FrogBlog
Drilling Small Holes in Jewelry
While teaching jewelry workshops, we get this question a lot... "What is the most effective way to drill a small hole in my pendant?" It seems like a simple question but it can cause a lot of stress to both the student, and the glass.
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Applying kiln wash should be easy, right?
We all know that kiln wash and shelf primer does not melt at high temperatures which enables it to form a protective barrier between kiln shelves and glaze or glass. But, did you know the secret to smooth and bubble free kiln wash is to warm the shelves prior to its application?
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Designing Your Own Art Glass
Don’t you hate being dependent on the selection of sheet glass offered by dealers and manufacturers? We think it’s time free yourself from searching for that perfect sheet of glass and learn how to create it yourself!
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Circles from Squares... Be careful, they’re addictive!
This QuickTip will teach you how to create nicely rounded cabochons from stacks of 0.75" (20 x 20 mm) squares, thanks to heat, gravity, and the 6 Millimeter Rule.
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Feeling Like I'm on Grey's Anatomy... Kiln Surgery... STAT!
There's a sinking feeling that I get in my gut when one of my kilns behaves oddly. It's akin to the car making weird noises as you are driving down the highway. Thoughts of dread begin to fill your mind and you start to concoct scenarios of doom. Mainly, "ON NO, I HAVE TO OPEN THE CONTROLLER BOX!" It's funny because I've owned a lot of kilns over the last 14 years and changed a lot of relays, transformers, thermocouples, etc., but still that feeling of dread comes over me as though it was my first time "opening the box." It's like a big mystery. What's in there? What's it going to look like? ...and the biggest question of all.... WILL I SCREW IT UP? You'd think that I'd approach this with confidence and bravado thinking, "I've done this a million times. I've got this!" But, sadly, NO! Anyway, if you feel the same way too, know you are not alone. The inside of the "box" is intimidating. Although it's pretty simple once you know what all of the wires are for and how the electricity needs to move, it's still a little daunting. So here's my story of the week regarding my kiln surgery. I have a 36" Profusion Fiber kiln. I love her, and her name is Jenny! (Yeah, I know I'm a weirdo.) I loaded some simple 2 layer plate tiles into the kiln for an easy full fuse and got a FTL error. The glass never got fired at all and the kiln only went to 600F. So why the FTL? (That's failure to cool, for those of you who don't know all the error codes.) Apparently, you get a FTL code after a FTH (failure to heat) code. Now that seems illogical, but that rant is for another blog. So my task was to figure out why the kiln wasn't heating. No heat = no fusing = no fun for me! There are only a few reasons why a kiln won't heat; dead or stuck relay(s), broken or fried element, not enough current/volts getting to the kiln, etc. The thermocouple was telling me the correct temps, so we could rule that out easily. I'm not as religious about changing relays as I should be on this kiln. I changed them all out exactly 3 years ago. So, it clearly was time! Luckily, I'm not a hypocrite! I did have a stash of relays that was reserved for this event, so I was ready when the time came. (I might be lazy, but I'm not a hypocrite!) So I set aside yesterday afternoon for this planned outpatient kiln surgery! I took out my drill with the 1/4" nut driver attachment, my phillips head bit, and my long nose pliers. I unplugged the kiln and set a small bowl next to my chair. The bowl is for all the screw, nuts, and parts that come off, and will need to go back onto the kiln. It just helps keep things in one place and makes sure things don't roll away and escape from you. (I learned this from experience of not doing the bowl thing and being on my hands and knee on the floor looking for a damn screw.) I pull up a comfy low chair and found a stool to rest the box on since It was still going to be attached to the kiln. NOW I AM READY FOR SURGERY! All I needed was the trippy Grey's Anatomy music and someone telling me, go for it! As you can tell from these pictures, there is A LOT going on in there. The kiln has 4 relays with 4 element connections, power jumps from one relay to the next, connections to the pilot lights, etc. There are 6 prongs on each of the 4 relays, and each prong has something attached to it. That's 24 connections to take off and reconnect correctly, and in the right order. That wouldn't be so bad except that this all has to be done in a tiny space. I'm not the largest lady in town, but I'm not small and delicate either. My hands are