careful not to Ceramic Fiber Firing Chamber Ceramic fiber is a space age effi cient insulation Be careful to pre vent glaze and other contaminants hit or dislodge the thermo k from contacting the fiber shell couple Collapsible Handle Pull the handle up to move the kiln Lower the handle before firing the Embedded Heating Element The heating element can burn out on contact with ceramic glaze kiln kiln ee wash glass and contaminants con taining silica and silica bearing com Lid Prop pornos Prop the lid to vent fumes during the early stage of firing On Off Switch Turn the switch off and and unplug the kiln when not in use Switch Box The electrical compo nents are housed in the Switch Box Fuse switch box The fuse protects the controller Check the fuse if the display is blank Case Vents The vent slots move air through a channel be tween the firing chamber and outside case This lowers the
32. f you are firing greenware read this section If you are doing only glaze firings skip to the next section page 15 Drying the Clay Greenware should be completely dry before you place it in the kiln Moist greenware can rust the kiln and can explode if fired too fast Some people use an infrared light bulb to dry the clay It may be necessary to use a dehumidifier Dry the ware evenly A raised surface such as a rack will help air to circulate freely around the clay Do not dry the clay too rap idly especially thick pieces or the clay will crack 1 Give the greenware enough time to dry Drying time depends on humidity 2 Touch the greenware to the inside of the wrist or to the cheek If it feels warm it is usually dry Dry longer if it feels cool Note that in humid areas even damp greenware can feel warm The humidity causes the moisture in the greenware to stop evaporating 3 If you live in a humid area and the greenware is still moist after an extended drying time load it into the kiln Prop the lid with the lid prop Fire to 200 F 93 C at a rate of 100 F 55 C in Ramp Hold mode Main tain 200 F 93 C hold until the greenware dries com pletely usually 2 hours of hold time See the sepa rate controller instruction manual Caution Do not fire the greenware higher than 200 F 93 C until it has completely dried Testing for Dryness with a Mirror Hold a mirror above the propped lid for a few seconds where hot
33. g out of place before they fuse The glue disap pears during firing Avoid using glue on the coated side of dichroic glass If you lay dichroic glass carefully onto the piece glue is unnec essary so avoid it alto gether if you do not know which side of the dichroic is coated Loading the Kiln Air should circulate between the shelf and the bottom of the kiln so place three or four 1 2 posts in the kiln Lay the shelf over the posts Firing the Glass 1 Vent the kiln by propping the lid with the lid prop Venting allows the gases released to escape When the kiln reaches 500 800 F 260 426 C lower the lid from the vented position 18 7 Sr ol Kesen j Looking at the glass during firing Open the lid about 1 Always wear firing safety glasses when looking at the hot glass 2 The first time you fire a particular brand or type of glass program the controller for a higher tempera ture than the estimated fusing temperature Watch the glass by opening the lid 1 for several seconds at atime Shut the kiln off when the glass fuses the way you want Make a note of the shut off temperature For future firings program the kiln for that tem perature 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 lid for 10 min utes by using the lid prop Then close the lid 4 The
34. glass sam ples 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 the an nealing 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 anneal ing 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 anneal 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 17 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 silicones rubbing alcohol or even plain water just before assembling the pieces on the kiln shelf Use white glue such as Elmer s diluted 1 1 with water to hold the glass pieces together after you place them on the kiln shelf Use the glue sparingly Glue is es pecially important when fusing wire into the glass The glue prevents the glass or wire from movin
