KILN FIRING STEPS

How To Set Up and Fire the Electric Kiln:

Preparing the kiln:

• Stack shelves with smallest work on bottom and largest on top.
  

• Kiln stilts work best in three’s and when they are aligned from shelf to shelf, so the pressure is consistent.
  
  

• For a Bisque firing, greenware can be touching and even stacked. Glazeware should not touch at all. Kiln wash should be applied to shelves before preparing a Glaze firing.
  
  

• Place prepared witness cones on top and bottom shelves, one set each.
  
  

• Place the kiln sitter cone (the smaller sized cone, one cone higher in temp than desired firing cone) in the kiln sitter. 
  
  

• Close the kiln door, clamp it shut.
  
  

• Set the timer, about 8-9hrs for most firings. 
  
  

• Just crank it to 20 to be safe.
  
  

• Press the white button of the kiln sitter to set it.
  
  

• Open all three Peep Holes
  
  

• Begin the Bartlett Programmed firing.

Fire the Kiln and Keep Notes:

• Turn on the power to the kiln
  
• Use one of the programmed settings to either Bisque fire or Glaze fire your work.
  
  
• Keep the Peep Holes open until the moisture has burned out. This will likely be the length of your Preheat.
  
  
• The peep holes must be closed when the kiln is ramping up to its final temperature.
  
  
• Take notes of the firing at the beginning and end
  
  
• Include: Date, Firing type (Program number and Cone), Quantity of work / How full is the kiln, Witness Cones (after the firing mark their position), TEMP of firing (determined after firing), CPLt (after firing).
  
  
  

After Firing:

• When the firing is complete, CPLt, the firing time, and the current kiln temperature alternately are displayed.
  
• Record this CPLt time in the kiln notes.
  
  
• Press ENTER or START/STOP to return to IDLE.
  
  
• Press “Review Program” to record the firing TEMP in the kiln notes. The temperature is displayed after ℉.

• Wait until the temperature reads 200℉ before opening the kiln.
  
  
• Remove all work carefully, working from the top to the bottom.
  
  
• Remove all stilts and shelves as well
  
  
• Carefully VACUUM the interior of the kiln.
  
  
• Give special attention to the element grooves.
  
  
• Turn power off to the Kiln.