These directions are designed to serve as reminders for students of Louis Katz. They are not stand alone directions. For instructions on how to fire your kiln, consult the manufacturer.
Alpine Preparation
Use these cones
- Front Pack 012,04,1,5
- Back Pack 8,9,10
- Fill out the kiln log and get a permission signature.
- If soda kiln is firing or loaded ask remind Louis before lighting.
- Check cone packs and loading. Double check stilting.
- Open damper all the way.
- Close door.
- Check that the yellow valve is off
- Make sure flamables are away from the kiln.
Alpine Lighting
- Turn orange valve on.
- Pull low and high pressure resets forward.
- Check yellow valve again.
- Turn blower to 20
- Turn on main electric switch. Watch and wait for the first pilot valve to click and then the pilot to light.
- If the first pilot does not light press the front(nearest the Kiln door) Red Fire Eye box reset button and wait again.
- If the First pilot light works but the second does not light try the second reset button. If that does not work turn off the main electric switch and start at the top of the lighting routine.
After Lighting
- Close the damper to 2" open
- put in the spy hole plugs
- Keep hair and face away from burners when lighting especially when turning on the yellow valve.
- slowly turn the yellow valve on until the burner just lights. Gradually increase the pressure until the overnight setting is reached. This should take at least 1 hour.
Alpine Overnight Setting for glaze kilns
- Allow the kiln to dry on the pilots only for at least 1 hour, longer if the glazes are still wet on the pots or if the cone packs are wet.
- Set the gas to 1/2 inch water column (yellow valve)(this varies ask Louis)
Alpine Firing Setting
- Change blower to 50%
- Increase gas progressively to 2.5-3.0 inches water column (yellow valve)
- Adjust damper for oxidation unless cone 012 has already fallen.
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Alpine Reduction Setting
- After cone 012 falls adjust the kiln for mild reduction. Below 01 do this by smell. Above cone 01 use flame color and backpressure. Look for flame at the damper.
Alpine Oxidation Cleanup
Set Gas to 2.5 inches (or less). Open Damper all the way but do not pull it completely out of the slot. Set blower all the way on. Typical cleanup is 5-15 minutes unless cone ten falls. Once cone ten is down the kiln must be turned off regardless of other factors.
Alpine Shutdown
Shutdown procedes i reverse order from lighting.
- yellow valve is turned off.
- blower is turned off
- red valve is turned off
- damper is closed.
- kiln is then checked for nearby combustables.
- if it is night time the nighttime building manager is informed that the kiln is off.
KilnTest
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