35. gold can be caused by overfiring or too heavy an application However this is can be very attractive when gold is crackled over a dark color of fired glaze Peeling china paint can be caused by the paint being applied too heavily Loss of color in china painting is usually a result of overfiring or thinning your paint with too much medium when applying Faded colors in overglaze decals are a result of either underfiring or overfiring If pinks and reds are drab refire to a hotter cone When used with a china paint background ap ply and fire the decals first then china paint and fire again Check the recommendations of decal supplier If decal was underfired refire to proper firing cone If decal was overfired the design may be repainted in china paints and refired Weakening of luster colors can be caused by overfiring White spots in lusters or metals can be caused by mois ture on the ware before it was placed in the kiln or from hav ing been fired at the same time as other overglazes Apply lusters only on a dry day Powdering of luster colors can be caused by too heavy an application Glass Glass Cracking is caused by heating or cooling too fast or fusing incompatible glass Not enough glass separator on the shelf can also cause glass cracking Most problems in fusing are caused by rushing the firing The glass must change temperature slowly during the critical temperature range of 100 500 F This critical rang
36. ical data plate Important in formation about your kiln is etched on its l i P N HOME 120 j electrical data plate Please record this information below and include it ee AMPS 15 MAX TEMP 2000 F 1800 when ordering parts or calling your dealer or the factory about your kiln warts awe a a MADE IN USA Model Volts Contents Setting Up the Kiln 00022n eee S Electrical Installation 0 0 0 0 0 ccc ccc eee eee 5 Where to Locate Your Kiln 0 0 0 0 ccc ccc eee 5 Transporting the Kiln 2 eee 5 Kiln PartsSivcccsindt cans ane wanneeacan 6 Firing Preparation amp Loading 7 Shelves Posts Tile Setters amp Stilts 2 0 2 0 cece eee 7 Kiln Wash and Glass Separator 0 c eee eee eee 8 Vacuum the Kiln Regularly 0 0 0 0 cece 9 Check the Thermocouple 00 0 eee e eee eee eee 9 The Basics of Kiln Loading 0 0 cece eee eee 9 The Basics of Firing the Kiln 10 Venting the Lid c0c052 p2v teaniwa nied isd eee deem eas 10 Protecting the Heating Element 0000 10 The Basics of Firing Clay 0 cece eee eee 10 Removing the Ware from the KilIn 0 00 00 00 0 11 Firing Log BOOK siss irparos verdad ne ead ai ek eae ba on 11 Preventing Overfires 0 2 0 0 cece eect eee 11 Color Temperature Chart 0 0 cece eee ee eee 11 Power Failures i s scrrsrerriririrsisiresresrisnas 12 Y
37. id injury Remove the sharp stilt marks with a stilt stone Tile and Plate Setters These are holders used to stack plates and tiles inside the kiln Firing plates and tiles is more efficient with a tile or The tile setter saves space inside the kiln plate setter than placing these items flat on the shelf The setters not only save space in the kiln but also allow air circu lation around the ware preventing warping and breakage The ware heats more uniformly in a setter than when placed directly onto a kiln shelf Bead Rods Bead rods are used to fire glazed ceramic beads The rods are made from nichrome wire which can withstand high temperatures The beads must not be glazed inside the hole and around the edge of the hole String the beads onto the bead rods The beads must not touch Suspend the bead rods between two posts Fire glazed beads on a bead rod suspended between two posts Kiln Wash and Glass Separator Kiln wash and glass separator are mixtures of finely ground minerals that do not fuse at high temperatures They act as a barrier against glaze and glass The kiln shelf must be coated with kiln wash or glass separator to keep ceramic glaze and glass from sticking to it Without a barrier the glaze or glass would embed permanently into the shelf Both glass separator and kiln wash will be referred to as separator A coat of separator will usually last for many firings When the shelf coating begins to
38. ing Glaze Crazing is usually E w ng caused by underfired bisque Bisque should be fired to the highest tem perature at which it will still take glaze Crazed ware may be refired to the proper cone CAU TION China paints and other overglazes will Cr burn off when fired to 06 Glaze too thin in spots can be caused by uneven glazing or a hard spot on the bisque Ceramic glaze should be ap plied in flowing coats first in one direction and the next coat in an opposite direction horizontal then vertical or vice versa Allow to dry between each coat Some glazes may require twice the recommended coats because of thin appli cation Hard spots are sometimes the first spot where the poured slip touches the mold Heating bisque in an oven to approximately 120 degrees F will help in applying glaze to hard bisque Crazing immediately on removing from the kiln can be caused by not firing the ware hot enough or opening the lid while the kiln is still hot Refire to the proper cone Crazing in spots can be caused by not having mixed the glaze thoroughly before using Black specks in the ware are usually caused by organic materials not completely burned out in the bisque firing This works its way to the surface during the glaze firing Pinholes and bubbles in glazed ware can be caused by too heavy a glaze application by severe underfiring or by dust on the bisque Underfired bisque still contains carbons that
