tens into the surface. This particular piece should receive only
a light-to-medium fuse.
Allow the kiln to cool for at least 45 minutes.
When the glass is cool enough to touch, remove the fiber paper
with a tooth pick and thread a cord or chain into the channel.
Glass Troubleshooter
Points on the edges of the glass
The glass was fired too hot.
Grind
the edges of the glass with a sheet of
fine sandpaper or emery cloth. Lay the
sandpaper on a flat surface and rub the
glass over the sandpaper.
Cracks
The piece was too large or had too
many layers. Or you fired a piece a sec-
ond time.
Next time, fire smaller
pieces, pre-heat the glass, or fire at a
lower heat setting on your microwave
oven.
The glass was removed too soon
from the kiln.
Allow the glass to cool at
least 45 minutes before lifting the kiln
top and removing the piece.
The glass pieces that fused together
are incompatible.
This means they expanded and contracted during
firing at different rates. Buy glass that is rated fusing compatible from
an art glass supplier.
Maintenance Instructions
Repairing Cracked or Flaked Black Coating
To repair the silicon carbide coating, you will need the coating
(available from Paragon), sandpa-
per, and a 1” paint brush.
Lay the kiln top on its side.
Sand the black coating on the
inner surface with a piece of
sandpaper. Rotate the kiln top
as you sand. You do not need
to remove all the coating.
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15
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Removing pointed corners from the
glass.
Sand until the interior is
white to gray in color.
Apply a new coat with a 1"
paint brush.
Apply a second coating after
24 hours.
Allow the kiln to dry com-
pletely before firing.
Removing Embedded
Glass from the Kiln
Hot glass can break during
firing and fly against the kiln
top and base. After the kiln
cools, remove the embedded
glass. If necessary, dig the glass
out of the ceramic fiber using a
pocketknife. Repairing small
low spots in the fiber is usually
not necessary.
Repairing Gouges in the Ceramic Fiber Base
Turn the base up-
side-down on a sheet of
sandpaper and rub in a cir-
cular motion. Remove as lit-
tle material as possible from
the base. Then recoat the
base with glass separator.
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16
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Use a pocket knife to remove embedded glass
from the base.
2011 South Town East Blvd.
Mesquite, Texas 75149-1122
800-876-4328 / 972-288-7557
Toll Free Fax: 888-222-6450
[email protected]
www.paragonweb.com
Sanding the base to remove minor gouges.
