jolieo Posted February 10, 2015 Report Share Posted February 10, 2015 Hi so my husband is wiring my kiln. It is a paragon. A 66-b , 240 v, 15 amp. Gies to cone 8. Right now it just has an infinite switch, high ,medium and low. It looks like it has never been used. It has a few small (quarter size)pieces out of the top.i have a hand held old old old pyrometer that someone gave me. What should I do next, under the theory that it works? I will have to special order the ramp master because the plug differs. Thanks Jolie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neilestrick Posted February 10, 2015 Report Share Posted February 10, 2015 If it doesn't have a sitter, you'll need to get some large self supporting cones to put in front of the peep hole. That pyrometer should only be used as a guideline, not for accurate firing temps. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jolieo Posted February 10, 2015 Author Report Share Posted February 10, 2015 Yes I have them! What I mean is literal, the kiln didn't come w instructions , I don't know what to do first.i know kiln wash is involved but how on inside of kiln and to what temp and how long and how many times etc plus what to look for . I have never fired a kiln Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neilestrick Posted February 10, 2015 Report Share Posted February 10, 2015 3 thin coats of kiln wash on the shelves, not on inside of kiln. Put a shelf at the bottom, up on 1/2" or 1" posts. Load the kiln, keeping all kiln posts in vertical alignment. Close the lid. For an infinite switch, just ballpark the settings for low-med-high. Low for 1 hour, med for 1 hour, high till the cone bends. If you have numbers on the dial, 1 for an hour, 3-4 for an hour, high till done. You can go 1/2 hour for low and med for glaze firings. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jolieo Posted February 10, 2015 Author Report Share Posted February 10, 2015 Do I fire w kiln wash first or put kiln wash on , let it dry , then fire. Also do I need to fire kiln at all first. Also how full should I get it? And what you told me , that's full on till cone 6. 1 hour, 1 hour, then full on till come 6? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neilestrick Posted February 10, 2015 Report Share Posted February 10, 2015 For bisque (cone 04)- Low 1 hr, Med 1 hr, High till done. For Glaze- Low 1/2 hr, Med 1/2 hr, High till done. No need to fire on the wash. Just let it dry to the touch between coats. Load it as full as you can, keeping work 1 inch from the elements. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jolieo Posted February 10, 2015 Author Report Share Posted February 10, 2015 Thanks😀 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cavy Fire Studios Posted February 11, 2015 Report Share Posted February 11, 2015 If you look up the model on Paragon's website, I'm sure there will be a pdf file of the instruction manual. You can call their hotline too. ♥ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jolieo Posted February 11, 2015 Author Report Share Posted February 11, 2015 DUH! Thanks Guinea, I just read the instructions. They are different . I am not sure I understand them all either cuz they were written in 1977. First off , the instructions say to heat to ^018, then ^05 to condition the kiln. So where is the best place to buy cones since I need to get more ^ s than I anticipated? Second they said to put directly on the floor of the kiln w a good coat of kiln wash down. Even when glazing. Ok but that means no room for error even small errors. Granted the kiln is only 1.4 sqft , but still. Third it talks of stuff in the firing schedule , like venting until put on high. I guess I'll call them. This is so exciting! I have to make enough stuff to fill the kiln. Jolie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rayaldridge Posted February 11, 2015 Report Share Posted February 11, 2015 Jolie, if you plan to "condition" the kiln by firing to 018 with no pots in the kiln, you probably don't need to buy a box of cones for that purpose. If it were me, I'd just use the pyrometer-- a little off won't matter. But on the next firing to 05, I'd load it with pots and use cones, because that's a perfectly good bisque temp for most clay bodies. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jolieo Posted February 11, 2015 Author Report Share Posted February 11, 2015 It said not to load.it said with nothing in it ,it would condition the bricks and last longer:) not sure why it did say to put the furniture and shelves in . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark C. Posted February 11, 2015 Report Share Posted February 11, 2015 A New kiln never used from 1977-Now thats some new old stock. its like an old twilight Zone movie one thing for certain do not place pots during a glaze directly on kiln bottom so if glaze runs or drips your bottom will get damaged. Mark Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jolieo Posted February 11, 2015 Author Report Share Posted February 11, 2015 That's what I thought! So why would it say it again and again? If I do put a shelf on the bottom , does it go right on the bottom or do I use posts? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Hertzfeld Posted February 11, 2015 Report Share Posted February 11, 2015 Just follow Neil's instructions and you will be fine. Post them 1/2" to 1" off the bottom. P.s. Don't wash the bottom of the shelves Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neilestrick Posted February 11, 2015 Report Share Posted February 11, 2015 If the kiln has even been fired once, there's no need to do an empty firing. Don't worry about kiln wash on the floor. Broken kiln shelf pieces work great for posting the bottom shelf. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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