39. ing China paints will crack or peel if applied heavily Apply sev eral light coats instead firing between each until you get the shade you want Not all china paint colors reach maximum 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 prevent 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 Do not fire reds and yellows 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 Tiles and other large flat pieces sometimes crack when placed flat against a shelf Use tile setters to distribute heat Firing plates vertically minimizes the chance of debris falling on them during firing evenly around the pieces or place them on top ofa stilt for air circulation The vertical plate holders minimize the chance of debris inside the kiln from falling on the plates But firing plates horizontally is necessary when using certain decora tions In this case you can use either a horizontal plate 16 Separate horizontally stacked china painted plates with stilts Do not stilt soft bodied ware such as bone china holder or place a triangular stilt under
40. kiln s outer sur face temperature Ceramic Fiber Lid Do not place anything on top of the lid even when the kiln is not in use Working in my small studio keeps me sane and happy I forget about everything else and am grate ful to do what I do Heidrun Schmid 6 Firing Preparation amp Loading Shelves Posts Tile Setters amp Stilts These accessories can be purchased from Paragon through an authorized dealer Kiln Shelves Shelves are flat slabs of fireclay that can withstand high temperatures Place a shelf on the kiln bottom for all firings to protect the fiber bottom By using multiple shelves you can stack more ware in your kiln than you could ever place on the bottom of the kiln alone Like any other pottery they will break if dropped Kiln Posts Posts are made from the same mate rial as shelves Posts support and separate the layers of shelves You can stack posts but a single post is inakiln The shorter More stable the post the greater the stability Posts can be stacked upon one another to achieve a greater height but a single long post is more stable Use 3 posts to separate shelves Three posts are more stable than 4 Stilts The stilt helps circulate air under this plate At high temperatures glaze becomes molten and sticks permanently to anything it touches such as the kiln shelf Stilts prevent this A stilt is a ceramic base embedded with high temper
41. n Gain access to a wealth of experience for only a nominal annual membership fee 3 Important Safety Rules An electric kiln is extremely safe to operate provided you follow these basic safety rules and pointers 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 combustible surface Fire only in a well ventilated covered and pro tected area Keep cordset away from hot sides of kiln Do not open lid until kiln has cooled to room temperature and the switch is off Keep the lid closed when kiln is not in use 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 firing safety glasses when looking into a hot kiln Keep food away from your work area Never fire tempered glass inside a kiln It could explode Avoid firing toxic materials inside the kiln Additional Safety Pointers Never leave the kiln unattended during firing Check the kiln from time to time Observe the normal sounds that it makes and length of firing time Observe the color of light around the edge of the lid Once you are familiar with the normal operation of your kiln you will know when something goes wrong If the kiln fails to
42. n loading the kiln check that the rod extends into the firing chamber by the correct amount 1 away from the thermocouple Sa The thermocouple measures temperature in side the kiln Keep shelves and ware at least x Y E A 1 8 diameter thermocouple should extend into the fir ing chamber 2 5 8 E A diameter thermocouple should extend into the fir ing chamber 1 or more E Keep shelves posts and ware at least 1 1 2 away from the thermocouple The Basics of Kiln Loading 1 Always place a shelf in the bottom of the kiln for every firing This protects the ceramic fiber bottom The shelf should be coated with kiln wash Caution Never fire glass or glazed ware directly on the kiln s ceramic fiber bot tom Always fire these items on a shelf 2 To make full use of your kiln s firing ca pacity group similar sizes of ware to gether inside the kiln 3 Place taller pieces on the top shelf 4 Keep ware at least 1 away from the heat ing element If the tip of a large piece of ware comes closer than 1 to the kiln wall position that section of ware between rows of el ement Group similar sizes of ware together Place taller pieces on the top shelf Line up posts vertically 5 For stability stack posts so that they are directly in line with each other vertically 6 Minimum spacing between shelves is 2 1 2
