Skutt KilnMaster Kilns Manufactured after March 1 2006 - Manual (Page 18)

18
D
escriptiOn
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tep
1 - c
One
F
ire
The Cone Fire Mode runs a factory installed multi-segment
program which is selected based on the Cone Value,
Speed, and Hold time you choose. To the right is an exam-
ple of a program which is run if you choose a Cone Value
of 04, a Speed of Medium and Hold time of 5 minutes.
One of the greatest features of Cone Fire Mode is Cone
Correlation. It automatically measures the rate of firing
during the last hour of the heating program and adjusts the
final temperature based on the observed firing rate. This will insure consistent results as the kiln elements become
weaker with normal wear from repeated firing. As a result the shutoff temperature may vary between firings.
s
tep
2 - p
reheat
Preheat is used to preheat the ware inside of the kiln before the temperature goes above the point when water
turns to vapor. If residual water in the clay escapes as vapor too fast it can crack the ware or in extreme cases
cause it to explode. Large, thick walled, pieces are more susceptible to damage caused by residual moisture.
When a Preheat time is entered and the program is started the kiln will climb in temperature at a rate of 60˚F
(15˚C) per hour until it reaches 180˚F (82 ˚C). It will then hold at that temperature for as long as the time entered.
After the hold is complete, it will begin the Cone Fire program. If you do not wish to preheat your ware, enter
00.00 for the hold time. For instructions on turning this feature off, consult the Menu section of this manual.
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3 - c
One
v
alue
Every clay and glaze should have a Cone Value associated with it. A Cone Value is a measurement of the
Heatwork needed for the clay or glaze to mature. The Heatwork is measured through the use of Pyrometric Cones
(see pg 42.) The values of these cones used by the KilnMaster controller ranges from Cone 022 through Cone
10. It will not let you enter a cone value outside of this range. Remember that there is a big difference
between values with “0”s in front of them and ones without “0”s. Example: A Cone Value of
“6” is much hotter than a cone value of “06”.
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4 - s
peeD
The Firing Speed you select will determine how long the kiln will take to heat up. This is important because if you
heat some pieces too quickly, they can crack or explode. There are three available speeds to choose from. Below
is a description of each speed along with a graph showing the firing profile.
c
One
F
ire
– s
lOW
Slow Speed will take approximately 12 hours to
complete. Slow Speed is recommended for large
or thick walled pieces. We recommend that most
teachers use Slow Speed because it is often hard to
tell how thick the walls are in a student’s project. If
you are unsure if the piece is completely dry, use this
speed.
P
RogRamming
s
egs
r
ate
t
eMp
h
OlD
1 200 ºF/HR 250 ºF 0
2 400 ºF/hR 1000 ºF 0
3 180 ºF/hR 1150 ºF 0
4 300 ºF/hR 1694 ºF 0
5 120 ºF/hR 1946 ºF 00.05
2000
1800
1600
1400
1200
1000
800
600
400
200
0
0 2 4 6 8 10 12
Temperature (∞F)
Hours
250∞
1000∞
1300∞
1685∞
1938∞
Cone 04, Slow Speed