Service manual

ManualsBrandsElmer's ManualsHair DryerGlass Kiln

Introduction

Thank you for choosing a Paragon Caldera kiln! We have

designed it to give you many years of reliable service.

Please read this manual. It will help you gain the most

enjoyment from your Caldera kiln. It will show you how to

avoid damaging the kiln and will answer many questions. If

your kiln is digital, your instruction packet will include a

separate digital controller manual. Please save both

manuals.

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. 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 dis-

cover it after the driver has left, notify the shipper

immediately.

Needless worries. Tremendous stresses are generated

within the kiln. The insulating firebricks actually expand

and contract with each firing. Do not be concerned if small

cracks appear in the bricks. This is normal. These are sur

face cracks that close tightly when the heated brick

expands.

During firing, you will hear an intermittent, distinct click

ing. In a digital kiln, this is the sound of the relay sending

power to the heating elements. In a manual kiln, it is the in

finite control switch cycling on and off. Do not be con

cerned with this sound.

The Electrical data plate.

Important information about

your kiln is recorded on its

electrical data plate. Please in

clude this information when

ordering parts or calling your

dealer or the factory about your kiln.

Contents

Setting Up the Kiln . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

Electrical Installation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

Seating the Elements. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

Where to Locate the Kiln . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

Basic Operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

Accessories . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

Important Guidelines . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

Loading the Kiln. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

Venting the Kiln . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

Glass Fusing & Slumping . . . . . . . 7

How to Cut Glass. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

Fusing Compatibility of Glass . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8

The Annealing Range . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8

Cleaning and Gluing the Glass . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8

Load Glass Into the Kiln . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8

Firing the Glass . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8

Annealing Flame-Worked Glass Beads . . . . . . . 9

Enameling on Metal . . . . . . . . . . . 10

How to Load the Kiln . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

Preparation of the Copper. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

Decorating the Copper . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

Firing Enamel. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

Ceramics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

Pyrometric Cones . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

Viewing the Cones During Firing. . . . . . . . . . . . 11

Orton Cone Chart . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12

Firing Overglaze . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12

Firing Low Fire Greenware . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12

Firing Low Fire Glaze. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13

Firing Porcelain Greenware. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13

Firing Porcelain Glaze . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13

Firing Stoneware Greenware or Glaze . . . . . . . 13

Glaze Testing. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13

Silver & Gold Clay . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14

Drying Time . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14

Loading the Kiln. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14

Venting the Kiln . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14

Rate, Temperature and Hold. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14

Cooling Time . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15

Combining Silver Clay With Other Materials . . . 15

Firing Mistakes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15

Silver Clay . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15

Glass . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15

Ceramics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16

Kiln Maintenance . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16

Trouble-Shooter. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16

Replacing the Thermocouple . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17

Replacing a Relay or Transformer. . . . . . . . . . . 17

Replacing a Switch or Pyrometer . . . . . . . . . . . 18

Replacing the Temperature Controller . . . . . . . 18

Reseating a Bulging Element . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18

Replacing An Element . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19

Paragon Kiln Limited Warranty . . 20