43. nd 2 Lift off the lid Place the new lid in position 3 Drill new holes in the lid band for the Glossary bisque Fired unglazed clay cone pyrometric A small pyramid of ce ramic materials that will react to the effect of time temperature and atmospheric condi tion inside the kiln in the same way as ce ramic ware crazing Hairline cracks in glazed ware Most common cause is underfired bisque decal A design or picture printed in over glaze or underglaze colors on a protective coating The decal is slipped from the paper backing onto the appropriate ware and fired for permanency dry footing Removing glaze from the bottom of ware before firing to eliminate the need to stilt earthenware A natural clay porous com pared to stoneware and porcelain Fires to around cone 04 It will not hold liquids unless it is glazed element A coil of wire that heats when elec tricity passes through it enamel Liquid or powder containing finely ground glass Usually applied to metal such as copper and fired in a kiln glaze A liquid composed of glass particles and applied to ceramic ware greenware Unfired clay objects grog Fired crushed clay heat soak Maintaining the same tempera ture inside a kiln hold time See heat soak kiln furniture The shelves and posts used to position ware inside a kiln kiln wash A powder mixed with water and brushed on top of shelves as protection from drops of
44. o r First FINN secs cr oneness ewan ner iriennet deem ean es 12 Firing Clay cociscoini cies eee 12 Pyrometric Cones 0000 cece eee eeeeee 12 Low Fire Greenware 200000ee005 13 Drying the Clay auauua a 13 Loading and Firing Low Fire Greenware 45 14 Greenware and Glazed Ware in the Same Firing 14 Low Fire Glaze 0000 eee e eee eens 15 OVGIGZS csciucesne a tt ecaeurememaecnus 16 DecalS cvsetadigei ee va edie ond Pieces Dee ees Hes 16 Glass Fusing amp Slumping 17 How to CurGlass i 20ec0pean ea eA REON ee anaes 17 Fusing Compatibility of Glass 0 0 00 cee eee 17 The Annealing Range 2 6 ce cece cect eee serene een es 17 Cleaning and Gluing the Glass 0 0 00 e eae 18 Loading the Kiln 5 ccckeceeaee eee riore iri riri tei 18 Firing the Glass 0 ketene 18 Imperfection 0200 cee 19 BISQUE ci Poa eee EEP PEERI Pee ea ae 19 GAZ san 2 a aaia En hts gd aA T dada cane ate a N 19 Underglazg ses as arai ie caste a alee E ey 19 Overgl ii facil ea eee ee EGR oe eee weed 19 MGIASS ssc snet scare a teeta Saree meetin hecnsn tate aus Migitens aa E 20 Maintenance 08080nn ene n nent 20 Troubl Shooter i 40s0 ceeeeeeeepe prina pa pee iepa ena es 20 Replacing the Thermocouple 00 00 c eee eee eee 21 Replacing a Relay or Transformer 0000005 22 Replacing the Temperature Controller 0
45. reaker or unscrew the fuse for the circuit that your kiln will be plugged into Check to see if other appliances shut off too If that cir cuit powers appliances that must remain on while the kiln is firing plug your kiln into a different cir cuit Caution 120 volt kilns avoid extension cords if possible 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 Where to Locate Your Kiln 1 Place your kiln in a well ventilated covered and pro tected area such as a garage or basement If the fumes can reach a living area install a vent hood over the kiln that ducts to the outside or find a different location 2 Remove the lawn mower gasoline paint and other flammable materials from the kiln room If you fire the kiln in a garage park your car outside 3 Provide a minimum of 12 inches clearance between kiln and the closest wall 4 Never allow the temperature of your firing room to exceed 100 110 F Measure the temperature about 3 feet from the kiln If necessary use fans to lower room temperature Do not fire the kiln in a small en closed space such as a closet
46. red by the 3 Disconnect all the wires from the back of the board You will find two plugs and two sin gle wires 4 Connect the wires to the new board Reinstall face plate to the switch box Orton Ceramic Foundation and displays the CE mark When the element burns out the ceramic fiber firing chamber must be re placed To test for a burned out element you will need an ohmmeter 1 UNPLUG the kiln 2 Remove the screws on the sides of the switch box that hold it to the kiln Gently lift the box away from the kiln 3 Place ohmmeter leads against the element con nectors A no nee dle movement reading on an analog meter or OPEN on a digital meter indicates a burned out el ement Replacing the firing chamber is a factory repair Please call 800 876 4328 or 972 288 7557 for instructions or see the dealer who sold you the kiln Ceramic Fiber Repair If glass ceramic glaze or other materials drip onto the firing chamber repair before the next firing Other wise the glaze will remelt and embed deeper into the fiber 1 Unplug the kiln eS 2 Cut or scrape the TTT bia TEESE hinge ceramic fiber to re 4 Install screws move the contaminant Remove as little fiber as pos sible If a heating element is located where you are scraping avoid touching the element Replacing the Lid 1 Remove the hinge screws from the lid ba