normal size, but in that box I felt like my hands were baseball mitts. Each relay is color coded to an element. So the red wires go to one relay, the whites, the blacks, and the blues, each to their own relay. That's really helpful so that you know you've got it all correct. Of course that escaped me the first time I did this, but you learn. Each relay is held in place by 2 bolts, each with their corresponding nut. That's a challenge, removing the relay from its spot, then disconnecting all of the crimped connections, then attaching all the connections correctly to the new relay, and then bolting the new relay back in place securely. That's what you do, just four times, in a small space, bent over, with reading glasses on, while you struggle to hold the long nosed pliers that are wiggling the tightly crime connectors on and off. See.... it's simple... a breeze.. ARE YOU KIDDING ME? The TRUTH is that none of this in mentally taxing. I didn't need special knowledge, JUST NERVE! I had to remember that this was just a giant toaster, and I am a resourceful girl! Yes, I started out intimidated, but that soon gave way to a wave of confidence and accomplishment. My last step was to take a picture of the inside of the box and send it to the folks that built the kiln to assure I hadn't missed anything. They got back to me quickly and pointed out one mistake, which was easily fixed in 15 seconds. The kiln companies are there to help, so utilize that help. NOW I AM READY TO GO! HERE'S WHAT I LEARED, THAT YOU CAN LEARN FROM TOO... Fear is the enemy, not the relays! Have the right tools and get them together in one place. Get a stash of relays so that you will be ready when the time comes. Schedule a quiet, uninterrupted "appointment" time with yourself to do this task. Go slowly and take a break if you need it. DO NOT wait until the kiln doesn't fire, or do this the night before a show. Ask for help from your kiln manufacturer. Reward yourself for job well done! Good luck! If I can do it, you can too! Your Kiln Gal, Gail Some important kiln parts: RelaysAdhesive Electric Kiln Parts
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The Power of A Small Multi-Use Kiln
I love my big, very capable kilns, but so many times they just are not the right solution for my smaller projects. Having a smaller multi-use kiln for making jewelry, firing metal clays, making drawer pulls or glass bracelets, small ceramic projects, pulling vitrigraph stringer, bead annealing, and enameling is just a must in my studio. I'd be lost without my little wonder of a kiln! Here are some kilns that I really like as they do A LOT for the money... It's definitely hard to choose which one is best. It really just depends on what smaller projects you like to do and how much flexibility you need. The Evenheat Copper Kiln I love this kiln because of its front loading capability. It makes for easy access and loading. It allows you to do all of the above except vitrigraph and bead annealing. The really nice thing is that this kiln pulls less watts then most other kilns, while still making the temps we need. If you have power challenges in your studio, this kiln plugs into any household 120V receptacle, so you'll have an easy time getting the "juice" you need. The Copper excels at ease of use. It is built entirely of firebrick to offer the metal clay artist the opportunity to explore materials in the higher temperature ranges. Many clays require temperatures up to 2200F and the Copper has the capability to get you there. The Copper also finds use in china and porcelain painting, ceramics, and glass. The Copper is stock equipped with our easy to use Set-Pro control with preset metal clays programs as well as allowing for custom programming. The Copper sits comfortably on table tops and includes a stand. The Olympic HB86E This kiln is a rocket, because it heats very quickly! The reason this kiln is special is because it's super powered, going really fast up to temp and having the ability to hold that temp for long periods. That is especially important when pulling vitrigraph stringer. This nifty little kiln is truly multipurpose! We use it to fuse, anneal beads, fire Metal Clay, as a vitrograph, and to make bracelets. You can even fire small ceramics. The top and bottom are removable for the ultimate in versatility. This little wonder does it all! It is important to note, that when the bead collar or blank collar are added, the maximum temperature on the HB86E reduces to 2000°F. If you are a fan of Vitrigraphs and want to have your own set up, but don't want to deal with ladders or a permanent shelf, Here's a very cool solution that goes perfectly with an Olympic Kiln HB86E!! Olympic Vitrigraph Stand The Paragon Caldera Digital This is one of Paragon's best sellers because it literally can do anything! It's used in a lot of studios as a dedicated vitrigraph kiln because it fires fast and stays there! You can order extra collars for bead annealing, enameling, or just depth! You can also order extra bottoms too! This kiln is a sold workshorse that has a great reputation. You can make jewelry from the amazing silver, bronze, and copper clay, fire ceramics, porcelain, or stoneware jewelry. When you are ready to try something new, fire china, decals, try enameling, and glass in Paragon’s digital Caldera kiln. Glass compatibility and glaze color tests are fast and easy. The Caldera fires rapidly to 2350°F/1287°C. What will you do with your multi-use small kiln? Your Kiln Gal, Gail
