Paragon SC2 - Firing Schedule Needed!

[Jayne at Funky Glass]

Hi Guys

Well, me and Sammy are proud owners of a second hand SC2 for our beads.

I am getting more and more confused reading suggested firing schedules!!! Please can someone help?

So, we have loads of beads off their mandrels.

Is it better to keep them on the mandrels from now on? Is the schedule different for batch annealing?

Also, for batch annealing - do you just put the beads on the kiln shelf loose?

Thanks guys!!!
Jayne (& Sammy)

[Trudi]

Hi

There's a schedule on the wiki http://www.frit-happens.co.uk/wiki/Annealing

Trudi x

[oliver90owner]

Also, for batch annealing - do you just put the beads on the kiln shelf loose?

We have not yet got going making beads but I would think carefully about it.  Thermocouples can (and do) fail.  I will be very aware of the outcome, should that happen for just a few beads.  Could be far more expensive than a new thermocouple.

[Pat from Canvey]

Also, for batch annealing - do you just put the beads on the kiln shelf loose?

Yes. No need to keep them on their mandrels. Try to make sure that the shelf or base of the kiln, (covered in fibre paper or a spare white tile) is level or the beads might roll out. Particularly important if making a few marbles, ( as I know to my cost)

[Jayne at Funky Glass]

Thanks Trudi - I forgot about the Fritipedia page!

Thanks Pat from Canvey, I might have to put them back onto the mandrels! I am sure I read somewhere about crock pots (or did I dream that one!!!!).

Thanks oliver90owner, I am a bit confused!

Jayne
x

[Margram]

You can put them in a little pyrex dish to avoid them rolling around. Only thing to watch out for is some glass can get sticky eg Rubino Oro.

If you put them at the back of the kiln when you switch on for 'garaging' (annealing-as-you-go ie putting each bead into the kiln as you make it), then they will get
annealed when you finish your session (up, start, start). Hope that makes sense...

Don't forget to make a transparent bead to test if your kiln is actually annealing (the polarizing test).

   

[lampworklover]

Also, for batch annealing - do you just put the beads on the kiln shelf loose?

We have not yet got going making beads but I would think carefully about it.  Thermocouples can (and do) fail.  I will be very aware of the outcome, should that happen for just a few beads.  Could be far more expensive than a new thermocouple.

confused as to why putting them loose on the shelf make a difference if the thermocouple were to fail  If the thermocouple fails, the beads are going to be ruined however they have been placed in the kiln...

[Zeldazog]

Also, for batch annealing - do you just put the beads on the kiln shelf loose?

We have not yet got going making beads but I would think carefully about it.  Thermocouples can (and do) fail.  I will be very aware of the outcome, should that happen for just a few beads.  Could be far more expensive than a new thermocouple.

confused as to why putting them loose on the shelf make a difference if the thermocouple were to fail   If the thermocouple fails, the beads are going to be ruined however they have been placed in the kiln... and you don't want glass stuck to your kiln.

If they're on a shelf, and the kiln overheats and melts the beads, they won't get stuck to the bottom of the kiln....

[oliver90owner]

If they're on a shelf, and the kiln overheats and melts the beads, they won't get stuck to the bottom of the kiln....

Ahh, so they are never going to drip off the edge of the shelf, if they were to melt.  Thanks for that tip, I will remember it.  Although I think my shelf will actually be a tray, rather than a ledge.  Belt and braces, that's me!

RAB

[lampworklover]

well I use a kiln shelf, and if the worst happened I'd either turn it over or get a new shelf! As long as the kiln floor was undamaged it wouldn't be the end of the world. (I have had to replace the muffle in mine, and that really IS expensive).

Jayne, you didn't dream about crockpots, but they can only be used for cooling the beads down, not actually annealing. Extra confusion is added when people use glass bubbles (as I did for three years), because sometimes they are called annealing bubbles, rather than cooling bubbles. HTH.

[Jayne at Funky Glass]

Thanks everyone.... Kiln is on now, fingers crossed I've done it right!

Lampworklover - thanks for clearing that up.... I do doubt my memory these days!

[ARBeads]

The bottom of our kiln has some fibre blanket protection, we then thread the beads on mandrels kebab style, doesn't matter if they're touching. If the thermcouple was to fail the beads would melt onto the blanket.

Everyone has a different way!