47. red from vented position E Total firing time E Type of pieces E Firing results E Ceramic firings a sketch of the bent cone pages 12 13 Keeping a record of help you schedule firings because you will know how long it takes to fire each type of ware The log book will help you de termine for instance if the kiln will shut off in time for an appointment you have to keep or whether you should begin the firing when you return home Preventing Overfires Caution 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 Your Home Artist kiln is equipped with a digital control ler which accurately adjusts the firing rate and shut off tem perature for the cone you program However it is still possi ble to overfire the kiln An overfire can damage not only the ware and kiln furniture a severe overfire can destroy the fir ing chamber requiring a complete replacement The following guidelines will help to prevent overfirings Please make them a habit E When loading the kiln check that the thermocouple ex tends into the firing chamber by the correct amount See page 9 left column E Ceramics It is important to program the correct cone pg 12 13 Firing the ware too hot can melt the clay ru ining the kiln shelf If the clay runs off the shelf it can ruin the kiln bottom
48. revent glazed pieces from sticking to the shelf by dry foot ing This is an alterna tive to stilting To dry foot a piece remove all glaze from the portion of the piece that will rest on the shelf Using a wet sponge or a piece of grit cloth clean off the glaze from the bottom of the ware and slightly above Dry footing means removing the glaze the base so that it will not from the base of the piece This elimi run down and touch the nates the need for stilts base Do not use dry foot ing for low fire glazed pieces that will be placed in water while used or cleaned The unglazed areas will absorb water which can cause glaze crazing Vent the lid with the lid prop for about an hour Red glazes should be placed in the top of the kiln for extra venting Sepa rate clear glazes from colors Load clear glazes in the bottom of the kiln and colors above them Pieces that go together such as a cup and saucer or bowl and lid should be placed next to each other This helps assure uniformity in color Keep pieces to 2 apart The bubbles and gases emitted from glazes can contaminate other nearby pieces If you are firing ware draped with lace vent the lid until all smoke dis appears To keep holes in glazed salt and pepper shakers from closing in with glaze insert tooth picks in the holes They will burn away during the firing Allow the kiln to cool to room temperature before opening the lid
49. rfiring 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 temperature shown on kiln s nameplate regardless of cause 4 Kilns subjected to abuse neglect freight damage or improper storage 5 Kilns used for either reduction or salt firing 6 Kilns damaged by improper electrical installation 7 Kilns used for purposes other than firing ceramics glass heat treating or the pur pose for which it was intended 8 Element burnout caused by contact with foreign materials 9 The patented Dawson Kiln Sitter and or Limit Timer manufactured by W P Dawson Inc 399 Thor Place Brea California 92621 WARRANTY COVERAGE EXTENDS ONLY TO THE ORIGINAL PURCHASER AND DOES NOT COVER RE PLACEMENT OF PARTS THAT ARE BY THEIR NA TURE EXPENDABLE THIS WARRANTY IS VOIDED IF THE PRODUCT IS ADVERSELY AFFECTED BY ATTACHING ANY FEATURE OR DEVICE TOIT ORIS IN ANY WAY TAMPERED WITH OR MODIFIED WITH Clay becomes part of us We long to be with it when away from the studio We spend hours in its company and we fight with it When we need the peace and calm of clay it is there waiting When we need excitement it is ready to come out of the kiln Clay entices us because working with it works out so much of our everyday life Carol Jackaway OUT EXPRESS WRITTEN PERMISSION FROM PARA GON
50. roper length Then tighten the ceramic block screws holding the thermocouple 21 22 1 UNPLUG kiln 2 Remove the screws on the sides of the switch box that hold it to the kiln Gently lift the box away from the kiln 3 The transformer and relay are bolted to the in side of the switch box Hold the new part next to the one you are replac ing aligned in the same direc tion Remove and transfer one wire at a time from the old part to the new one Make sure each connection is tight 4 Replace push on connectors and wires damaged by heat If wire connectors do not fit snugly on terminals gently squeeze the end of the termi nal with pliers 5 Remove the old part from switch box Install the re placement Note If you are replacing the transformer examine the new one to make sure the primary is properly wired for your kiln s voltage See the kiln s wiring diagram 6 Check to see that wires are not touching kiln case or the element connectors Wires touching element connectors or the kiln case will burn out Move switch box into place and reinstall switch box screws 1 UNPLUG the kiln 2 Remove the 4 corner screws holding the controller faceplate to the switch box Carefully lift out face plate Hr Min When Lit 4 Program a Review sw Run F When off C When Lit START HIGHER STOP LOWER C q The Sentry Xpress micro processor is manufactu