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PART ONE: 3-Key Controller Tricks
Everyday prospective buyers ask me which type of controller is better; the 3-key or the 12-key. What I tell them is "There is no better... it reallly comes down to what you have or can afford." A 3-key controller can do almost everything a 12-key can do, but it just takes longer to get the programming done. And, it doesn't matter if it's a Paragon, Olympic, Evenheat or Jen-Ken kiln... all 3-key controllers work the same way. If your impatient or easily distracted, like me, a 12-key might be the right choice for you. Either way the digital controller, either 3-key or 12-key can be your friend if your know these simple tricks. So, this week I'll share 3-key controller tricks you might not know about. 3-Key Controllers - COOL OPTIONS THAT ARE HIDDEN! During an active firing, the INCREASE button will activate an options menu and scroll through the available options with each button press. These options allow you to make adjustments to the firing program without stopping the firing. The available options follow... SKIP STEP - During an active heating, cooling or hold time, it is possible to skip ahead to the next program step. Press the INCREASE button to display the skip step prompt SStP. Then press the PROGRAM button to display the current ramp or hold segment. Press the PROGRAM button again to initiate the skip and the controller display returns to the normal firing mode. If the DECREASE button is pressed, the skip step function is canceled and the controller display returns to the normal firing mode.The skip function can be used to end a hold time early or to skip from any heating/cooling step to the next heating/cooling step. The skip function does nothing during the final program step. To end a final program step, simply press STOP. ADD MORE HOLD TIME - During an active heating, cooling or hold time, it is possible to add more hold time to the current program step. Press the INCREASE button until the hold time prompt HLdt is displayed. Then Press the PROGRAM button to display the current hold time. Press the INCREASE button to add five (5) minute increments to the original hold time. Then press the PROGRAM button to return to the normal firing mode. If the DECREASE button is pressed while the HLDT prompt is displayed, the controller display returns to the normal firing mode. CHANGE HEATING OR COOLING TEMPS - During an active heating, cooling or hold time, it is possible to change the heating or cooling temperature of the current program step. Press the INCREASE button until the change temperature prompt CHGT is displayed. Then press the PROGRAM button to display the current temperature setting. Adjust the temperature setting with the INCREASE or DECREASE buttons. Then press the PROGRAM button to return to the normal firing mode. If the DECREASE button is pressed while the CHGT prompt is displayed, the controller display returns to the normal firing mode. THRESHOLD ALARM- During the firing, it is possible to set an audible alarm and display alarm for when the actual temperature reaches a specified value. The buzzer will sound (for 30 seconds) and the display will show the alarm code ALAR.To set the alarm, press the INCREASE button during the active firing until the alarm prompt ALAR is displayed. Then press the PROGRAM button to display the current alarm temperature setting. Adjust the temperature setting with the INCREASE or DECREASE buttons. Then press the PROGRAM button to return to the normal firing mode. If the DECREASE button is pressed while the ALAr prompt is displayed, the controller display returns to the normal firing mode. The alarm is disabled (turned off) when the alarm value is set to 32°F (0ºC). The alarm value can be reset or changed many times during a single firing. To silence an active alarm, simply press any button. I hope these few tricks up your sleeves with help you get even more out of firing your kilns! Stay tuned for next week's PART TWO: 12-KEY CONTROLLER MAGIC! If you are interested in learning more about the different controller options that are available check out our controller option videos here! Your Kiln Gal, Gail
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