Beadmaking, Glassblowing, Fusing and Glass Kiln Manual Sundance Glass 1
Introduction Thank you for choosing this kiln! We have designed it to give you many years of reliable service. Contents Safety 3 Setting Up the Kiln 4 Basic Operation 5 Inspect the kiln. When you receive your kiln, check 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 driver note the damage on the Bill of Lading.
Safety Important Safety Rules Overfiring The warranty on your 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.
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 breaker 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 circuit powers appliances that must remain on while the kiln is firing, plug your kiln into a different circuit. 2 Remove gasoline, paint, and other flammable materials from the kiln room.
Basic Operation Alumina Hydrate Accessories Delicate silver or gold clay shapes may need extra support during firing to prevent warping. Place these shapes in a thin layer of alumina hydrate inside a small ceramic bisque bowl. Do not breathe alumina hydrate. Ceramic Fiber Shelves Stilts The soft ceramic fiber shelf, which comes standard with the kiln, cradles gold and silver clay pieces. These shelves are not suitable for firing glass or ceramics. Stilts are points embedded in a ceramic base.
Important Guidelines As you gain experience, you will find a wealth of information in your firing logs. The Embedded Heating Element Low Temperature Holds The heating elements of your kiln are embedded into the ceramic fiber firing chamber. The firing chamber surface is hardened to a depth of ¼”. This makes the fiber more durable. It is important that you do not touch the firing chamber with sharp objects. These can penetrate the fiber surface and contact the heating element, which is a shock hazard.
The Optional Glass View Port Caution: Wear firing safety glasses whenever looking into the optional view port. Maximum temperature for a kiln with view port is 1700°F/926°C. Firing hotter will damage the glass. See page 17 for glass port maintenance instructions. 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.
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. A coat 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 support ceramic fireclay shelves inside a kiln.
If the piece needs only shallow support of ¼” depth or less, pour the alumina hydrate onto a ceramic fireclay shelf. Support the fireclay shelf on three ½” posts to aid heat flow under the shelf. combination, eliminating the need to visually check the glass. If the silver clay shape needs deeper support, pour the alumina hydrate into an unglazed ceramic bisque bowl. These are available at ceramic supply stores. I Place the ceramic bowl directly onto the kiln bottom.
Glass Fusing & 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 explode 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.
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 silicones), rubbing alcohol, or even plain water just before assembling the pieces on the kiln shelf.
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 required for these enamels. Start with one of the many pre-shaped copper forms available, or shape and trim the copper to your own design. Decorating the Copper Counter Enameling Most enameled pieces should be counter enameled on the back side.
agent to keep the grains of enamel in place. Allow the enamel to dry completely before firing. Firing Enamel 1 Heat the kiln to 1450°F/787°C for most enameling. Use a Single Segment. (Please see your digital controller instruction manual.) Segment 1 Rate °F/°C Temp. °F/°C Hold 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 for a one hour. 2 Lay the copper shape on an enameling rack.
China paints will crack or peel if applied heavily. Apply several light coats instead, firing between each, until you get the shade you want. Not all china paint colors r e a ch max imum color saturation at the same temperature even when fired on the same ware. So you Open the door ½” to vent the kiln if your kiln must know which col- does not have vent holes. ors you should fire first at higher temperatures to prevent burning out the original colors in later firings.
Segment 1 heats the wax to 300°F/148°C and holds it for one 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 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 ½” posts.
be asleep while the glass cools and they won’t be tempted to open the door. Ceramic Overglaze After each firing, examine the shelf. Recoat if the kiln wash is chipped. When glass sticks to a bare section of shelf, the glass cracks. Breaking in Overglaze Firing Glass Bubbles Probable Causes: 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.
Kiln Maintenance Trouble-Shooter Kiln Does Not Turn On, Display is Blank I Make sure the circuit breaker is in the “on” position. I If the circuit breaker is on, check the kiln’s fuse. Remove 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.
Replacing the Thermocouple 1 Unplug the kiln. 2 Remove the four screws holding the controller to the front of the kiln. Carefully remove the controller. 3 Remove the two thermocouple wires from the back of the controller. They are held in place by button or lever type connectors. To remove the wires, lift the levers (or press down on the connector buttons) and pull the wires out. 5 The thermocouple is located in the back of the firing chamber, held in place by a metal band.
Replacing the Temperature Controller 1 Unplug kiln. 2 Remove the 4 corner screws holding the controller faceplate to the switch box. Carefully lift out faceplate. 3 Disconnect the wires from the back of the board. You will find two plugs and two single wires. 4 Connect the wires to the new board. Reinstall faceplate. Replacing the Firing Chamber Place the new part next to the old one, aligned in the same direction. Remove and replace one wire at a time. In the photo, the relay is being replaced.