51. ry the shelf completely before firing Note Remove any buildup of separator from the edges of the shelf by tracing around it with a finger Excess separator may break off the edges and fall onto ware positioned below the shelf Note Place pyrometric cones pages 12 13 only on separator coated shelves But do not apply separator onto pyrometric cones It changes the maturing temperature of the cone If glaze or glass sticks to the shelf scrape it off with a putty knife at a sharp angle Wear safety glasses sometimes chipped glaze becomes airborne Then recoat the bare spot with more separator Vacuum the Kiln Regularly Keep the firing chamber clean Dust falling on molten glaze leaves pinholes and other imperfections Vacuum the kiln with the soft brush nozzle of a vacuum cleaner Clean the inside lid surface walls bottom of a vacuum cleaner Vacuum the kiln with the brush attachment and the underside of shelves especially before a glaze firing Vacuuming is one of the most important steps in firing a kiln Check the Thermocouple You will find a rod called the thermocouple extending into the firing cham ber The digital con mai troller senses tem perature by reading a small voltage from the thermocouple If the tip of this rod is pushed out of the fir ing chamber the kiln will assume that the firing chamber is cold This will result in an overfire which can damage your kiln Whe
52. shut off and becomes too hot you will know by the length of firing time and by the color of light around the lid Observing your kiln s normal operation is one of the most My grandmother who has taught china paint l ing for 60 years coached me during my first fir Keep the lid closed when ing I treasure the memory of that moment of my important safety precautions the kiln is not in use This keeps dust out of the kiln Also should someone turn on 4 life with her the kiln while you are away the closed lid will keep the heat safely inside the firing chamber Never place anything on the kiln s lid even when the kiln is idle If people become accustomed to placing papers and other objects on the kiln they may forget and do that while the kiln is firing During operation the lid may get hot enough to burn combustible materials placed on top of it Remove all tripping hazards from around the kiln Keep the kiln s supply pees cord out of traffic areas Do not let the cord touch the side of the kiln which may damage the cord Avoid ex tension cords if possible m a Do not remove S Be i A the VAES from the Place the kiln no closer than 12 or more from kiln until the kiln the nearest wall Do not let the power cord has cooled to room touch the hot sides of the kiln temperature It is possible for thermal shock to break hot ceramic pieces The sharp edges of broken ware can injure hands
53. tely after the kiln is turned on the kiln may have a short circuit Unplug the kiln Open the kiln switch box and look for a loose wire touching the case Temperature is Inaccurate M Make sure the thermocouple extends into the firing chamber by the correct amount A 1 8 diameter thermocouple should extend into the firing chamber 2 5 8 A diameter thermocouple should extend into the firing chamber 1 or more E Ifthe temperature is inaccurate even though the thermo couple extends into the firing chamber correctly replace the thermocouple Replacing the Thermocouple 1 UNPLUG the kiln 2 Remove the screws on the sides of the switch box that hold it to the kiln Gently lift the box away from the kiln 3 Remove the two screws securing the thermocouple ceramic block to the kiln Remove the thermocouple assembly from the kiln 4 Slide the new thermocouple assembly into the hole in the kiln wall The thermocouple should protrude into the firing chamber 2 5 8 for a 1 8 diameter thermocouple and 1 or more for a 4 diameter thermocouple To adjust the thermocouple length change the gap between the thermocouple and the ceramic block Then securely tighten the 4 screws in the ceramic block 5 Fasten the ceramic block to the heat shield with the two screws removed in step 3 Program Review Hr Min When Lit Run F When Off When Lit START HIGHER ST LOWER
