Mountain Meg Posted January 4, 2015 Report Share Posted January 4, 2015 I appreciate help on my last post...now how to candle with 8 burners and a separate pilot ring...is there a way to close off opposite end venturi burners and then open them? I am so excited to,figure this out. Thank you for helping me...should damper and door be open or closed half way? Nth is is a new adventures! 😊 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark C. Posted January 4, 2015 Report Share Posted January 4, 2015 If your burners are all plumbed together-that is they all go on at once-just candle with the pilot ring only for greenware. Tghis means for a bisque just close the door and peep plugs and open damper and just use the pilot ring for heat for a few hours to dry pots out well before lighting all 8 burners-on vey low I would not try to adjust any of the bottom mounted venturi burners-leave any air adjustment open. This is one area where a digital pyrometer will help you very much as you can see the exact temps inside. If your burners are plumbed to light 1/2 of them (more gas valves)only light 1/2 of them on low. You will need to close the door to make the kiln operate as it shuold. I do not bisque in my updraft as its uneven for bisquing with hot spots near the burners. If this is post is about a glaze fire and not a bisque just light up the pilot ring for a few minutes and then light the 8 burners on low and get that glaze fire going up steady no need to do a long candle unless your contents are large sculptures. If they are regular funtional ware they can fire pretty quickly. Remember the bottom will be hotter and the top cooler. Again a digital pyrometer will help you here as well. One last question is this a propane or natural gas kiln? Mark Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mountain Meg Posted January 5, 2015 Author Report Share Posted January 5, 2015 Hi Mark, thanks for helping me. I have a propane kiln. I agree about glaze firing. I think I will continue to bisque in electric kiln. I do have a digital pyrometer that I love! Would you share your cone 10 firing schedule? I have been reading everything I can find on venturi burners...most information seems similar...I know we will be successful...I feel so fortunate to have this kiln. Again, thanks! Pam Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark C. Posted January 5, 2015 Report Share Posted January 5, 2015 My glaze fires take about 8-10 hours in my updaft-usually on the shorter time. I get them going slow for about 1 hour as I use advancer shelves-after 1 hour I turn the gas on about 1/2 way and let this go another hour then to about 3/4s on and only adjust it to get my oxegen meter reading I want if the damper setting is right. The damper is wide openas well. After 1800 degrees I close the damper to get some back pressure flame lick at lower spy plug (I use on oxygen meter now) so I never check this plug anymore. The damper is about 1 inch open or less on top. I measure my rod on the outside and know this measurement more than what the slider on top is set to as I cannot seee it easy up there. I keep this reduction until cone 10 is where I want it on top. Its best to slow down the final melt if its going to fast. When the cone is where you want shut the gas off and close damper and wait 1 1/2 to 2 daysbefore opening. This kiln like to fly so slowing it down is the usual story for me. My kiln has 6 burners and 4 or on 1 valve 2 on another so can turn 2 down to slow it a tad. Yours is 8 on one valve I think so you may have to turn it down but then you will need to push in the damper to keep that reduction the same. good luck after a few fires you should have this down. How many cubic feet is this kiln??? Mine is a little 12 cubic Berman kiln which was a small manufacturer in LA at one time-long ago out of the kiln business-I bought it as the second owner before craigs list existed.I had to pick it up and move it so I got a great deal on it. Mark Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mountain Meg Posted January 9, 2015 Author Report Share Posted January 9, 2015 Hi Mark, Again,,thank you moor,the great help and advice. Yes, I will be doing bisque in electric kiln and glazing in the gas kiln. You gave excellent examples of damper and turn up speed....my kiln on our first trial with bisque did climb too rapidly...so, I am now aware of how to begin keeping it at a slower pace...we are going to experiment with the lighting and slow start...I will do as you mentioned...pilot on to light burners...pilot off...burners low for about an hour and then begin climb...I love it! We also have a passion for our raku kiln, so this is a real thrill of a lifetime for me! I will keep in touch and send you pictures of my kiln. It is about 15 cubic feet my husband just said. Enjoy and thanks, Pam Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark C. Posted January 9, 2015 Report Share Posted January 9, 2015 Always keep the pilot ring on until kiln is dull red hot-that way if a burner get blown out the gas relights without any blow up's of kiln. This will be around 1100 degrees or so.Then you can turn off pilots as the gas will reignite if burners blow out. This is the safest way to fire with a pilot system. So if you want a little heat just the liots then the burners on low with piots then just add more gas to burners than after red hot shut off pilots. Mark Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Woodin Posted January 14, 2015 Report Share Posted January 14, 2015 Hi Meg If you are having trouble controlling the heat, some questions need to be addressed first. 1. was this kiln meant for natural gas or was it shipped to be used with propane? If there is a nameplate on the kiln it should tell you and also state what the max pressure should be in inches of water column.2. If using propane there should be a regulator on the propane tank set for inches of water column.3. Were the burner cleaned before firing? David Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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