Jen-Ken kiln useage

[JessicaR]

Hello all.  

I need help.  I am look at my jen-ken kiln with the digital programming controls and have no clue. I have read the manual and watched the video and it comes out even more lost in translation to me.

When I did pottery many moons ago I left the firing to the teacher or the owner of the studio. Now it's my turn.

I did what the girl at soul ceramics suggested but I don't think I did it right.  She suggested I do a test fire of the kiln on empty at 04. 

I just need someone to help me set up for a bisque fire.  I'm sure once I see the steps laid out I will not be in such a panic.  I am a visual person but because none of these numbers are making sense I feel I am going to ruin my kiln.

[Hulk]

Hi Jessica!

For step by step setup of your controller, may I suggest you identify the particular kiln make and model, the controller make and model, and post pics of each as well.

As for bisque firing in general, here are some things to watch out for:

  Spend enough time well below 212F to drive off moisture before ramping up to steam (kaboom!) temperatures.
  I run my kiln up to about 200F the night afore firing day; by morning, it's still/typically well over 120F and the ware is bone dry.

  Allow for some atmosphere exchange* - water and bad vapours out, clean air (with oxygen!) in - if you don't have a powered kiln vent, conventional wisdom says leave the top peep plug out for the duration.

  Let the ware bake at about 1500F for a while, especially when bisque firing red, brown, black, and even buff clays, and extra especially when the ware is thick, so the organic components are fully burned out. I pause on the ramp up, as well as on the ramp down. Much less pinholes...

  Fire with witness cones; a) watch the target cones through the peepholes (use appropriate glasses against flying bits and harmful rays**), especially when you are first learning your kiln and b) confirm that you're hitting targets once you're confident that your firings are repeatable (at which point you may not be watching the cones much during firing)...
Put cones on each shelf.

  The last 100 degrees or so are critical - time and temp. Pay attention!

  I use a pyrometer; the real time feedback is sooo helpful. 

  Keep notes - time, temp, observations, results, etc.

Here's a few links for reading/background

BQ1000 Firing Schedule (digitalfire.com)

Bisque (digitalfire.com)
Firing Schedule (digitalfire.com)
Kiln venting system (digitalfire.com)

My kiln is fully manual - three switches, each low/medium/high; hence, I'm the controller.

*Don't be hanging around the kiln at all, unless you have very good ventilation setup, where kiln atmosphere is pulled by a powered fan and vented to the outdoors, as well as an overhead setup to remove the fumes that leak out. Don't breathe the fumes!

**Very little chance there will be any flying bits, however, keep the eyes covered anyway, and, and, the glow is harmful - get kiln glasses!

Edited 15 minutes ago by Hulk
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[Bill Kielb]

It’s probably going to be hard describing the process more accurately than the video. Maybe start with some step by step questions where you are getting stuck

[neilestrick]

Most controllers have pre-programmed firing cycles that you set to a specific cone, and they work very well. Let us know which model controller you have.