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Table of Contents
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Summary of Contents for Cress ET28
- Page 1 ELECTRONIC KILNS OWNER'S MANUAL...
- Page 2 Congratulations on being the owner of a Cress electronic kiln! Besides having the safety and reli- ability that has long been associated with the Cress name, the kiln you have selected is equipped with the best electronic control on the market. We are pleased to offer a control with a wider range of automatic firing speeds which will do almost any firing job without the need for custom...
- Page 4 IMPORTANT SAFEGUARDS! Please read and observe the following safety warnings before operating your kiln: 1. Install kiln 18" or more from any wall or combustibles. 2. Fire only on stand or legs furnished. 3. Never fire hotter than cone 10 or 2350 4.
- Page 5 firing times and line loss (voltage loss). Never cut the plug off and replace it. If the plug becomes damaged, change the entire cord with a CRESS factory supplied cord which will meet temperature as well as electrical requirements.
- Page 6 THE CRESS ELECTRONIC CONTROL The Cress Electronic Control is easy to use and includes advanced features which give great flexibility in firing schedules. It displays the internal kiln temperature throughout the firing and cooling process, so you can easily monitor the progress of your firing.
- Page 7 ALARM The alarm function simply turns on an audible signal (a beeping sound) at a predetermined temperature setting. To set an alarm press the ALARM key; the display will flash ALAR. Enter the desired temperature then press the ENTER key. To silence the alarm during operation, press the ALARM key. BASIC CONTROL OPERATION CONE FIRE MODE (SIMPLE AUTOMATIC FIRING)
- Page 8 The following is an example of entering a CONE FIRE program for a firing at cone 06 at medium speed with no hold time. STEP PRESS ACTION DISPLAY / PROMPT CONE FIRE Selects CONE FIRE mode ConE Selects desired cone number ENTER Inputs (stores) new cone number Selects desired speed...
- Page 9 STOPPING THE PROGRAM If it is necessary to stop a program while it is running simply press the STOP key. To correct an entered number, clear the display by entering all zeros, then reenter the desired value and press ENTER. CONE FIRE PREPROGRAMMED FIRING PROFILES The following are the firing profiles for the five speed options in the CONE FIRE mode.
- Page 10 MED (cone 06 example) ° ° ° ° F per hour temperature rise until the kiln reaches 1000 F, then 200 F per hour until the kiln reaches 1100 ° ° ° then 400 F per hour until the final 250 F of the firing, then 120 F per hour until the setpoint is reached.
- Page 11 SLOW (cone 06 example) ° ° ° F per hour temperature rise until the kiln reaches 250 F, then 250 F per hour until the ° ° ° ° ° kiln reaches 1000 F, then 100 F per hour until the kiln reaches 1100 F, then 250 F per hour until the final 250 F of the fir-...
- Page 12 In RAMP HOLD mode there are six user files available. Each file holds one custom program in permanent memory. Each program may contain up to eight segments, and each segment has its own firing rate (degrees per hour of temperature rise), its own temperature setpoint, and an optional hold time. Temperature rate is the number of degrees per hour you wish the temperature in the kiln to rise in an hour.
- Page 13 ° ° ° The following is an example of a custom firing profile. To fire at a 300 F rise per hour up to 1600 F; at 108 F rise per ° ° hour up to 1900 F with a five minute hold time and an alarm to sound at 1800 F, use these steps: STEP PRESS...
- Page 14 The following are error codes that may appear in the display window if the controller diagnoses a problem. If this occurs, please reset the control by turning the power off, then on. If the problem continues call your dealer or Cress tech support line at 702-884-4397.
- Page 15 DISPLAY WINDOW MESSAGES Some of the readouts look odd at first since the control is unable to produce certain letters or capital letters. You will soon get used to the meaning. The following are the display messages and their meanings: DISPLAY DESCRIPTION °...
- Page 16 PREPARATION FOR FIRING Before loading the kiln, there are several things you should do to prepare for a firing: Remove all dust and chips that may have resulted from shipping (or previous firing). A small vacuum cleaner is very useful in keeping your kiln clean. Dust in the kiln could cause imperfections in glazed ware. Prepare a small amount of kiln wash.
- Page 17 Your ware will fire more evenly if you allow for sufficient air circulation around pieces. If it is necessary to place pieces on the floor of the kiln, it is recommended that you stilt them to allow for air circulation underneath. It is best to fire with a shelf at least 1/2"...
- Page 18 Loading stoneware and porcelain It is necessary to fire stoneware and porcelain at a much higher temperature than that used for low fire ware or glaze. At this heat the ware becomes much softer than ceramic bisque. For this reason it may stick to other pieces and so should not be stacked or nested. It will also tend to distort in shape unless the maximum temperature is accurately controlled and the piece is properly supported.
- Page 19 It is important always to stand pyrometric cones at the pre-cut angle provided by the base of each cone; this should be approximately 8 degrees away from vertical in the direction the cone is expected to bend. Setting the cones consistently at this angle assures that each cone (of the same number) will bend at uniformly the same temperature.
- Page 20 Conventional venting consists of propping the lid during the first part of the firing cycle and firing with the top peephole unplugged to allow fumes to escape. The optional Cress Fanfare kiln exhaust system is an excellent way to provide ventilation and has many advantages. Besides removing fumes coming off the ware from the kiln room and eliminating the need to prop and then lower the lid during firing, the Fanfare increases temperature uniformity, provides...
- Page 21 FIRING FOR BEST RESULTS • Don’t try to hurry the firing or cooling of your ware. It can absorb and release heat only so fast without damage to the ware. Slow heating and cooling rates add quality and minimize crazing, cracking and breakage problems. Let the kiln cool at least over night, then crack the lid and let pieces cool until they may be handled with bare hands.
- Page 22 Discolored glazes are often caused by one of the following reasons; • Contamination of glaze by chemicals in the ware, especially if one-fired. • Dirty brushes. • Loading pieces too closely, causing cross contamination of glazes by fumes or bubbles. •...
- Page 23 Check cord for heat near wall plug after the kiln has been firing for over three hours. Have a licensed electrician replace the cord with a CRESS cord and receptacle to make sure heat specification as well as the amperage and voltage specifications are met. Do not unplug...
- Page 25 GLOSSARY BISQUE - Any fired undecorated clay object. CERAMICS - a general term applying to any fired piece of clay material. CHINA - A translucent high fire ceramic body. CLAY - Earth that is relatively pure silica and alumina; usually a blend of different clays and minerals, combined to achieve various effects and different properties.
- Page 26 SOAKING - Heat treating objects in a kiln by keeping them at a particular temperature for a period of time. STILTS - Small ceramic or high temperature metal prongs used to raise a piece off the kiln shelf. Used chiefly in glaze firings to prevent sticking to the kiln or shelf.
- Page 27 The information contained in this guide is subject to change without notice. Cress Mfg. Company, Inc. shall not be liable for technical or editorial omissions made herein; nor for incidental or conse- quential damages resulting from the furnishing, performance, or use of this material or equipment.
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