Test run on new kiln - its on !

I was up early 5:30 - could not stay in bed 1 minute longer - its only 32 degrees out  but thats not bad and we expect it to go over 65 today

I prepped the kiln

put down a sheet of thick fiber paper - I think its the 1/8 - I have a big roll and I like it better as I can get so many firings out of one sheet

 so I set up only three bottles -  one on either side and one in the middle - to check for hot spots
I probably could have done more but for now this will do - its more I want to be sure it fires ok

the middle has a piece of lava cloth under it for texture on the clear bottle  and the side bottles are just plain

I put small pieces of fiber brick under the necks with fiber paper as well-  and one underneath each side end of the base sheet in case of rolling- so it doesn't roll to the sides

I programmed the Bartlett last night with a basic bottle fuse to 1465  - and I have to say this is the easiest  controller I've had to  set - no up and down arrows etc  just key in the number - and so straight forward for programming - going to love this kiln

so once the kiln cover closed it was time to hit the start button
start time: 6:05  actually its 7:05  (did not  spring forward on this clock )

started at 46°F -

waited for the clicking and saw 47 next -


so in 1 hour I will go back and check - (probably not - will venture there before as I still need to work cleaning the area up from shifting everything for the kiln -  I will do this all day - every hour to be sure and check how long its taking to do a batch

so very happy to hear the clicking - now hope that the coils are ok and the probe but will keep my eye on it

Went up close to an hour and its at 575 - so its rising and working !  yeah

Kiln Installed

It was such a nice day and when I got home from work I decided to start to make sure I didnt need anyting

opened the panel moved over a couple of breakers to make room for the 60amp - put the new lug on the ground bar and installed the breaker

I assembled everything and turned on the light and then turned on the kiln - YIPPEE its installed !

was a nice sunny 50 deg F  -  and the weekend is supposed to be warmer - so need to figure out the bartlett controller for saturday morning

My part is finally in

the elusive lug for the ground bar in my electrical panel is finally in !!!!
could this mean I may have the kiln installed on the weekend and a test run in the works ?

O I hope so !!!!!!

stay tuned !
I plan on being in the studio all weekend with the weather being nice - cleaning and maybe possibly sitting down and torching along with doing a test run on the new kiln

excitement plus !!!!

Yeah - it may be warmer over the weekend

I trekked to the studio -

what a mess .......and this is just at the front of the building  and one corner -  moved some things around just to make my way into the kiln again - so hopefully that gets installed this week end
















 decided to break the sheet of tempered glass - it was 18" x 8 ft -  got out a sheet of tarp and sort of wrapped it and gave it a wack with a hammer - holy cow is it strong I hit it at least 5 times  before I gave a mighty wack and it finally shattered - stepped on it to break it down to smaller pieces (with my runners on of course)
I need more to make the candles, some small buckets and the small 5" tiles and I can give it a try

so the weather is breaking - I need to make some copper sheets for a customer  and clean up some more - I have to move my comfy chair out and down to the house - as its in the way - boo hoo  (I am going to have to see if I cant keep it there - I want so I can sit and wait for the kiln to be ready

New piece of equipment for this year - wet belt sander

Yes I finally got that wet belt sander I've wanted - so this year I got my big kiln and the sander as my new toys for the year

cant wait to use this as well 

Dumpster Diving for glass bottles

Yes I got to go to the dump on the weekend and dumpster dive looking for wine bottles -  and got to use my little gripper I got from the dollar store - worked like a dream
scored over a dozen bottles

my table is filling up - I like to take the labels off to speed things up come sprint 

I also scored on friday at my local glass place - they do tables, shower doors etc  and get old tempered glass - the bin I have is from broken they had and I got a 1ft by 8ft peice of tempered I have to break 

going to make some night ice candles like Rick Silas 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DrTwq8u83e8

Fun Time at the Maple Syrup Festival

It was a pretty good venue  - not as good as most shows I attend but  then its a matter of catering to what people want to buy at that type of show -  - but for the cost  it was fun being there