54. to 20 with 1 being the rae o gt Minis lowest temperature Later 03 cones of even lower tempera 04 tures were needed so new Cooler numbers were added The new numbers started with 0 and went from 01 to 022 with higher numbers getting progressively cooler To avoid confusion think of the 0 as minus Numbers without the 0 are positive The higher the positive num ber the higher the temperature 0 numbers are negative The higher the negative number the lower the temperature With this understanding you can quickly see that cone 5 is hotter than 05 The number is stamped on the base of the cone The cone number for each material is usually stated on the label by the clay or glaze manufacturer Your supplier can also give you the cone number Heat Work Cones are rated by temperature But it is more accurate to think of them as measuring heat work not temperature alone Heat work is the combined effect of time tempera ture and the atmosphere inside the kiln All these factors af fect the maturity of your ware and not just temperature For instance firing to a lower temperature for a longer time will produce the same maturity as firing to a higher temperature for a shorter time Consult your supplier for recommended firing rate Rapid firing is like cooking the turkey may be done on the outside but not on the inside Using Cones Place the cone on a kiln shelf with the ware or on a blank tile
55. ts from sticking to the kiln shelf stoneware A vitreous ceramic body usually made from native clays Fired to much higher temperatures than earthenware thermal shock Stress caused by sudden changes in the temperature of ceramic ware Can cause cracks or breaks thermocouple The measuring unit of a py rometer that is inserted into the kiln s firing chamber transformer An electrical device in the kiln s switch box that changes the higher voltage from the wall outlet to 24 volts The lower voltage powers the kiln s controller underglaze A decoration applied to greenware or bisque usually applied under the glaze venting Allowing air to come into the kiln and vapor and gases to escape This is one of the most important steps in firing vitrify To change into a glassy or a non po rous state by heat and fusion 23 Paragon Kiln Limited Warranty Paragon kilns are warranted to the original purchaser by Paragon Industries Inc herein Paragon subject to the listed exclusions below to be free of defects in workmanship for the period specified below The warranty period begins from date of shipment from the Paragon factory unless date of original purchase from an authorized Paragon distributor or dealer can be established Warranty Period Home Artist series kilns rated to 2000 F 1 year This warranty period applies unless otherwise agreed to in writing This warranty excludes 1 Kilns damaged by ove
56. u are in doubt about peak in the kiln how fast to fire then use your digital controller s slow rate Clay contains carbon and gases that must be released during firing Venting the lid and firing at the correct speed give gases sufficient time to escape Firing too fast or without venting can result in these defects E Breaking The ware can explode if water escapes too quickly E Black coring When you break the piece a black line ap pears down the cen ter of the clay s cross section The carbon burned out of the clay surfaces but not all the way through the cross section of the clay E Bloating The gases escaped too rapidly causing the clay to become bloated E Glaze bubbles and pinholes Carbon that did not burn out during the greenware firing is released during the glaze firing Es caping gases rup ture the glazed sur face causing bubbles and pin holes E Porosity The fired ware will be weaker Removing the Ware from the Kiln Wait until the kiln cools to room temperature before re moving the ware In some cases opening the lid too soon can cause crazing tiny cracks in the glaze Firing Log Book Record the following information in a firing log book E Date E Firing cone speed and hold or Ramp Hold program A cross section of the fired clay shows a black line This is carbon that did not burn out completely Pinholes from underfired bisque E Starting time E When the lid was lowe
57. upted by a power failure it is best to resume firing before the kiln cools below red heat Press the START key to resume firing Your First Firing For your first firing position only the kiln washed shelves and an 06 cone in the kiln Fire the kiln without ware Fumes from clay or glaze may interfere with the formation of an ox ide coating on the element during the first firing 1 Clean the kiln with the brush attachment on a vac uum cleaner 2 Apply kiln wash to the tops of the shelves During the first firing do not fire ware Fire only empty shelves and posts 3 Load the shelves into the kiln separating them with posts Place an 06 cone on one or more shelves Air must circulate around the empty shelves they may crack if you stack them in the bottom of the kiln without posts 4 Prop the lid with the lid prop 5 Program the firing for an 06 cone See the separate instructions for your digital controller Press START 6 Close the lid from the vented position after one hour 7 After the kiln shuts off allow the kiln to cool to room temperature before opening the lid Note Do not be concerned about the clicking noise your kiln makes 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 12 Firing Clay Pyrometric Cones Ceramists of the past judged when the firing was com pleted by the color of the
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