Kiln Test Fire
Today I fired my kiln for the first time. I was nervous and excited and it has been a long road getting here but I am so eager to start using my kiln regularly for my glass art.
The first step toward my goal of creating my glass art in my own kiln was the test fire. I spent some time reading the manual, watching videos & getting to know my kiln. Then I did a quick prep cleaning and set the program to run the test fire. Per the instructions I had gotten from the manual & videos I did one segment that consisted of a “AFAP” (as fast as possible) ramp which on my kiln is “9999’, max temp of 1200 degrees, held for 20 minutes. This allows the kiln to burn off any lubricant in the heating element and also any travel wear & tear. The test run also allows the element to form a protective oxide barrier. For me the test run of this kiln was also the first time I had ever run a kiln without the supervision and support of my glass art mentor so it was a little nerve wracking but went really smoothly.
Now that I have successfully done the test run I plan to make some glass tile samples to fire at different temps to get a feel for where my kiln is best programmed for tack & full fuses. I will share that once I have it ready to go.
